The Washington herald., 1911-08-26
Lo4ical Reasons Ad-
panced for Continued
Building Activity, Par
ticuIarly in Gases of
M oderate-priced e d
Homes-No Slump Is
Anticipated for Fall.

Although the middle of September is
still several weeks off, the leasing sea-
son is practically in full swing and has
been advancing by leaps and bounds
for abreast two weeks. At present il is
at least that much ahead of what has
hitherto been the normal season.
Already a number of important leases
to government officials, members of the
diplomatic corps, prospective recruits
to the fashionable winter colony, and
Senators and Representatives have
been announced. and the real list of
names is admittedly being withheld by
agents pending the closing of prospec-
tive leases.
In the cases of Senators and Repre-
sentatives. the early leasing of homes
for next winter may be accounted for
by the length of the recent session and
the uncertainty of the date for ad-
journment. With several newcomers
in the Senate and more than a hundred
new members in the House, the open"
season for national legislators was ad
vanced just four months on the real
estate calendar by the extra session.
This. too. may be held accountable for
the early closing of deals in the cases
of some government officials who other
wise would have waited for fall before
finally settling on next winters resi-
dence
Awakening Expected Soon.
What the effect of the summers rush
in the real estate market will be on next
falls business has given rise to no little
conjecture. 1t is true, the market is now
having breathing spell. The long ex
pected midsummer dulness showed up
about two months late and conditions
are being given a chance to readjust
themselves before fall. And although
some pessimistically expect a fall slump
to counterbalance the summer boom, the
prevailing opinion favors a continuation
of the good conditions and of the advance
in real estate values that has marked the
boom.
The phenomenal building activity.
which is continuing even though sales
are fewer, has been booked for sud
den cessation for years by the pessimists,
and even by those who have wished to
see it continue, though unable to under
stand how such a continuation would
be possible. But the activity has con-
tinued far beyond the first period mark
ed for its cessation; il has continued and
increased, and 1t is increasing.
Dividing the building field into two de-
partments residential and business, the
increase is found in both. In both all
records have gone by the board in the
last year.
Many New Residences.
Certainly never before have so many
new residences been erected in such 4
short space of time; certainly in no such
a period of time has Washington seen
the completion. beginning, or planning of
such Handsome or so many business
buildings-office structures hotels, and
homes for large business firms.
In the residential field the greatest &C
tiVity has centered around the construc-
tion of moderate priced homes. num-
Der of handsome residences have been
or are being erected, but the activity has
not been great by far, even proper
ticnateiy. as in moderate priced homes,
that is. houses selling at from $500 to
5000. The apartment house construction
has been fast and furious. but even here
the pace has been surpassed by tho
moderate priced home
Good Reasons Advanced.
Many explanations are advanced for
this activity in the construction of low
priced homes. In the first place, it is
Sdlus d DelIeT nome now Is ODtalndDle
for less money than hitherto because
construction is cheaper. New and better
building materials are to be had for less
money than formerly: new and cheaper
means of construction are being used.
The erection. by builders with plenty OF
capital of houses in large numbers has
lessened the individual eXpense-a money
saving plan through which the home |
seeker has been allowed to profit as
well the builder.
Another explanation advanced is that
the builder of moderate priced homes is |
not forced to depend upon a natural in |
crease in population or a per capita in
crease of wealth for buyers Thousands |
Of those for whom the new homes are !
disposed of are people who hitherto have |
never attempted to lease a house, much |
less buy one. Hundreds who have con- |
tented themselves with membership in a |
boarding house family year after year
have been shown where they can have |
their own home because advanced meth |
DDS of buying and building have made |