COBB COUNTY - The home building industry in Cobb is showing signs of improvement, as February saw the highest number of new housing permits issued throughout the county since June 2008.

Last month, 66 permits were issued, which is the same number issued in June 2008. September 2009 showed the lowest numbers of the year at 23, but each successive month, the numbers have increased. There were 25 permits issued in October, 38 in November, 59 permits in December and 64 in January.

During the month of February, 47 permits were issued in unincorporated Cobb County, eight were issued in Smyrna, two in Acworth, one in Austell, one in Marietta and one in Powder Springs. No permits were issued in Kennesaw.

Year to date, 130 housing permits have been issued. Only 56 permits were issued in the same time period in 2009. In February 2009, only 29 permits were issued.

David Gilreath, owner of David Gilreath Homes based in Marietta, said there is an overall improvement in the housing market, but he is seeing vast increases specifically in requests for additions and renovations.

"I'm doing more work in 2010 so far than I ever did last year, so things are certainly improving," Gilreath said.

Gilreath believes the healing housing market is because of the fact that people are growing more comfortable with spending their money than they have in the past year.

"I think people are gaining confidence in the economy, after the stock market went crazy and everything went into the recession. I think we're seeing people pulling themselves out of that and people who do have money are going to spend it," said Gilreath, whose company specializes in building and designing custom homes, and home renovations.

"People are looking at places to put their money now, and there's no better place than investing in your home or any home," Gilreath said. "Materials and labor costs are really low right now, so I think people are taking advantage of that, and should take advantage of that while they can."