Asbury Park Press in New Jersey reports in a state where almost 350,000 homes suffered significant damage, according to the Christie administration, long dormant home builders may be in for a long and prosperous stretch. The Shore’s builders are hiring staff and gearing up for increased work, and are finding municipal officials easier to work with than in the past. “The stories I hear every day, some of them are heartbreaking,” said Anthony Zarrilli, the owner of Brick, NJ-based modular builder Zarrilli Homes. “But at the end of our meetings, they’re optimistic. They want to rebuild, and they want to stay in the area.” Patrick J. O’Keefe, of New York accounting firm CohnReznick says, “There are only going to be some thin silver linings in the aftermath of Sandy, and increased activity in the construction industry is one of them.”As MHProNews has learned, consumers still have to be able to obtain credit.

(Photo credit: Mary Frank/Asbury Park Press—Zarrilli modular home being sited in Monmouth Beach, NJ)