Home building in Lincoln remained at a three-decade low in 2010, as both building permits and sales were lower than in 2009.
But despite the conditions, there were some pockets of encouraging activity.
While conceding he's not selling anywhere near the volume of five or six years ago, Home Real Estate agent Terry Kraft, who sells houses for Prairie Homebuilders, said things were going well, considering the environment.
"We're doing fantastic," he said.
Prairie Homebuilders sold more homes in 2010 than in 2009, Kraft said, and he thinks 2011 could be even better.
"I'm starting out better than I did the two years previously," he said.
One region where Prairie Homebuilders focuses its efforts is northeast Lincoln, which is one of a few areas where homebuilding remained fairly stable in 2010.
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"There's a lot of activity out there," said Lois Hartzell, owner of Vistar Homes and the newly elected president of the Home Builders Association of Lincoln.
Other areas where Harztell said homebuilding was fairly stable last year were Wilderness Hills southeast of 27th Street and Yankee Hill Road, near Adams Elementary School and Schoo Middle School, and in southwest Lincoln, from roughly Southwest 27th to Southwest 40th streets, and from A to South streets.
Hartzell's company has had some success in southwest Lincoln, although she said 2010 was a down year for her, with only 18 sales, compared to her normal two dozen.
Another builder who's been building homes in that area is Joey Hausmann, who owns Hausmann Construction and Legend Homes.
"We've had a fair amount of success," he said -- mostly with high-end homes.
Hausmann said he started a 15-home development south of Saltillo Road between 54th and 68th streets four years ago and is down to two or three lots. The big thing, though, is that some owners who have been sitting on lots for two or three years are starting to build.
"We've got six or seven builds out in front of us," he said, most of which are $500,000-plus homes.
According to the Building and Safety Department, builders took out 52 single-family home permits of at least $300,000 in 2010, 18 more than in 2009 and five more than in 2008.
"I think people are feeling a lot better about the economy," Hausmann said.
Success of any kind was something to celebrate in 2010. While single-family home permits fell only slightly, from 378 in 2009 to 370 last year, sales of new homes fell nearly 15 percent.
Hartzell, for her part, thinks this year will be a little bit better.
"I don't think it will be a huge year, but it will be on an upswing," she said.
