Ward County issued 30 building permits in 2023, down from 36 issued in 2022.

The 2023 annual report from the Ward County Tax Equalization Office showed building permits and home sales both were somewhat lower last year.

Building permit numbers showed the 2023 permits valued at $6.34 million, down from $8.9 million in 2022. The county saw 58 permits in 2021, with a valuation of $8.76 million.

Categories of permits in 2023 included:

-Commercial, five permits, $1.88 million.

-Single family dwellings, five permits, $2.7 million.

-Relocated single family dwellings, six permits, $597,987.

-Outbuildings, eight permits, $747,789.

-Additions/remodels/decks, five permits, $308,068.

-Cell tower upgrades, one, $111,111.

There additionally was one moving permit.

There were 183 residential sales in Ward County, excluding Minot, with an average sale price of $259,000, according to the annual report. That compares with 214 sales and an average price of $273,000 in 2022 and 199 sales with an average price of $255,000 in 2021. The higher sales price average in 2022 reflected a jump in sales of homes valued at $250,000 or more. There were 101 homes sold for $250,000 or more in 2023.

In Minot, there were 802 homes sold in 2023 at an average sale price of $241,000, which compares to 1,081 homes at an average price of $234,000 in 2022 and 1,162 homes at an average price of $233,000 in 2021. Of the homes sold in 2023, the largest category of sales was $275,000 and higher, with 274 homes.

Ward County’s overall property value in 2023 increased from 2022 by 4.76% to $7.55 billion. Residential accounted for $4.48 billion, up 6.4% from 2022. The commercial property value of 2.3 billion was up 1.07%, and agricultural land, valued at $734.5 million, was up 7.18%.

There were 852 Homestead Tax Credits issued in 2023, with a taxable value of $4.6 million. In 2022, there had been 544 credits with a value of just over $2 million.

There were 845 Disabled Veteran Credits issued in 2023, with a taxable value of just over $5 million. That compares with 742 credits in 2022, with a taxable value of $4.46 million.

Records show 482 farm residence tax exemptions, down 6 from 2022, and 148 exemptions for inundated ag land, up eight from 2022.