The Washington herald., 1909-01-03

Tie real estate market for the past
week has been more active than could
have been anticipated during the early
fall In fact, through the month Of De
cember the inquiry for property has been
unusually good for the season Of the
year. and most OF the brokers have been
doing a big business
Real estate du-ins the year just closed
has gone on in q steady and gratifying
manner. Several Of the principal dealers
said yesterday that their business would
count up as large as OF large than any
other tvelvemonta since they have been
IL business
As 10 the prices Of real estate, II would
be a bold prophet who would undertake
10 declare whether values would advance
or recede generally speaking. through
the year 1903 one thing is certain. how
ever, that property in Washington, the
country over is regarded as a good in
vestment and men OF money elsewhere
are constantly investing large sums and
small sums IN houses. lands and business
buildings here. This has a tendency 10
increase prices and VIII do It in the end
Apartments sell Well.
An illustration Of what is here meant
can be had in the frequent selling Of
apartment houses TWO OF three Of these
large properties have been sold two and
three times during the year 1905. and
each time al a little advance over former
figures
Many residences and Unimproved lots
are IN The same category, and much Of
the property in the District Of Columbia
has been sold several times in recent
years. generally at better figures. one
buyer being able 10 sell at a profit and
unloading 10 some one else. who buys
with the same hope Of a speculative
profit
Property In Washington. rs compared
with other large cities. IS cheap. The
highest price paid FOR any holding here
was Sc q square foot. and that must be
compared with 500 and more for the
same class OF property in New York.
Philadelphia. and Boston Property in
The heart of the uptown business section
has been sold during the wear closed al
so % so a square foot, and similar hold
ings In other cities would command twice
and three times the money
Nice residence property brings say. SIS
10 s. square foot. and the same class
or real estate elsewhere would command
SO 10 $50 q square foot Hence the value
Of property in the District II stl in the
moderate class and investments here
cannot wei help paving as the city
grows. as building increases. and the de-
mand for all classes OF property becomes
more active
St Matthew'S Church Sold.
The largest sales Of property reported
last week vas that OF old 81 Matthews
Church. al Fifteenth and r streets north
west. opposite the Shoreham Hotel and
George Washington University, and dag
cnally across the corner from the new
Union Trust Building. This property
las been taken over By Attorneys Mcneil
ard Mcneil, who represent several local
capitalists.
It Is stated that She purchasers have
plans in view for the Improvement Of
the property by the erection OF a large
building thereon. and until these plans
are perfected the parties interested VIII
not reveal themselves. The sale was con-
Quoted through Alexander Mcneil who
is q resident OF Nova Scotia. and the
purchase was made directly from Mgr
Lee. pastor Of St Matthew'S. and Car
dinal Gibbons. who holds title 10 the
property in the name OF the Baltimore
Diocese The purchase price IS conf
Dental except that Il Is admitted that
the amount paid for the property IS
close up 10 S5a0.o1a.
The property has frontage Of rs feet
on H street and 80 feet on Fifteenth
street. II is improved by the old church
building. which has been a landmark IN
r,-.Tr
two business houses adjoining The prop
erty. comprises something Ove- 22o9
square feet. and il IS understood the pUr-
chase price was between so and sc
square foot
sale Of Suburban Tract.
7 Y y d T. b Huyck have Just
closed several large deals in suburban
property. They have sold 20 New York
parties a fine tract lying between the
Conduit and Canal roads. a short distance
beyond the distributing reservoir. con
tanning about twelve acres Of high land.
commanding extensive views I'D and
down the river.
The Washington and Great Falls EIec-
trio Railway passes through the property,
and the new branch Of the Baltimore and
NIAD LAeAA-l--f nov at44-tlA-AA rum " tDt4-
side 10 Georgetown. passes the sOutherly
front Of the property. The price paid
was about S2.100 an acre. and the pur-
cnasers intend 10 subdivide the property
and place il on the market in the spring
They have already resOid. through these
brokers, q portion Of this property 'front.'
ing over 100 feet or the Conduit road
and containing over 1000 square feet
1000 r~nI-nve Hor-a alien cola q
tract at Woodside. Nd. containing about
thirty acres. partly sUbdivided, and the
balance in a beautiful woodland park.
The property is IN the heart Of Wood
SIDE. lying mostly on the nOTtherly side
Of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad. with
g frontage also on the opposite side Of
the railroad. the station being on the
property, which is but a short distance 1
beyond the District line and in line with
Sixteenth street extended.
The electric cars pass short distance
70 the east Of the tract, which lies high
and overlooks the city. The new owner, /
who IS also an OUt-Of-tOWn party. viii
shortly place the sUbdivided portion On
the market. and the balance viii be held /
for development later.
The price paid for this tract is under (
stood TO be $500 an acre. the aggregate 7
sum Tor the three properties being be- /
tween S5ooCo and S50O0o The Woodside 1
tract Is near the property recently pur- /
chased by Clarence Moore.
Stone & Fairfax report the following 4
sales for the week:
For John Mitchell, his three-story and
cellar apartment At 1853 Park road, CO.