Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-06-22
Some of the Indications Of an I'm
provement in the Market.
SALES OF PROPERTY At AUCTION
A Change in Conditions and the
Demand for Houses.
SOME IMP ROW E NJ E n 7 S

city the other day, in talking about the
sale of real estate at auction, attributed
the increase in the number OF such sales
during the present season to the improve
ment in the market. He said that since
and during the financial depression there
were comparatively few trustee and other
sales advertised because of the belief that
| there was no market for property, and con-
sequently there would be no sale if real es-
tate was offered at public auction. The re-
covery from these conditions has been
quite marked, especially during the present
season, and one of the indications, in the
opinion at least of this auctioneer, is the
| return to the custom of disposing of prop
erty at public sale. Just now there is a
good deal of activity in this direction, and
the informant above referred to, judging
from his own experience, said that at least
20 per cent of the property thus offered
was sold to bona fde purchasers, as dis
tinguished from the sales where property
is bid in by the holders of the trusts.
A General Confidence.
There are other indications of a revival
of interest in the real estate market. The
records in the office of the building inspec-
tor shcw that there is quite a good deal of
building going on. 1t is fair to presume
that there is a demand for these new
ed. Money is to be had in abundance, and
the general confidence which is felt in the
stability of real estate values in this city
affords ground for the belief that period
of still greater activity is approaching. In
fact, it has been found to be pretty hard
to snake the belief of those who have given
any thought to the mater in the future of
this city End in the solid foundations upon
which Washington realty rests.
There has been some change in the scale
of rents during the past year or two, and
this has naturally had an effect upon the
| market for rented houses. This fact, cou-
pied with the easier conditions that pre-
vail in the money market. is gradually
bringing about a difference in the methods
of living, and those who from motives of
economy have been occupying rooms or
apartments instead of houses find that it
is to their interest to secure entire houses.
The Rental Market.
The demand for houses to rent has in
consequence been improved, and while at
this season of the year it is not very no
tceable, for the reason that people do not
make their plans for the coming year so
early in the season, still it is expected that
in the latter part of the summer and in
the early months of the fall there will be
a noticeable increase in the activity in the
rental market. The influence of this change
will be felt throughout all the departments
which involve the interests of realty and
a stimulus will be impaired to sales as
well as to building operations.
1t is not the opinion of those who are in
a position to know that the falling off in
the demand for houses that was noted
some time ago was due entirely to the fact
that the city was overbuilt. 1t was rather
attributed to the late financial crisis, which
had the effect of causing people to econo-
mize in every direction.
Some New Buildings.
Plans have been prepared by NJ. Hunter
fnr ortr,, a.nt to he h,ri1+
by Issac Rosecrans at the corner of 25th
and streets northwest. The building will
be thirty by fifty-four feet, with front of
buff brick. 1t will be three stories in height
and the stories will be arranged in suites of
looms.
James Fraser will build a four-story
dwelling at 9th and D streets southwest
from plans by NJ p Halter, architect 1t
will be fifty by seventy feet, with front of
press brick and brown stone.
A brick and stone dwelling is in course
of construction at No. 917 9th street north
west for Louis p. Krey.. The house will
have frontage of II feet . inches by
depth of 63 feet. 1t will be three stories
high. John Henderson, jr., is the architect
and builder.
A Behrend is building row of six two
story brick dwellings, from I42 to 152 18th
street southeast.
Thomas Blagden is building on Argyle
street two houses of stone and frame, ar
tistic in architectural design They will be
two stories high. Glenn Brown is the ar
chitect and Robert Mcdonald & Sons the
builders.
The Building Record.
For the week ending yesterday the build
ing record shows total of twenty-one per-
mits granted to build new houses, at al.
aggregate estimated cost of $4,000. This
was divided among the several sections Of
the city as follows: Northwest, three per-
mits at 5000; county, eleven permits at
Sd, 700, and southeast, seven permits at
81, 500.