Housing starts rise 67 percent in Broward

Housing starts in Broward County rose 67 percent in the first quarter, compared to the same period in 2011, the South Florida Sun Sentinel reported. There were a total of 257 housing starts in the first three months of this year, according to data from research firm Metrostudy. In Palm Beach, housing starts jumped by 22 percent in the same period. The firm said South Florida’s home starts reached the bottom three years ago. Despite the significant increases, new home activity is well below the peak years in the mid 2000s, however. [Sun Sentinel]