New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-11-08
HOUSE HUNTING.


Contemporaneous civilization. particularly as rep
resented IN great cities, unfolds some queer TEA
lures and some queer characters Every Ne"
Yorker who has looked for a place to llye-and
who has been fortunate as to be wholly spared this
periodic infliction KNOWS what sovereign annoy
ance it IT, aud what 10 would give. had he the
money, to BIZ relieved from it. Ii Will DO nara
for him to believe that there are persons-nearly
always women-who do for pleasure, or for occupa-
ton, what he docs from stern necessity alone.
But there are SUCH aud many OF them. They may
DO seen any day at this tIme-the fall months have
grown of late to be active for leasing houses anil
apartments in the better parts of up-town-going
from block to block with and without permits from
realestate agents. apparently rs eager and anxious
TO find roof to cover them as il they homeless
Despite their seeming need, they show marked fas-
tidousncss They examine every crack and abra-
SION declare that this and that thing should be re-
paired critcise the plan and the lack of conven.
iences want to know the lowest i2ures; and finIly
express the opinion notwithstanding various def
clencies that they shall probably take the house or
apartment They are not quite sure, but sure
enough to furnish references, ami TO leave on the
mind of agent the distinct impression
that they will become immediate tenants, After
that they usually seen no more. Sometimes they
write day or two later, that unforeseen circum-
stances have changed that they cannot carry.out
their original intent. The truth is that they
contemplate doing 50. They are Professional house.
hunters having no thought OF becoming house
takers With superintendent leisure-they generally
live at boarding -hOuses-and no inner resources,
they resort 10 this strange business for pastime and
curiosity. They are for the most part mIddle-aged
women either chldless or their children grow up,
and feel in consequence, that they waste their
Tlar 1lxrh ord ynpr
they perform they count nothing; for there u.s. to
them a kind Of excitement IN it, 1t enables them to
see how other folks live, especially as they visit
many places which have not yet ueen vacated by
the tenants. Thus they crafty their curiosity
which with the idle and undiscpned, is so large
an element and kill the time that hangs SO heavily
or their hands.
These eccentric women are so well known
to some of the older real-estate agents that
the latter often refuse on some plausible pretex to
alye then, permits to look at houses But generally
they experience difficulty in getting permits, and
forming wide and intimate acquaintance with tho
domlcary interiors of their neighbors. If they
were in the least practical, they would turn their
eccentric disposition to account by acting as the
agents of persons who actually want houses apart
ments and can rarely find leisure to look them up.
These would certainly pay good commission to be
saved all the trouble they must have, every year
or two, in securing temporary home and 1t would
seem to be to the interest of the professionals to con-
suit with them on this by means unimpOrtant
point 1t is altogether probable, however, that the
professionals are too vagabondish by nature and
habit to care TO put their energy profit That would
be too much like regular business They would rather
lounge around frnitessly than to Darn little
money by having a distinct purpose And it is quos'
tionable if they were employed to hunt houses for
others whether the pursuit would not become dis
tasteful Many persons are oongenital idlers-stcrn
need only will or can impel Them to serious labor
aid the professional house appear TO fall In
this category.