The Sunday herald and weekly national intelligencer., 1891-03-22
TOWN AND COUNTRY.
THE PLEASURES AND DRAWBACKS
oE SUBURBAN LIFE.
They Are Pointed Out in an Entertaining
Manner by Mr. benjamin - How
Washington People Scatter in Sum
mer.


to some sort of activity. The past few months
have experienced something Of a lull in the
traffic of real property, but to find the cause
one must look beyond the question of supply
and demand. 1t must be considered that
December, Januaryand February are always
the dullest months for Washington real estate
for which the reasons are both natural and
established. December follows the semi-an-
nual tax period and is the great holiday
month of the year, when the attention Of busl-
ness men is given up to the traffic of the mer-
camille world to the exclusion of everything
else. They have not the necessary time to
deal intelligently in real property, and are
saving their funds for the January settlements
of their holiday business accounts. February
is too closely in the wake to recover materi-
ally the quiet tendency of the season. These
conditions, augmented by the disposition of
the Signal Bureau to furnish generally the
most unfavorable weather of the season during
these months, have led sellers TO withdraw
many of the best properties from the market
until spring, and the buyers who are willing
to operate in the dull season find compare
lively but limited supply from which to Sc
lect. A year ago the activity in large bust
ness properties was the feature of the seasons
transactions. Properties on and g streets
and the streets connecting them sold and re-
sold until prices were reached which finally
precluded all but the very largest operators.
M n 10
of large capitalists and it would be unreason-
able to expect more than an occasional re-
transfer of such holdings. Business property
of this kind is increasing in value all the time,
but the average operator or speculator having
been shut out by reason of the money re-
quired to handle it is seeking fields in other
sections of the city in which to make invest
ment. Property has steadily increased in
value in all sections of the city and will con-
tinue to increase. There is nothing to stop
it and everything to advance it. Any onewho
stops to consider the matter carefully will
realize that there is no city in the United
States which offers better inducements for
profitable investment in real estate than the
w
ever will offer more permanent inducements
than Washington does now and will continue to
do. Ithas only been during the past decade that
investors have become awake to this fact, as is
evidenced by the large number who have come
here during that time to invest their money.
One of the reasons is that the majority of the
working population are employed by the Gov
ernment, or derive their support indirectly
from it. No class of employees, as class, are
better paid than those in Government service;
none are paid more regularly; there are no
strikes, no shut-downs, and no conflicts be-
tween employer and employe. The absence
of the latter and the regularity with which
employees are paid furnish the best possible
ability to pay fair rent, and as a consequence
property yields regular, safe, and profit
able return. Past experience and the pres
ent outlook point infallibly to large fortunes
that will be made from year to year by judi
cious dealings in real estate. The increase in
the value of Washington real estate has been
gradual and substantial, backed by improve
ments and conditions which preclude the pos
sibility of depreciation. There have been
no booms in city property-only the nat
ural growth demanded by a healthy con,
dition of municipal affairs, pride in
the Capital of the nation, and the continued
influx of moneyed men and large capital. The
advance Of prices in sections of the city the
least improved at present is apt to bs greater
because prices are lower and prospective i'm
proVements will back higher values, and fo
this reason the northeast section of the cit,
seems to be offering special opportunities 70
the investor. Transactions in property ther
have been quite numerous and profitable o
late. Builders, TOO, are turning their atten
tion to northeast property and seem to fin
ready sales for houses ranging from $4,000 t.
$1,000 One of the largest sales of uhim
proved property in this section was made rC
Gently when the wholes square of 1929 (betwee
d and and Thirteenth and Fourteent
streets) was transferred to a syndicate fC
$4,000. This was at the rate of about 33
per foot 1t is learned that the purchase
have given out the contract for grading IL
square to a uniform terrace of three feet, aft
which it will be subdiVlded into 10
and a number of attractive dwellings erecte