The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1908-09-27
TRADING IS ACTIVE
IN REALTY FIELD
Substantial Deals in All
Lines Prove Satisfactory
to Dealers.
INVESTORS FAVOR
APARTMENT HOUSES
Home Buyers Equally Plentiful,
and Suburban Sections Are in
Flourishing Condition.

A few deals Of more than average i'm !
portance, and a fairly large number OF
transac ions of less extent. marked the
week just closed IN the real estate mar
het
II was not a particularly active period
in the realty field 1t was hardly as
prolific OF sales and purchases and
trades as the preceding week had indi-
Gated 1t would be. But it was, never
theless. quite satisfactory to the dealers.
Its principal shortening was rather
lack of sudden squirt OF autumn activity
than of a substantial volume of trading.
AS a matter Of fact, business has been
increasing steadily since early in
August.
The beginning of a revival OF activity
came a little earlier this year than IN
former seasons, and for this reason too
much was expected OF the early fall.
What is now indicated by all the known
signs of the market is a steady grow
ing amount OF business week by week
until late in December. when the climax
probably will be reached.
Improvement Early
In the meantime there is expected to
be one Of the most active fall markets
that has prevailed for several years
il the District. The Improvement which
came some weeks ago arrived too early
10 be maintained.
A slight setback was inevitable, but
as this has come, and yet left the mar
ket with a fair degree activity, the
dealers feel all the more assured that
in October viii come actual activity,
which will endure until the seasonable I
easing up all along the line early in
January.
There has been no slump The too
anuring promises OF late summer have
not yet been fulfilled. No one is worry
ing. There have been sufficient sales
recently TO satisfy any but the most
greedy. The outlook is shaped by the
inquiries that axe coming into brokers'
Offices daily.
These are for all the various kinds of
roperties-residences, vacant lots.
apartment houses. Practically all Of
these classes are desired for investment
or residence. Most Of the residences
are wanted for homes for the pur-
chasers.
In few cases the buyer intends 70
lease the house ne las bought, or else
he has bought it already leased. Most
of the buying of such dwellings. how
ever, is for homes.
Apartments Bought.
Apartment houses, of course. are
bought almost exclusively for purposes
of investment. During the past few
weeks considerably more than the aver
age number of these have changed own
ers, and deals are now under way
whereby still other large buildings DC
voted to such purpose Will pass into
new hands.
The sale Of apartment houses, in fact,
has become one Of the features OF the
local realty situation. There are not
sufficient large ones 10 keep actively IN
the market, but there is a host of small
er buildings, and many Of these seem
TO be constantly transferred from one
cwncr to another.
Then, too, new apartment houses of
moderate size are being erected here
and there in all parts Of the city. The
permits issued from the District build
ing show that this or that well-knOwn
capitalist or builder is planning TO build
apartment houses. and contracts are
even being let for the construction Of
whole rows Of them.
Aside from the promised activity
shown by this fact. there IS significance
in the mater as showing that residen-
tiaI Washington continues 70 grow
Shrewd real estate operators are not
erecting new apartments In rows, for
instance, without good assurance that
the growth OF population, the spread
ing of city life 10 beyond its present
limits, Will soon justify their entrance
upon these new undertakings.
Vacant Land Sold
As for vacant land. enough space has
been purchased tc make a small city by
itself If the new residential sections that
are being created could be grouped to-
gether. Occasionally a sale of land IS
made TO a man who intends to wait
until the growth of population in his
direction shall have enhanced the value
considerably. This legitimate form of
speculation, however, is comparatively
infreQUent Of occurrence.
There is also the man who buys
plot Of land on which TO erect a little
home for himself and family. But the
big deals involve the purchase of great
tracts which are 70 be improved by the
building OF streets and rows of houses.
The development Of the land lying be-
tween the new Connecticut avenue
bridge and the District of Columbia part
Of Chevy Chase, including Cleveland
Park, Wocdley Park, and other enter
prises, is too well known for further
description Then there are City View
Heights. Randle Highlands. Friendship
Heights, besides the section or "addi-
ton lying north of Columbia Heights,
especially on the east side OF Fourteenth
street toward Decatur street.
Activities in these sections promise
literally for the future. They emphasize
smphatically the intrinsic value that is
granted tc Washington real estate at
present, and potentially they assure
steadily increasing values and a steadily
growing city during the time to come.
TWO OpEAT ODATOpC