South Australian real estate building approvals increased in December last year, according to new statistics.
The number of properties that got the go-ahead jumped 1.7 per cent in the final month of 2012 - with 2,200 residential real estate approvals in the December quarter overall.
This represented a 14.2 per cent increase from the preceding three-month period and a 5.2 per cent jump from the corresponding quarter in 2011.
Detached housing enjoyed a 7.2 per cent rise over the quarter - 1.4 per cent more than in the three months to December in 2011.
But multi-unit dwellings were the standout performers, rising 21.3 per cent in the December quarter, compared with the same period of 2011.
Robert Harding, executive director of the Housing Industry Association (HIA) in South Australia/Northern Territory, said that these figures show cause for optimism.
Mr Harding explained: "It is particularly encouraging to see the important detached house segment of the market start to improve.
"The end of 2012 has thankfully provided decent respite to the trend decline that has persisted for almost two years. These results need to be consolidated and there is certainly a long way to go."
The HIA executive director added that the figures are below the decade average and that the industry should not rest on its laurels.
