Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-06-02
real ESTATE GOSSIP
IAN Apartment House of a Dis
tinCtIy New Type.
SEVERAL LARGE HOUSES
No Change Reported in the Scale of
Rentals.
FOR SALE AND NOT TO RENT
Some Current Features of the Market,
Which Continues Active Later
Than Usual.

The experiment of an apartment house
designed 10 provide accommodations for
a large domestic establishment is being
made In this city in the building which Is
in course of erection by the Warder estate
at the southeast corner of 10th and NJ
streets northwest While the building Is
not completed, yet It seems from the sue
cess which has already been met with in
leasing the suites that a structure OF this
kind will be go In this city. In outward
appearance the building has much the sug-
gestion of a residence of the French style,
but of course of rather large dimensions
1t occupies a wide frontage on two streets
and is some five stories in height. The pc
cullar feature OF the structure Is the taking
up OF the entire space Of one floor with
the rooms OF one suite, so that there is
only one suite on a floor and in consequence
but seven suites in the entire building, as
the first floor is divided into two suites.
A Complete House.
Each suite comprises some twelve rooms
with not only the usual living rooms of
house but provision for sleeping rooms for
servants and ample bath rooms. Each suite
is q complete house in itself and is designed
for a style OF living that might be described
as elaborate. OF course, the prices charged
for such accommodations are not low.
1t is questioned by Mr.. Th6ran, who has
point has been reached that it can be de-
ternined as to the return which the build
ing will bring on the money invested. In
one particular It may be said that the ex-
pertinent differs from any other of sim
liar character which might be tried for the
reason that the ground was purchased
some time ago when prices were lower
than at present, that the total or
amount of money In the enterprise is less
than would be the case where II was neces-
sary to secure the land at current rates
At any rate the response on the part OF
the public to this new form of apartment
house Is of such character as to make
1t seem that II will be good Investment.
Some 18th Street Homes.
The immediate vicinity is to be improved
In the near future. Tho corner opposite
is adorned by the home of the National
Topographic Society and on the northeast
corner Mr.. George Howard is planning to
build for his own use a large double house.
On the northwest corner Mr.. Frederick
Bugher has a large building site where
he Intends to build residence.
No Advance In Rents.
The head of one OF the large rea; estate
corporations In this city recently had an
examination made of his rent list for the
past four or I'VE years. with the view OF
finding out II any change had taken place
In that time In the scale rentals of houses.
The houses included In this search ranged
from twenty to forty dollars per month
and II was found that practically no change
had been made.
Rents had neither advanced nor declined.
which showing doubt will be somewhat
surprising to any one who relied merely
upon his impression of the market without
knowing the exact facts. There has been
an idea among wen-informed brokers that
rents have stiffened somewhat in recent
N..vA
that idea is evidently not correct. OF
course. this examination did not touch
upon apartment house rents. which have
been regulated to large extent by COM
petition, all other conditions being equal.
Buildings to Sell.
IL may be noted in this connection that
while OF late years activity in house-build-
ing has been remarkable and greater than
for some years past, still the bulk of the
building has not been for investment pur-
poses. The men who have been putting
their money into houses have done so only
with the purpose of selling them at a profit
and then go on with similar enterprises.
and II has only been a rule when owing
to the time OF the year the market Is found
10 be heavy that they have resorted to
renting in order to get income from the
property.
In this way the actual number of houses
Tor rent has not been added to as largely
as the building statistics would seem to
Indicate. on the other hand. while there
have been sales of apartment houses yet
such structures have been more commonly
put up with the idea OF their being held as
an Investment
Those Who Prefer to Rent.
The market for house selling, owing to
the Increase in the population and the
character Of the houses and the terms upon
which they are sold, has been unusu-
ally good 1t is within the bounds Of the
facts TO say that perhaps never before
has there been so many buyers In the mar
ket or so many houses disposed of. 1t
appears, however, to observers that while
the additions to the number OF hometown
ers Is an excellent thing and shows the
strength OF the market as we'll as the gem
eraI prosperity, yet they think IL ought
not 70 be overlooked that there Will al
ways be those who. for one reason or an
other, prefer 10 rent rather than to buy and
thls class ought to be provided for
II would seem. however. that II the sup
ply OF houses for rent was falling below
the demand that fact would be brought
out by the rise In rents. and as nothing
or the sort has taken place during the
fguy afrhf - kt.a