With D.R. Horton Construction building in Tortosa and Rancho Mirage Estates, Meritage Homes in Homestead South and Province, and Richmond American in Palo Brea, Maricopa has returned to pre-recession levels of home permit requests.

Combined, 10 homebuilders received 150 single-family residential (SFR) permits in July, the highest monthly total since October 2007. The total projects are valued at $37 million.

DRH accounted for 60 of those home-building permits. The builder is quickly filling in streets in north and south Tortosa. Richmond, meanwhile, has rebooted the once-stagnant development of Palo Brea, and KB Home has lots in Homestead.

Starlight Homes and Scott Homes are both building in Sorrento. Fulton Homes continues construction in Glennwilde. LGI Homes is in Rancho Mirage, Costa Verde Homes is in Santa Rosa Springs, and Lennar is prepping more lots in Alterra.

According to the City of Maricopa, the July total tops the entire year of 2011, when only 110 homebuilding permits were issued.

“The amount of SFR permits coming in is astonishing,” Permit Technician Isela Hernandez said in a City release. “Maricopa is a great place to live and raise a family, and with all these new homes in development it seems the secret is out.”