The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-05-01
POINTS FOR HOME BUILDERS
Suggestions the Purchase of LotsSelecng Arch
itect-Pans and Specifications Details
of Buildng-Etc. Etc.

One of the most significant things about.
the present building activity in Mime
apolis is the fact that it is largely home
building movement. The people want
homes of their own. They want to own
the ground on which they live; to own
the walls that enclose the home life, to
feel a sense of proprietorship.
In these days of boarding houses. and
flats and family hotels this manifesto
tion Of desire for family ownership is
very gratifying. For it means-owner-
ship always means-a higher standard of
citizenship and more stable community.
In planning for home of your own,
much of your future enjoyment of that
domicile depends upon getting started
right. mistake at the beginning is apt
to bring trouble of various kinds both in
the process of construction and in the
future. occupancy Of the house.
Nothing is more important than the
selection of a suitable location. Some
people, when expecting to build, look for
the lot which they believe is the greatest
bargain and buy it without regard to any
other considerations. You may make a
decidedly against it. The only common
sense way is to consider the subject from
two standpoints--frst, as to matters OF
health, convenience ! to business, schools
(if you have ~children), church (f you GO
to church), amusement and generally as
to the social side of life; and, second, as
to the lot as an investment. Each family
must work out the first division of the
subject for itself. At the second, it is
an established principle that high-class
property is the best investment. A sec
ton Of the city which has its character
determined by the kind of people living
there and the kind of houses they have
built may be pretty safely estimated fol
| the future-if the houses are cheap ano
lots will remain low in value; II tine
houses are of good class and the people &c
| correspond, value will be quite apt to ad'
vance, The poorer neighborhood is more
apt to deteriorate than the good one
Study the trend of population. Look al
| the surroundings of a district before pur.
chasing it. A very good neighborhood Ca
presently may be SO hemmed in by obJec'
| tionable districts that it must eventually
/ be degraded in value-becauSe 1t canno
grow and because the poorer region in
evitably encroaches upon the better.
Another thing to be remembered, is tt
buy your lot with reference to the char
| acter of the house you are to build. I
| fine house on a cheap lot is a poor invest
ment nine times out of ten; a cheal
house on a high-priced lot is equally bat
policy. If you ever wish to- sell you vii
find this out.
After the lot comes the architect. An
do not fail to have an architect. He viii
give you his services for, probably, pc
cent of the cost of your house and n
will likely save you much more than tina
amount in actual cash and an inestimabl
| sum in future enjoyment. This refers
of course, to a good architect. The selec
ton of an architect is not much less i'm
portant than the selection of a wife. D
not choose him because he has built
church that you admire or because he be
longs to your church or because he bull
Mr.. AS palace-which cost ten time
what you expect to put into your house.
| 1t is assumed that whether you are t
build house for $4,000 or $4,000 or $1,000
or $4,000, you wish to build hous
which will be beautiful within and with