South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1919-12-21
On a House Hunt
By James J. Montague

SN1AAN~ -
You remember the poor real es-
tate agent who had 90 be "a notary
public 70 help out. and who painted
his own for rent" signs? He usu-
ally had desk room In somebody
else's place. and agilely stepped out
OF the back door when the bill col
lector came in the front door. You
always used 10 feel sorry for him.
Well. you don't need TO feel sorry
FOR him any more. He's got an Of
Zee with mission furniture and
filing cabinet in II. two stenogra-
pliers and a clerk When you want
20 see him he's usually out on the
golf course taking lessons from the
professional He's being urged 20
run for mayor 20 save the city from
ring politics. and people who used
70 call him "Bil" call him mister
went 20 see him the other day.
Some friends from a western city
wanted "A house in our suburb. His
clerk said ne wasn't in and listened
languidly when we stated our bust
ness
no use" said the clerk. eve amt
got nothing to rent"
not "a single house in town."
Nope"
That seemed final. and we were
about 10 leave when Bill came in
lie was in a hurry. but he listened
20 us.
1--WE got just one house for six
hundred dollars" he said That
sounded reasonable. My friend and
his wife looked at each other hope
fully.
81 guess we can pay that" said
nay friend. How do we pay it2"
Monthly, in advance
What kind of a house o"
Ten rooms, three baths, two-car
garage"
Gee, That's some house to get
for fifty dollars a month i thought
houses were high around here.
Bill lost interest
"Six hundred dollars month, not
year" he said
We went away from there.
At another office down the street
we found a house listed for a hum
dred dollars Making sure that it
: was a hundred dollars month, not
Nweek. we went to see it.
The family that occupied il was
about 90 move out The lady show
eel us the house.
cor course" she said. III YOU
have just got 90 have house. like
we did, I suppose you can live here
There isn't any water in the kitchen.
the furnace won't heat but one
room at a time the roof leaks in
five or six places. there is a foot of
water i'm the cellar after every rain,
and the landlord won't make any re-
pairs I'm not saying anything
against the house. YOU understand.
IL will do if you have to have
roof But you'd probably freeze to
death or die of malaria if YOU took
il. And / forgot to mention that it's
fun of rats"
We cast no lingering longing look
. behind as we left
As we walked down the street !
happened 20 remember about Jones
place. Jones. knew, wanted 20 sell
IT, lie had bought it four or five
Years ago for three thousand dollars.
It wasn't much of a house and
there was only a pocket handker-
chief lot i'm front of it, 1t ought 70
he "a bargain
teIephoned Jones. and he refer
red me to a real estate man.
n promised him 1 wouldn't sell
10 except through him." he said
So we went to the real estate man.
Tie was i'm n hurry like the other
veal estate man. but he paused long
enough 10 look up the mouse in his
card index
Fifteen thousand dollars. cash"
he said
But the place only cost three
thousand. I said
THAT was three years ago Houses
are up. II you want it you'u have
so hurry. because four or FIVE other
people are after IT, I'll close with
one of them this afternoon sure. DO
You want it,"
We didn't
II think" said my friend. chat
SO would be cheaper 20 build a house
Then VIC can have it just as we want
&c. 10 You know any builders?
L knew a couple of them. and we
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