RAYMOND – The housing market is starting to take off in Raymond.

At the Raymond Board of Selectmen’s meeting on Dec. 16, Chris Hanson, the town’s code enforcement officer, presented data illustrating that new home construction is accelerating.

Between April 1 and Dec. 5 of 2013, the town issued building permits for 10 single-family homes, half of which were for teardowns or home reconstruction, Hanson said. But, according to Hanson, between April and Dec. 5 of 2014, the town authorized 18 single-family home building permits, with only one of the permits going toward a teardown.

Whereas the estimated cost of construction for building permits for the 2013 period was $4,328,393, Hanson said, the estimated cost for 2014 is $9,520,000. Total building permits issued jumped from 200 to 241 when comparing the two time periods, Hanson said.

According to Hanson, pricey real estate is leading the way. Four of the new single-family homes are worth more than $1 million, he said.

“We’re seeing more investment in our shorefront, lakefront again,” Hanson said. “That activity stopped when I first started here in 2009.”

“This year we’ve started to see those again, and I see more on the horizon, because I have architects calling me about properties,” Hanson added. “I’m hearing from a lot of brokers that the high-end real estate is moving.”

It’s still not even close to the frenetic growth of the housing boom years – when, in the 2004 fiscal year, the town authorized 75 single-family home building permits. Yet, it looks as though the town’s housing market is starting to recover from the downturn. In the 2012 fiscal year, the town issued six permits for new single-family home construction. The following year, the town issued five new single-family home building permits.

In particular, Hanson said, the growth in the town’s high-end real estate market is startling.

“What’s amazing to me is I’ve had several requests to look at real estate with potential buyers, and I have been in a couple of $2 million to $3 million homes and was asked the question, ‘If we tear this down, can I build in the same footprint?’” Hanson said. “So it’s really mind-blowing.”

“I took Mike to one of the most beautiful barns I’ve ever seen built,” Hanson added, referring to Selectman Michael Reynolds. “They put down their estimated cost of construction at $600,000 – for a barn.”

Town Manager Don Willard said the growth in the upscale housing market reminded him of the boom times during the housing bubble.

“The first time I saw a million-dollar, architect-designed house torn down and replaced, it amazed me, but then it became really commonplace,” Willard said. “You’re seeing that kind of phenomenon now on the lakes. We had been (like this) before we had the downturn. Now it’s coming back.”

According to Hanson, the new homes are being built “all over” town.

“We’ve seen some in rural areas, we’ve seen some around the lakes – not just Sebago,” Hanson said. “There’s one down on Crescent (Lake) that’s in the million-dollar range.”

At the Dec. 16 meeting, Selectman Joseph Bruno asked whether the new high-end buyers were attracted by the town’s property tax rate.

Not particularly, Hanson said.

“I think it’s the quality of life,” Hanson said. “I don’t hear taxes brought up at all. The quality of life, beautiful lakes, the beautiful mountains.”

“It’s accessible, people can get to the airport, they can get to Portland,” Hanson added. “It’s kind of why I live here.”