The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1918-02-20
ON BUILDING HOMES.

The question Of building homes for the cities OF
this in order to accommodate the people who are
coming here is about serious problem as can be
imagined. As the Fort Wayne News in speaking o:
that citys particular needs says
Building companies are being urged 10 meet this
demand and there question that 1t Is an immediate
and compelling Yet they can hardly DO 50 unless
the real estate market vens up People must manifest
disposition to buy before the building companies are
warranted in going in on construction + is all very
well to say that they should build houses TO rent but
nasmuch they building for business end not foF
pleasure there two overmastering obstacles in the
way In the first place these companies have not the
money 10 devote to Wholesale erection Of tenement
houses and in the second place property except
the very cheapest pay interest on the invest
ment Under the law OF Indiana the landlord has no
protection against the INSCRIPTIONS renter and ne Is
besides subjected to burdens decidedly
business proposition the owning OF tenement houses
q without its lure
In former sears When taxes low, construc
ton cheap. houses without modern convenences. and
public Improvements 10 be paid for. it was possible
for the landlord who was on the Job every minute TO
get BY with his investment. But that day has passed
and as general thing. desirable residences not
being rented except instances where their owners
cannot sell
"Nfanifestly condition exists where those who
want homes must buy them and upon the whole it
condition which decidedly desirable For 1t is not as
OF the purchaser had 20 have the money hand Such
condition would OF course. be most Objectionable and
most subversive to municipal progress But where,
through modern methods OF doing business, it is pos
sible for people to acquire title their homes on
terms but little more burdensome than paying rent,
there il every Indictment tosthe sensible and thrifty
citizen TO become z home Ia past years this
truth has been SO generally recognized that but few
people could be found who desired rent and those
few almost without exception were those who knew
their residence hers be temporary uncertain.
Within the past few months, however. the real
estate market suffered tremendous slump by reas
on of the war There is logical reason for
such depression as prospects all that for some
years after the wars conclusion property Will be even
higher than present value and certainly there are
not such rental properties offered that people
are wooed away from the homecoming notion. The de-
preston can only psychological
but II IS nevertheless real and discouraging Certsinly
building cannot be conducted the of such con
dtions and certainly too this condition should be
edied Unquestionaby there must be concerted ano
determined movement here the part OF people
to inject that confidence real esment hich the
nature warrants.
There is every 10 believe that the purchasing
power of the dollar greater today han It viii be AGAR
for at least decade for and the tendency
IS to monetary imitation the nvarahe consequence O
war times Those who wise, therefore, viii buy
homes at once instead defemlng action and unit
a later day The building companies realize we'll enough
the situation yet unless they sell they cannot build
for ii is impossible for them borrow money houses
for which there are purchasers
We need here = little campaign OF educa ion edu
cation as TO real estate the advantage OF home
owning and the desrabilty of erecting here severa-
thousand residences. For they are sadly needed