MARIETTA - Across Cobb County, 38 permits for new homes were issued in November, which is more than were issued in the same month one year ago. November 2008 saw only 22 permits.

Unincorporated Cobb issued 25 permits last month. The city of Kennesaw issued six, Acworth and Smyrna issued three each and Austell issued one. None were issued in Marietta or Powder Springs.

For the year, housing permits are half of what they were in 2008. With only one month left in the year, there have been 347 issued across Cobb. At this time a year ago, there were 699 issued.

That is a stark contrast to 2004, when 5,233 permits were issued through November.

Eric Price, chief operating officer at Marietta's Traton Homes, said his company has purchased nine subdivisions across metro Atlanta, either through short sales from the original developer or via foreclosures.

"It's hard to speak for the industry anymore, because everybody's situations are so different," Price said. "We're positioned very well to have a good 2010 - and good's a long way from great - if we can follow our business plan and continue to find those deals. Where we used to do 100 acres, we now might do 15 acres. We have to be very opportunistic and find the right location for the right price where we can offer the right product."

Clif Poston, the company's executive vice president, estimated Traton would build 75 to 80 homes in Cobb next year and talked about competing against new homes that have been built, but have yet to sell.

"You've got to be able to put a new home out there at a comparable price to existing homes," Poston said. "That's where we feel optimistic. There's a lot of new homes at old prices. We built a lot of homes at the high $400s, $500s, $600s and $700s. Go back a few years and that was the going price. What we're seeing now is a lot of reestablishing values. We can provide a comparable house for significantly less," he said.

"It has been several, several difficult years," Poston said. "But we see some signs that make us optimistic."