The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1910-08-28
HOUSE HUNTER BY TRADE
New York Woman Builds Up Lucrative Business in New
Field

either more honest or more dishonest
than women. have noticed. however
a difference in the point Of view OF the
two sexes. A man makes such an at
tempt from a purely business point OF
view A woman. on tie other hand. feels
that II is not honest. and instead Of at
tempting It in the open resorts 10 all sorts
Of little underhand tricks. I would prefer
20 contend against dishonest man than
woman with a similar obnauity OF
vision
Sends Cards TO Customers.
Now that 7 have systemauzed nv
methods. the business seems 10 me very
easy. Three times year. the LIST OF
November. March. and August. 1 send
out cards reminding my customers that
I am prepared to do their house hunting
for the sum Of SIS, no charge unless
suited. As a rule am asked 10 call per-
sonally and listen 10 the requirements OF
the proposed customer.
For tho first two years this was pos
si5le, but at present I have two assist
ants who, besides doing office work, 90
out TO get orders and sometimes 70 in
vestigate apartments. Besides. I keep in
touch with agents who are glad TO send
me a descriptive list OF their available
apartments and houses. During the three
seasons that 1 have mentioned some OF
these agents send their lists in daily or
course. by keeping IN such close touch
with all available apartments II is com
paratively easy to FIJI orders
The hardest orders 20 I'll are those
where the renter leaves it all 10 me.
When I first began 1t annoyed me ex-
ceedingly 10 have a woman, for 4 is
always a woman, say she didn't care
where the house or apartment was located
so long as il was pretty and convenient,
nor what it cost SC long as IL was within
her means. and then have her refuse 70
state her income.
The easiest customers who come 10 me
are people who know just what they
want, locality. price, size, and character
Of the house. Any one who knows the
housing capacity Of New York -ill tell you
that If you viii only look long enough
you can Ill any order. That is pretty
near the exact truth. There are few To-
calities in which both inexpensive ard
costly apartments and houses may not be
found = the house hunter viii only per-
severe in looking for them.
The same can be said about con-
veniences. Last spring. when had or
ders for four up-to-date apartments with
open freplaces, I literally threw UP my
hands Yet when came to look in the
locality indicated found those open fire.
Places Though they were not new, the
houses had been renovated and were up
TO date in every particular, with the add
ed charm Of regular old-fashioned wood
burning hreplaces.
The one point on which I always ad-
wise my patrons TO be liberal is the num-
Der OF rooms. I ask them 20 state the
least number Of small and large rooms
they can get along with Often an apart
ment viii answer IN every particular ex-
cept it will have one or two rooms TOO
many. Those extra rooms DO not always
increase the rent, especially if IL is get
ting late in the season. I point out TO my
customers that an extra room at no ad-
diuonal cost is an advantage. though
some Of them fail 10 see il at first.
I never charge in advance unless a
customer insists on my accepting an or
der which on the face OF it is quite i'm
possible. I would advise women starting
in the business not 10 demand this ad-
vance until they have established a good
business and a reputation for reliability.
Another point-they should be careful 20
let the customer know that they receive
no fees from either renting agents or
owners. This is a guarantee to the rent
ers that their interests alone are being
considered. I have had many offers OF
fees from renting agents, but I am quite
sure 1 would lose the confidence OF my
customers were TO accept. It Is a large
field for women IN all large cities. but
as yet there are not many in the bust
moss