Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-09-05
REAL ESTATE GOSSIP
Predictions Which Have
Proved to Be Incorrect.
PREFERENCE FOR FLATS
LARGE SUMS OF MONEY INVEST
ED IN APARTMENT HOUSES.
The Desirability Of Having Rows in
Select borhoods-Among
the Dealers.

The daily scenes in the real estate offices
Of this city make absurd the predictions
that have been heard in past years. and
which now and then come to the surface on
the lips Of some new prophet, that the city
Is being overbuilt and that disaster will
soon face the owners of real estate because
there will be no one to either buy or rent
their property. At this time there Is q
scarcity Of houses.
Houses and flats that can be rented for
from $40 to $50 per month are not to be
had in numbers sufficient to supply the
demand. If house with rental within
those figures is unoccupied the reason cen
soon be found. Either the property is very
keep away tenants.
People are just now running toward the
fiat in their preferences for domiciles. There
seems to be fiat" epidemic The idea
prevails that life runs smoothly and joy
fully In cosy fiat and that the mainte-
nance of such an establishment is far less
costly than is the proper maintenance of
house. One servant will answer the pur-
pose of a small family where two were
regarded as indispensable in the house.
" hen 1t is difficult to get even the one SER
want with all the accomplishments that are
generally desired, this enters into the home
problem very forcibly. In many of the
flats the heat is provided and there is no
sidewalk to be kept clean and the dispo-
slt1on of garbage and the handling of ice,
milk and marketing is rendered easy.
A Popular Flat.
Just at this time the fat that seems to be
most popular is the two-story or three
story house with as many suites of apart
ments. + or five-room md six-room flats.
to rent for about $25 month each. the two
fla building is extremely popular with both
nd nf u 10 ole
OF buildings has recently been erected on
street near 22d street with new idea
developed for the heating of the apart
ments. There are two separate cellars with
q small furnace in each. In that way the
two families are as independent of each
other as II they were in separate houses
This idea has been brought here as a re-
suit of visit by the builder to New Eng
land towns. and 1t has become so popular
that plans have already been made for an
additional row of houses on the same plan.
But the fiat has not yet been here long
enough to satisfy many real estate ownes
and builders that 1t will continue to hold
favored place In the hearts Of the home
maker.
Of the separate house will be greater than
the fiat after the houses and the flats of the
city get on something like equal footing.
They point to the fact that the flats are
generally new while the houses have as a
rule, been occupied for number of years.
The renting public is always partial to the
brand new house or fat and as the flats
have the advantage Of newness they occupy
the place of popularity.
Frequently the question Is asked as to
where the people come from to occupy the
new houses and the flats that have gone up
in recent years No desirable house or fat
goes begging for a tenant, and yet building
operations have been pushed forward our
ing the last few years with unusual vigor.
Additions to Population.
The last census shows that on an average
5000 people are added to the population Of
this city every year. Counting five persons
to a family that increase Of population
would mean a necessity for 1000 domiciles
to be added to the city annually. That num-
Der Of domiciles. whether in the form of
separate built houses or fats, represents an
enormous amount Of building. In view of
present conditions the city is far from be-
ing overbuilt and in fact is only having an
increase Of houses sufficient to take care of
the increasing population.
The desirability of having rows of houses
erected in very select neighborhoods by
SPECTATORS has often been called in Ques-
ton by those who have hoped to have GER
tain sections Of the city improved by sep
arate built houses. Experience has shown
that no section can long avoid f--ch rows.
Wherever large frontages of ground can
be had the row Is sure to be developed The
increasing merit of architecture, as applied
to such rows OF houses, has done very much
in late years to add to their attractiveness<
The row of fifteen years ago was built
with little regard for the ARCHITECTURAL eff
all the houses as much alike peas in a
pod. This similarity promoted cheapness
of construction.
Effort to Please.
Now the row of houses is designed with
an Idea of securing a good effect. The
separate built house, with ground on all
sides, always produces a pleasing effect
and even differences in height of buildings
and irregularity Of terrace do not greatly
take from the pleasing effect of street
built up in that way. But in the case of
houses built with party walls so that
eventually q row Is formed, the case Is
quite different. Houses of this kind. built
one by one, may have some advantages in
their construction but when a street has
finally been completed the roof lines are
generally irregular and the individual taste
of the owners as to the proper height Of
terrace gives the completed improvement
from one square to another a confused and
altogether unpleasant appearance. These
are the reasons set forth by the Spectator
to uphold his claim that a well-designed
row of houses, running from one end of a
square to another with a harmonious sky
line and regularly graded terraces Is the
handsomest improvement that can be made
especially when there Is sufficient variation
In the fronts of the houses to make it I'M
necessary to count the doors In order to
tell where one lives.
The people of Baltimore are beginning to
appreciate an idea that has long since taken
hold of the citizens of the District of CO.
lumbia. That Is in relation to constructing
school houses so that they will be archi-
tecturally beautiful. In that city the jail
like building is still erected to accommodate
the schools, and a movement is on foot to
have a different class Of construction in the
future.
Row of Houses
Adam H. Groff. architect, has just COM
pleted a set of plans for and will soon be-
gin the erection of twelve two-story brick
houses at 5203 to 5231 Brightwood avenue,
near Brandywine street. Brightwood Park
The houses will be OF red brick with wide
porches, north front and back, and will
contain seven rooms and bath. The in
teriors are~to be finished in hard OIL and
will have city improvements. The cost will
be about $4,000
Other Improvements.