MARIETTA - New home construction continues to improve in Cobb County.

In May, Cobb and its six cities issued a total of 56 building permits for new single-family homes. That is a 43.6-percent increase from the 39 permits issued in May 2009.

Of those issued, 35 were in unincorporated Cobb, 10 were in Smyrna, seven in Kennesaw, two in Acworth, one in Marietta and one in Powder Springs. Austell did not issue any permits.

Year-to-date, more than twice the amount of permits have been issued across Cobb when compared to the same period last year. There have been a total of 317 permits this year, compared to 147 permits issued by this time last year. This year, there were 64 permits issued in January, 66 in February, 63 in March and 68 in April.

Colby Henson, managing broker of Red Oak Realty, said the housing market is just starting to pick up. He said Cobb-based Red Oak Construction has purchased three new subdivisions in Smyrna and west Cobb within the past 30 days, and has started to build at least three homes in each.

"The first part of this year, with the tax credit, really spurred a lot of growth in new permits," Henson said. "Last year's pace was just so slow."

Still, things such as high foreclosure and unemployment rates are significantly affecting the housing market, experts say.

There are 1,367 properties in Cobb heading to the auction block in July.

Nationally, new home construction seems to be on the upswing as well.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau and Department of Housing and Urban Development, new home building permits in around the country jumped 9.9 percent to 438,000 units in May, up from April's rate of 486,000 units.