Evening star., 1916-01-22

The renovation of old residences
remodeling them and bringing them
up to date with regard to exterior ap-
pearance, plumbing and lighting fix
lures, heating plants, floors and in
terror decoration-is proving profitable
for a number of real estate operators
of Washington. 1t is not confined to
those who make a steady business of
this kind of work. however, for in
vestigation develops that many indi-
vidual owners are disposing of their
at good figures by the ex-
penditure of several hundred dollars in
repairs prior to placing them on the
market.
Real estate men say there is good
market for old houses that have been
made like new through remodeling and
refinishing. A large percentage of
home buyers are looking
for houses erected a number of years
ago in preference to those of more re-
cent construction. they say. They point
out that in the case of the old houses
the frontages generally are greater,
the ceilings higher and rooms larger
than in the modern house of the same
class.
Inquiry among the real estate offices
of the city has brought to light
number of instances where by the ex-
penditure of several hundred dollars
for repairs purchasers were obtained
for houses which in their rundown
state had remained on the FOR sale
lists for long periods. In some IN
stances buyers were obtained after the
properties had been extensively re-
mo de1a in
sary to thoroughly renovate them in
order to bring about a sale.
Interior Arrangement Faulty.
1t was pointed out that there are
many houses for which purchasers can
not be obtained because of the peculiar
of rooms and halls; errors
in judgment on the part of the archi-
tects who designed them originally. In
such cases it is often necessary to
knock out partitions, provide new door
ways, arrange Railways differently and
make like alterations in order to satis-
fy the home buyer of today.
In many instances, however, purchas-
ers cannot be obtained because of the
run down condition of properties and
not because of any faults to be found
with their interior arrangement. To
sell a house that has a badly stained
front, rotted porch steps. a SCARED up
front door, rough and splintery floors,
antiquated gas fixtures, old-fashioned
plumbing and poor heating facilities is
a difficult task unless the prospective
buyer is one who is looking for run
down house with view of getting it at
a low figure. renovating it and then
selling it in its modernized state.
Many Houses Modernized.
The past few years has witnessed the
undermining of number of high
priced houses in Washington which
found ready. purchasers when the work
was completed. Many large homes of
the old-fashioned basement type have
been remodeled in what are generally
referred to as English basement
houses; high front steps have been re-
terraces at the front haye been
torn away and entrances have been
provided on the stret level. One or per-
haps two small rooms have been pro-
vided on either side of the entrance
hall and an attractive stairway built to
the second or main floor of the house.
The basement dining room of years
ago has given way to the entrance hall
and adjoining rooms and what once
was called the back parlor'' now is the
dining room.
But the undermining of old homes has
not been confined exclusively to high
priced properties, houses selling at s15.-
900 and upward. Inquiry among brok-
ers develops that those of the $4,000
and $4,000 type also have been good
sellers when brought up to date prior
to placing them on the market.
- Sold at $3.50 Profit.
One broker told of a house in the
Colum bia Heights section of the city. a
property that was well designed, but
was in run down condition. 1t was
purchased for a client for $4,000. The
new owner then spent approximately
81 900 in bringing it up to date. The
was refinished, floors were
planed. walls pointed up, the heating
plant overhauled, roof repaired and the
house was papered and painted from
top to bottom. Within four months
from the time the property had been
purchased for $4,000 a purchaser was
found who was willing opay $3.50 for
the property: he said he would rather
have the remodeled house than new
house of the $4,000 type
A small house near the government
office was bought for $1,000.
For years it had been neglected by its
owner. 1t was in such a bad state of
repair that no one would rent the prop
erty and for months it had stood va
cant. The owner was perfectly willing
to part with it for $1,000 The buyer
spent 5000 in repair. bringing his total
investment up to $1,S00. He decided to
rent it until purchaser could be OBJ
tanned.
Tenant Easily Obtained.
Newly painted woodwork, fresh wall
paper and other evidences of the reno