Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-01-13
REAL ESTATE GOSSIP
Market Shows a Better Volume
of Business.
HOUSES STILL IN DEMAND
Two-Story Suites in an Apartment
House.
INVESTMENTS SOUGHT AFTER
Some of the Conditions Of the Winter
Season and the Prospects for the
Spring Days.
INVESTMENTS SOUGHT AFTER

The market continues to be encouraging
according to the experience Of real estate
brokers. With almost no exception they
report a better volume of business than
was the case last year, and while some
allowance ought to be made for the very
natural tendency to put the best face on
things, still there Is no question of a good
condition of affairs in the realty market.
While the current of business Is not as
large as is the case at other seasonsSof the
year, and it is apparent that the winter is
here still, there is good inquiry, and it Is
evident that people are looking out both
for investments and for houses to live in.
The habit which seems to be growing
quite general Of people owning their houses
is one that represents perhaps quite the most
encouraging phase of the market. The in
crease in this class is one reason why there
Is 80 much done in the building line and
why there is going to be an active season
next year. Builders and investors are not
putting their money in brick and stone for
the purpose of having houses to rent. AS
a rule they only rent houses when they
can't sell them.
The Demand for Houses.
The profit in this kind of business when
there Is any market at all is not large
when the individual house is concerned. for
of late years. owing to conditions, it has
been necessary to sell at figures that come
very close to the cost. in order to find
ready market. The rule of quick sales and
small profits is one that prevails In the
matter of building houses for SALE
It Is recognized at this time there is a
ready demand for houses Of moderate price,
for $500 and under, and when the con-
ditions permit good many Of that class
are being put up. If there Is any doubt
Of the accuracy of that statement a brief
survey of what has been going on in the
building line and what is contemplated will
convince any one of its entire accuracy.
The Moderate-Priced Home.
New towns have sprung up within the
past few months in the general section OF
the city which Is known as east of the
Capitol, but farther east than most people
are familiar with The stretch Of commons
that most persons recolect as lying east of
Lincoln Park does not exist to a large ex
tent any more, for the reason that the
street frontages are built up with row after
row of houses, and what Is more, they are
occupied mainly by the owners.
To supply this demand is one reason why
there is going to be g. good building season
during the coming year. There Will also
be an effort made to supply the investment
demand, for people have money to put out,
and they want to place 1t in real estate IN
this city, and in kind that Will make
some return. While there is a market for
houses ranging from $4,000 down to $1,000,
still, as it can readily be understood, the
nearer one gets to the latter the larger
the number of those who want to buy or
rent In other words, the market for
houses of moderate price, whether to rent
or to buy, continues to be the feature at
this time, just as 1t always is, and is likely
always to be.
The Buying Of Land.
Owing to what is called the open season
which has prevailed here up to this time
at any rate, there has been very little let
I'D in outside work-that is, the necessity
for stopping on account of the weather has
not existed and very naturally the enter
prises which We're in partly finished state
have been pushed on, those Interested in
them being glad enough of the chance to
go on rather than to let them remain in
idleness waiting for the spring
There are others which have not as yet
been commenced, and in some instances
the ground has not been acquired, but from
what is being planned and from the prepa-
rations already made 1t Is evident That
good many houses are gong to be bullt
during the coming season. The inquiry for
ground shows that, as also the purchases
which have been made, which condition is
rather surprising as unimproved property
has for so long time lain uncaled for and
unnoticed much to the disgust of owners.
Effect on Prices.
The natural result OF this latter situation
Is that the owners are not to stiff and un-
yielding in their prices They are willing
to look upon their holdings from somewhat
different standpoints. and in some cases
they welcome the customer and make
things attractive for him by substantial re-
auctions in the asking price. In this way
a good deal of property has come on the
market that has lain neglected for years,
and this applies not only to the city, but
to the ground lying outside of the old urban
limits.
AS had been discovered some time ago.