As of most recent data from the National Association of Home Builders, it takes approximately 8.8 months from the beginning of the permitting process to completion to build the typical single-family home. However, in some cities, it takes much longer.

A recent report from the ResiClub blog shows that in some cities it can take nearly four years to build a single-family home, with multifamily properties taking even more time.

Where does it take the longest to build a home?

When it comes to the typical single-family home, San Francisco has the longest build time at nearly four years. Miami and Philadelphia fall closely behind at 3.4 years. The permitting stage alone accounts for 30% to 43% of that gap between the slowest and fastest cities.

San Francisco’s and Miami’s multifamily sector also have long build times at 4.6 to 4.8 years.

Where are homes completed in the shortest amount of time?

Meanwhile, cities where permitting moves faster have much quicker build times. For single-family homes, Indianapolis, El Paso, and Colorado Springs have the shortest build times at around six months each.

Other mid-size cities also record quicker than average multifamily build times. A standardized 20-unit apartment building takes about two years in Raleigh, Grand Rapids, and Reno.