Construction jobs outlook slightly better | Irvine Real Estate | Irvine Homes for Sale

by Robert Mack on January 16, 2011

Construction has been one of the hardest sectors in the economy.

As of December, O.C. construction jobs were down 7% from the year before, falling to 63,000 full-time positions, according the Associated General Contractors of America. Nationally, construction industry unemployment hit 20.7 percent — with 1.7 million workers out of a job.

So are things going to get better this year? We asked members of the local Building Industry Association at their annual Outlook Dinner Thursday night …

Bill Watt, 2011 BIA/OC president and founder and president of Baywood Development Group: “I think 2011 is going to be better than 2010. I think we found the bottom in both (housing) starts and prices. … But it’s going to be a slow recovery because of the jobs. We need jobs.”

Steve Ruffner, Southern California and Coastal division president for KB Home: “We’re optimistic because we have 20 new communities we’re going to open in the first and second quarters. … Each house we build creates more jobs.”

He said also: “We’re getting a lot of customers in. We’re seeing people with good credit. Our FICO scores are up. And we’re seeing a lot of people who are interested in buying.”

Paul Johnson, senior vice president for community development, Rancho Mission Viejo: “We’re in that improving state right now … I think it’s a great time in construction. There are a lot of operations that will open up in 2011 and 2012. … Things are starting to improve.”