Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-02-29
REAL ESTATE GOSSIP
Prospects of Coming Season
as to Building.
LOCAL MARKET FOR HOUSES
Lack of Money May Check the
Probable Activity.
HOME BUYING THE FASHION
Some Of the Changes in Progress in
the city-1mprovements
HOME BUYING THE FASHION

1t ia said to be evident from the an
uouncements thus far made Of the plans
Of builders that house construction IS
suinx to be the feature Of the activity
during the coming months OF course, It
a rather early yet to form q definite idea
Of the character OF what Is going to be
done along these lines and 1t seems likely
the DEVELOPMENTS will be rather slow this
vsap owing to the state of the money
market or rather the condition OF general
business. Ordinarily about this time OF
Nhs YEAR there is q good deal going on IN
<he ONCE of architects in the way OF pre-
pairing plans for projected buildings and
reftinR estimates Of cost so that those
interested can determine whether or not
IN 20 on with the work and get started
.oon enough to have the entire season De-
fore them.
This year there is very little Of this
sort Of preparation. There Is not mucn
con the boards In the ofices OF the
.-ch,tec4s. and as far as can be ascer-
Gained there Is not much being planned.
hut what Is being done in this line seems
10 be almost entirely confined to houses.
There are not many apartment houses
or business buildings projected, oeloIe
the season fairly begins 1t Is quite posi-
BILE and indeed probable tnat the situaslon
Will undergo many changes and what
seems to be the outlook for the building
trades at this time will be quite different
a few weeks hence.
Main Market Feature.
At present houses appear to be princi-
pally in demand, which is regarded as the
logical development Of the course OF
things for several months past. AS is
he ACTIVITY Of the
realty market has been in the building
and the selling of houses and to a re-
markable extent the market has kept up
through all the period Of depression In
business which has prevailed throughout
the country. At the time of the most
acute stage In the financial stringency
when it was apparent that coincidence in
any form of investment was about ex-
hausted the buying and selling Of houses
in this city went right on, but Of course
in lessened volume.
It IL believed that the movement is not
over and that the demand for houses is
not yet met. At least that appears to be
the opinion of men who make business
Of building houses to sell. It Is thought
there would be good deal more Of tho
SENS sort done II every one who recog-
the money to do what they believe is in
accordance with the current demand.
Desire to Own Homes.
There is no doubt the population Of the
city Is growing, and coupled with that
fundamental consideration In this par
ticular Is the further fact that a large
proportion Of the people who come here
to make their homes want to own the
houses they live in. 1t Is not meant to be
inferred from such a statement that any
10 nf 9
to the population of the city belong to the
wealthy classes, for that is not the case,
as Is indicated by the kind and the cost
of the houses being supplied to meet the
need.
Nor is 1t meant to be understood that
this buying Of homes OF moderate cost
comes exclusively from those who are
newly located here. for such Is not the
case. No more important and marked
event In the material history Of the city
has occurred than the change which hai
taken place in the relation of several
large classes OF citizens to the city in
which they live.
This City No Longer a Camp.
1t was formerly the case that not only
comparatively few OF the employees Of the
government looked upon this city as their
permanent abiding place. but a considera.
BILE proportion of those who were engaged
in various occupations here outside Of the
government service were not home own.
ers. The scantiness Of the resources oil
the latter had much to do with this cir.
cumstance. as also their notion that they
were only camping In Washington. While
with the government employees any indi
cation they gave Of having private re
sources was a sure forerunner Of theil
losing the office which they held merel,
through political influence.
With the elimination Of politics from the
civil service and the growing resources OF
the business Of the city, the anancia
ability Of all classes in the community
changed for the better. There has also
come about another change in the method
of selling houses, 30 that at the present
tiu,o ft is possible with q small cash pay