If you’ve watched state and local hiring data, then you know construction work is on a tear.
Employers in the building sector have posted job growth in double-digit percentages for much of the last year — including a 16.1 percent year-to-year local jump in July, when building companies added 7,300 workers to payrolls for a job count of 52,600.
Two sources have attached some eye-opening dollar amounts on local construction activity.
Contracting research firm Dodge Data & Analytics tallied a 25 percent jump in July building starts in the Las Vegas market. The company reported $2.53 billion in starts, up 25 percent from $2.02 billion in July 2014. The breakdown included $1.26 billion in nonresidential starts, up 18 percent from $1.06 billion, and $1.27 billion in residential starts, a 33 percent gain over $958.5 million a year earlier.
What’s more, taxable sales reports for both Nevada and Clark County show a spike in building-related sales for fiscal 2013, which ended June 30.
For the year, Clark County saw $409.8 million in construction-centered taxable sales. That was up 38.3 percent from fiscal 2014’s $296.3 million total.
Sales jumped 30.9 percent statewide, from $505.5 million to $661.5 million.
None of that is to say the recovery is complete: Industry numbers remain well below the levels they reached in the unsustainable building boom that preceded the market crash. Construction employment peaked locally in 2006 at about 112,000, which means current payrolls are still less than half of their levels before the downturn. And June’s local taxable sales total for building-related activities was $61.1 million, less than half of the $150 million or more hit in some months before the recession took over.
Realtors group picks officers
The Greater Las Vegas Association of Realtors named its officers and directors for 2016.
The group elected Realtor Scott Beaudry, of Universal Realty, as its president for the upcoming year.
David J. Tina of Urban Nest Realty will serve as president-elect, while Christopher Bishop of Coldwell Banker Premier will serve as vice president. Signature Real Estate Group’s Janet Carpenter will become treasurer.
New directors are Jillian Batchelor, Thomas Blanchard, Kolleen Kelley, Aldo Martinez, Brandon Roberts, Torres Ramey and Gaylan Bryant.
They join returning directors Vandana Bhalla, Omar Lopez, immediate past president Keith Lynam, Krystal Sherry and Mark Sivek.
The assoication’s members voted on the officers in an election that ran Aug. 13-27.
The association has nearly 12,000 members in Southern Nevada.
Fortis joins Weichert, Realtors
A local real estate brokerage has joined a national franchise organization.
Fortis Residential Realty is now with New Jersey-based Weichert, Realtors, a network of affiliates serving 250 markets in 38 states.
Fortis broker-owner Scott Dale is in charge of the office, which is now called Weichert, Realtors-Millennium, an independently owned and operated member of Weichert Real Estate Affiliates.
Dale said it was an “easy decision” to partner with Weichert.
“From their decades of proven success, to the continuity in support they provide our business and brokers, to the in-depth resources and unsurpassed systems they offer, we now have the backing of one of the most respected companies in the industry and couldn’t be in a better position to serve our clients and grow our business,” he said.
Martin Rueter, president of Weichert Real Estate Affiliates, said he was pleased to welcome Fortis and its brokers into the company’s network.
“Millennium is highly regarded in the area, shares our client-first philosophy and is rooted in the region it serves,” he said.
Fortis has been in business since 2008.
