Omaha daily bee., 1899-03-05
MANY TRYING TO BUY HOMES
Present Condition of Real Estate Market
Highly Satisfactory.
MANY PROPERTIES CHANGING HANDS
Laboring Men Especially Seem to he
Anxious to secure Little Homes
They May Truly Call
Their own. ,.,

Twenty real estate men congregated at
a meeting at the Commercial club the other
day and someone called attention to the TACT
that there is a decided boom In sales OF
properties of moderate values. This led to
a general discussion, in the course of which
the question was asked how many of those
present had sold a piece of property that
day. Ten of the twenty men present an
swered it in the affirmative and several
others declared that they had deals on hand
they expected to close before night.
This is found to be a satisfactory indica-
ton of the general feeling among real
estate men at the present time. Almost
without exception the dealers who have been
in business in Omaha during the last ten
years declare that the situation is more
satisfactory than it has been at any pre-
vious time within that period. While big
deals of the sort that attract general at
tention are not numerous, there is n quiet
and steadily growing trade in the smaller
properties that is reaching greater proper
tons than most people realize.
The demand for homes Is more marked
in Omaha today than it has been for ten
years" said one Of the best informed deal
ers. 81 do not believe the general public
has the slightest idea of the number OF
pieces of property that are being acquired
Tor TINS purpose. ne utIluui Ullt "
our own people and it is growing every day.
This is the most encouraging feature of the
situation. It indicates conclusiyely that we
are acquiring the quality that is most es-
sential to the success of a city. Our own
people have become convinced that Omaha
is all right. They want to have homes of
their own and thus give proof of their In
tention to stay with us. Many of them are
people who have come to the city during the
last year. The fact that they are now pro-
viding themselves with homes of their own
is a most conclusive indication that they
have acquired an abiding confidence in the
future of Omaha"
Means Much for Omaha.
This means a good deal" continued the
dealer, when we stop TO think how many
men We have who are likely to become af-
fected by this tendency. There are 100
employees in the South Omaha packing
houses, including the barrel factory. Com
paratiyely few of them now own their own
homes. But the movement in this direction
Is unmistakable and there is every reason
to believe that 1t will be come even more
emphasized. Hundreds of men who have
preferred to rent during the last few years
are now inquiring for lots of moderate value
suitable for the erection of small houses,
Others propose to build more pretentious
dwellings, and from my " experience and
what ! have gathered in conversation with
other dealers, I am convinced there Will be
more houses built in Omaha this season
than there has been in the last Ave years
combined. A large number of houses also
that have heretofore been rented are being
sold to people who propose TO occupy them
themselves"
1t is said the demand for this sort OF
property is not confined to any particular To-
%calities. The demand is for houses and there
is no disposition to discriminate. The only
essential Is that they shall be located within
easy distance Of motor transportation. and