The Washington times., 1913-02-15
Decline of Six Sales a Day From
Figures of First Week in
February.
CLOSING OF DEALS
PROVES DIFFICULT
Loan Market Is Active, With
Average Interest Rate of
Five and One Half Per Cent.

Realty trading experienced a decided
slump during the past six days. A
spirit of inactivity appeared to pervade
the market throughout the second week
of February and, as a consequence, the
brokers succeeded in closing only los
transactions. This is a decline of more
than six sales day from the operations
of the initial week of the month.
Monday was the busiest day of the
week, and saw twenty-three sales ef-
fected. The balance Of the weeks trad
ing was about on a par. Tuesdays
business reached the lowest ebb of fif-
teen sales. Wednesday witnessed six
teen trades, and on each of the other
three days seventeen sales were con-
summated.
The brokers are at a loss to furnish
satisfactory reasons for the decline in
business. The weather conditions have
been more than favorable to an active
market, and inquiries have been nu-
merous, but the closing of sales has
next week will bring a change for the
better in the condition of the sales
market.
Plan Spring Campaign.
Taking advantage of the lull, the
brokers during the week have been
formulating plans for an aggressive
SPRING campaign. Unless a belated
winter condition should prevail, the
spring trading is expected to open with
the beginning of March, or after the
inaugural festivities.
While the number of sales were fewer
this week than in the opening week
of February, the volume of trading is
not SO far behind that of the preceding
week. Involved in the weeks transaG-
tons were IA lots and parcels of real
estate More than half the trading was
in the outlying suburbs. A total of 40
parcels changed owners IN this section.
The northwest was in second place,
with forty-two lots sold, followed by
the near-urban district with twenty
eight lots conveyed. There were six
teen lots transferred in the northeast.
fourteen in the southeast and four in
the southwest
The only sale OF business property
during the week involved property on
the north side of l street just west
OF Fourteenth street. sold by Ben b.
Bradford to John W. Childress. The
consideration is not stated, but the pur-
chaser assumed an encumbrance OF
$751; 600 on the property.
The record title to the property at
1907 and 1903 F street, adjoining that
now being improved by woodward d
Lothrop was conveyed to that corpora
ton by the newly appointed trustees of
the Columbus Alexander estate The
equitable interest of the heirs had been
purchased by Woodward & Lothrop,
but the title still stood In the trustees
on the record
Money Market Active.
While showing a slight decline, the
money market did not experience the
inactivity displayed in the sales depart
ment of the realty business. The exact
figures in the loan market this week
were s43o,6l3-4s. a falling of of less than
$780, 200 from the figures of the first week
of February. A total, of l50 lots were
encumbered as security for the weeks
loans. The prevailing rate of interest
was 5lz per cent.
s175.0oo This sum was borrowed by
Joseph E. Willard. former lieutenant
governor of Virginia, on his property
at the corner of Fourteenth and F
streets, known as the Wyatt building.
The property was transferred to the
Union Trust Company TO secure the
Fidelity Trust Company OF Philadelphia,
which furnished the money. The loan
is repayaDle in five years with interest
at per cent.
The Willard loan aided the straight
loans in maintaining the lead of the
nidIhel- Win toldi Dl SOfv''0o-1n- me
output of the building associations
reached si5,40. The sum of all the
notes given for deferred purchase
money was SIS. .265.
The northwest proved most acceptable
as security for loans, showing an ag-
gregate of s241, $50 County property
was encountered TO the extent Of SIZE
mi-Ss. The record of loans in the other
city sections was: Northeast. s3i, 1853:
southeast, S0,S.6. and southwest,
s1l,3