Texas had the highest number of single-family housing permits in 2012, with Houston and Dallas leading the pack for the second year in a row, according to Johns Burns Real Estate Consulting and the U.S. Census Bureau. 

Texas metros made up 25 percent of the places that landed on the list of top single-family permit markets for 2012. Texas markets have performed strongly lately on several fronts, including double-digit percentage gains in existing-home sales, rising demand from buyers, and restricted resale inventories, according to John Burns Real Estate Consulting. 

The following are the top 12 single-family permit markets from 2012: 

1. Houston
2. Dallas
3. Phoenix
4. Atlanta
5. Washington, D.C.
6. Austin, Texas
7. Orlando, Fla.
8. Raleigh, N.C.
9. Charlotte, N.C.
10. Las Vegas
11. Seattle
12. Tampa, Fla.

Source: John Burns Real Estate Consulting