The New York herald., 1921-09-26
: APARTMENT HUNTING
EASIER Than IN 1920.
Vacancies More Numerous,
With Prices Shaded in
Some Districts.
N0RMALCY is FAR OFF
Two Rooms and Bath, From
Transformed Houses, in
Majority.
FAMILIES FACE PROBLEMS
Advertisements in New York
Herald Show Many More
Places to Let.
FAMILIES FACE PROBLEMS

annual domestic upheaval ana parade
of the moving vans, is not nearly so
discouraging as it was exactly one
year ago. For one thing, you see
many more For Rent signs in al.
most every district than you did last
September, and the newspapers carry
greater number of advertisements.
which the apartment seeker has
learned to scan rapidly.
4 And for another thing, the real
estate agents have ceased to shake
their heads pityingly at you when you
drift into their offices to ask meekly
If they have anything vacant that is
within your means and not too far
removed from that portion Of Man
haitian or The Bronx in which you are
willing to agree to abide for one year,
or two years, or three years. accord
ing to the term Of lease demanded by
the landlord. On the whole, the apart
ment hunting outlook Is considerably
brighter, though it is far from nor
NAL yet.
For the purpose Of getting first hand
information about the apartment situa-
tion NEW YORK HERALD reporter visited
numerous apartments almost from tie
Battery to The Bronx. Investigated them
from the point of view OF the homeseeksr
and compared prices and numbers OF
apartments offered for rent with those
in the market this time OF September,
1920.
Some Prices Are Lower.
Prices are just a trif1e lower in some
districts. but 1t is mere trifie as yet.
and there Is promise that rents will
continue to go lower, though experts
declare It will be three or four years
before the normal price is again reached.
The normal may not agree In figures
with pre-war prices, but it will be such
an adjustment that persons of moderate
means can find some place to live in
comfort If not In luxury.
The two room and bath apartment. Is
far more numerous than any other size.
because of the hundreds of old fashiolod
houses that have undergone remodelling
into apartments and because of the In
creased demand from year to year for
these hotel-like suites The woman with
a family is faced with a far moro DIFF
fcult problem than her unmarried sister
or her bachelor brother when she starts
out to find home for her brood.
In high class apartment houses you
cannot so much as have kitchen with
your two rooms for less than $4,000 a
year. These are, Of course, situated in
good nsighborhods, are well built mod
ern apartment houses and are consid-
cred desirable In virtually every way.
The family that cannot afford to pay
s2,400 or more for the pleasure of
living In such an apartment house must
seek shelter in the streets and avenues
further from the centre of the city. or
in odd corners which have recently un-
dergone renovation.
"HcraIdv Ads show Change.
On September 22, 1920, THE New
YORK HERALD carried less than two
columns of display advertisements OF
anfurnished apartments In hotels and In
apartment houses The Same edition
carried about three-quarters Of coll
umn of classified advertisements of un-
furnished apartments In Manhattan, in
Guiding Washington Heights. There
was less than half column OF fur
nshed rooms to let.
On the same date this year the dis
play advertisements of unfurnished
apartments measured more than four
and half columns and the classified
advertisements of unfurnished apart
ments measured one column and one
third. This is, of course, an indication
of what the landlords ard agents have
to offer now as compared with the
same week of last year. The increase
In one year Is more than double for
the display and almost double for the
classified.
In exploring the outlying districts Of
washington Square, where old fash
toned houses have been remodelled into
apartments and where some apartment
houses have been built. the reporter dis
covered a new apartment building
southwest OF the square. where some
considerate owner has provided homes
for 100 families. And he insists that
the apartments, many of which have
been rented. shall be occupied by fam
lilies or husbands and wives. He bars
single mon and women. except as they
figure as members Of a family with duly
recognized head and helpmect. on tho
ground that bachelors, both men and
women. can. .ind accommodations much
more easily than families can.
Caters to the Family.
These apartments, the smallest OF
which includes Kitchen. "bedroomette"
and bath, as one newly we'd tenant de-
scribes her find, rent all the way from
10 have had the family much In mind
when he built them. for no matter how
few the rooms or how small they are
there Is n good sized kitchen with each.
Home life centres about the full sized
gas range, according to his ideas. and
the kitchenette is for the bachelor per-
son. The largest apartments have Ave
rooms-kitchen. three bedrooms and
living room.
II you start out with the Idea that
you are going to pay Ss5 month for
your rent and the family comprises hus-
bard and wife you will have to look
over on the rivers banks or far uptown
II you stay within your means. In Har-
lcm. The Bronx and In some parts of
Washington Heights YOU can find COM
paratively cheap apartments for small
families. but they are exceedingly scarce
,-ev. for the few that exist have been
mapped UP. Downtown and not far
from washington Square there was q
four room apartment in tenement block
that went for s65 n month. but Il was
not in good condition and the landlord
would make no improvements. For a
little more say from 5000 TO $1,000, you
ran get two three and four room apart
ments on lease.
In one block in the lower Fifth avenue
district eleven ITO Let" signs were OBJ
served. When this was called to the
fttention ~ u real estate operator he
cA,lliaad t1rt likely they wcrc oil