Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-11-13
REAL ESTATE GOSSIP
What is Said Of the Probable Direc-
ton of Future Activity.
CITY AND SUBURBAN PROPERTIES
Making House Plans Especially
Adapted for Social Needs.
SOME ENTs

SOME 1MPROvEME NTs
The inactivity in the real estate market
% not only q source of business concern to
real estate dealers, but independent Of such
a merely personal interest 1t IL a cause Of
good deal Of surprise. OF course. there
are dealers. VI well es property owners.
who In times. when there Is no demand for
property, have an idea that the end has
come to oil things, and that there never
will ba again a buyer in the market, but
there are others who. while feeling the lack
IF business, yet are fully persuaded that
he future holds a more promising store
Tor them than they now enjoy.
1t Is natural for this class to look for
ward to the time when property will be
again in demand. They are fully convinced
Ct the assured future of the city, that the
population will continue to increase, and
that the city in all its material interests
will continue to expand. There must, there
fore. in the opinion Of this class be addi-
t.onal business houses erected and addi-
tional homes for the accommodation Of all
the new corners.
Opportunities for Investment.
With this idea Of the future, it follows:
therefore. that they look upon property at
It's present prices as Offering opportunities
for investment. which will probably never
be equaled for a good many years to come.
As one dealer said recently in conversation
with the writer, there Is property on
prominent and prosperous business streets
which Is now offered for sale at prices
nearly half that was asked for the same
property when what was known as boom
prices" prevailed six or seven years ago
1t Is believed that II the attention of peo-
pie who have money was called to this
class Of investment, and II they had the
confidence in the future Of the city, which
its past warrants, there would be more
active market for property. 1t Is true that
properties Of the kind above referred to are
not very numerous. While there is but lit
tie demand, still. in a great majority of
cases, 1t seems that people are able to hold
their property while awaiting for better
times. There are. however instances where
owners are DESTROYS to sell, and are willing
to let their holdings go at what would now
be regarded as a fair value, but not ut
what might be considered sacrifice price.
Dealers, however. find that people who
have money for investment do not always
share their views Of the future, and the
result is that they are not generally
awaiting themselves of the chances for
picking UP good investments which the
dealers consider are now offered for their
consideration.
As to Future Activity.
1t is. however, significant Of the future that
this discussion Is going on and 1t indicates
that not only the dealers, but to a certain
extent investors, are on the lookout to dis
cover at the earliest moment where the ac-
t1vity Is about to commence and what class
OF property will be affected. 1t is evident
that great many people believe that
business and residence property in the
city are going to come in for their full
snare when active ODaratiOnS
resumed.
But it is beyond the city limits, through
out the suburbs, where prices compared
with those that prevail for city property
are low where the scene of the greatest
activity that is to succeed the present
sfagnation is generally located. During
the past few years, as every one knows,
great changes have been made in the re-
lations OF the suburbs to the city and
this has been brought about largely by the
building of rapid transit railways.
In the Suburbs.
Localities which were remote from the
business center few years ago are now
nearer in point Of time than Georgetown
and the Navy Yard were under the old
regime of horse cars. Inside of half an
hour men can leave their places of business
In the center of the city and go to their
homes In the suburbs miles distant It is
thought by those who have studied the
situation that under these conditions a
great many people will prefer to establish
their homes in localities where thew can
buy spacious building site for the same
amount that they now expend for a mar
row city lot. According to this view there
is to be great activity in the suburbs when
the time comes for money again to be in
vested freely in real estate
In this connection it is interesting to
note some of the railroad facilities that
lew exist outside Of the old limits of the
city. For example, there is the Capital
Congress Heights, with authority in its
charter to extend the line to Overlook Inn
This road also is experimenting with
sy stem by which their cars are to be
passing over portion Of the Anacostia
,oad. which now extends from that suburb
to the heart Of the city.
Some Railroad Facilities.
Then the Columbia railway proposes to
build line along the Benning road from
the terminus Of its cable road on H street
TO the village of Benning. It is reported
that work is to be resumed on the proposed
electric road between this city and Balti-
more, and the section lying within the Dis
trict, which extends along the line of
District bounds to 4th street east is al
ready in operation. At it's western terui-
nus it makes connection with the Ecking-
ton road, the latter being under the same
ington road extends out to Brookland.
which Is large settlement.
Then there is the Brightwood railroad.
which runs out 7th street to Takoma and
Woodside, and the branch of the Capital
Traction road, which goes out to Chew
Chase at the District line and beyond into
Maryland. where at it's northern terminus
an electric road begins. which runs to Ken
s.ngton. From Chevy Chase a road is in
operation to Glen Echo, which intersects
the Georgetown and Tenleytown line. the
latter running from Georgetown to Bethes-
da, in Maryland. 1t Is proposed to extend
this latter line on as far as Rockville which
is some twenty miles distant from this city.
An electric road rurs from GEORGETOWN to
Cabin John bridge, and there IS one going
from the southern end of the Aqueduct
bricge to Arlington. Coming back from
the city there Is an electric road which
starts from one of the business centers Of
the city and runs to Arlington, with line
to Alexandria and Mount Vernon.
Society and House Plans.
A good deal Of attention is being paid In