Housing economists have long held that the housing rebound, when it comes, will be uneven. The markets that benefit first will be the ones with the strongest core dynamics; places where house prices never got out of hand, cities where a diverse and progressive employment base drives job creation, towns that continue to draw population despite the economic recession.

Now that the housing recovery is nearly upon us–most economists expect a full-fledged recovery to begin this year–it’s time to figure out which markets will be the front-runners. Based on last year’s performance, especially the level of building permits pulled in the fourth quarter, it’s already clear that some markets are poised to grow at a faster pace this year than others in 2010.
List: 20. Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA
Market Health Indicator: 30.0
2009 Total Building Permits: 1,966
2010 Building Permit Forecast: 2,076
19. Greenville-Mauldin-Easley, SC
Market Health Indicator: 31.6
2009 Total Building Permits: 1,591
2010 Building Permit Forecast: 1,918
18. Houston-Sugar Land-Baytown, TX
Market Health Indicator: 33.1
2009 Total Building Permits: 26,569
2010 Building Permit Forecast: 29,703
17. Wilmington, NC
Market Health Indicator: 33.6
Total Building Permits: 1,827
2010 Building Permit Forecast: 1,925
16. Portland-Vancouver-Beaverton, OR-WA
Market Health Indicator: 34.4
2009 Total Building Permits: 3,821
2010 Building Permit Forecast: 10,156
15. Myrtle Beach-North Myrtle Beach-Conway, SC
Market Health Indicator: 36.0
2009 Total Building Permits: 1,758
2010 Building Permit Forecast: 1,898
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