The third quarter ended on a high note, with September reporting the second highest monthly permits-issued count for the past three years in Clay, Duval, Nassau and St. Johns counties. Only June 2015 was higher with 788 and that count was partially attributed to changes in the building codes, which motivated a larger-than-usual permit request filing. With a year-to-date total of 5,007, activity is outpacing last year, which showed 4,717 permits at the end of the third quarter. Builders see this as a reflection of improvements in the economy, favorable interest rates and an increase in consumer confidence.