The Washington herald., 1921-09-25


ming to understand that the real
estate market here in Washington
IS, net maintaining fictitious values,
and that prices asked and received
for properties are not inflated.
sEor q long time after the war
the prospective buyer of real estate,
either for investment or residence
PURPOSES, when consulting his
friends would have dinned into his
cans the information that he should
v ais until the market dropped, and
thst the prices asked for properties
were inflated to 200 per cent or more
OF the actual value. This sort of
thing spread around until people
who really did know something OF
the real estate situation began to
betaafraid to invest. placing some
credence in the adverse reports
There was no actual foundation in
fact for this rumor. and 1t only
served to delay many prospective
home owners from settling their
plans and going ahead with a con-
structtve program
Real Depression Comes
This panicky movement began to
APPEAR in some quarters when peo-
pie. set out to finance their home
pTOJcCNS. anu ntlDtu 10
make money tighter at the yer,
time when II was becoming scarce
foF, more important reasons. The
load that real estate operations were
working under at that time-scarc-
ityn Of materials at any cost, high
costs Of lumber and labor-was thus
added to by this mischievous rumor
For a time. then. there was a
real depression in the real estate
field. and there was a slight drop
inHprices which lasted for a short
period. but when it was found that
the shortage Of homes for the
buyer remained as great as ever,
people began to realize that condi-
tions were very much the same as
before, and the price market as
sumed a steady tone.
A~CIty of n Half Million.
From every indication, Wash
ington Is destined to be a city OF
100000. When the number of
transients Is included. for this city
has one OF the largest relative
transient populations in the world,
believe that the number of those
now within our gates Is very close
to that mark.
without doubt, Washington will
continue to be the seat Of govern
ment of our country. and where
the actual need OF the government
for men and women competently to
carry on its functions will always
be on the increase. there will be a
corresponding need for homes to
accommodate them. Then, too
since our nation is beginning tc
take a high position in the worlds
affairs. there will be a correspond
mi increase OF foreign officials
who will come here to negotiate
the affairs of their home govern
nents. on commissions and other
tribunals. Then IL must be re-
membered that our city is the goal
toward which every American
traveller strives. and the automo-
bile brings to Washington every
year a great number of visitors
who tour this section and return
TO, their home States with a new
ides OF the seat Of government and
the advantages residence here
brings
City Sells on sight.
The ebb and flow OF political
parties into and out of power leaves
an added population in Washing
ton with the change OF every ad-
ministration. In addition, the ex-
psnding population itself attracts
new businesses and new residents
TO, handle them.
Washington Is a city that, in
the parlance Of the salesman. sells
itself. A man or woman coming
70 this city for the first time is
immediately struck with the fine
streets, broad avenues. spacious
parks and beautiful well-planned
suburban sections, and the desire
Is created to own a home in this
idssl city. Although the nations
CAPITAL is far from being perfect,
Its, beauty so far surpasses other
civic developments elsewhere in
tbs United States that a true COM
parson Is impossible.
No Ugly Factories
The freedom from ugly and dis
figuring Industrial plants our city
enjoys Is one cogent reason for
its attractiveness. We who live
here lose the vision, and we take
th magnifcence for granted until
va go away on a trip to another
Municipality.
II had this experience recently,
when upon my return from out
OF town 1 came through the
splendid portals Of the Union Sta
ton. and beheld the light-fiooded
dome Of the Capitol against the
sky. 1 had a new vision of the
wonder and beauty of Washington,
truly The Heart of the Nation. :"
rOur city enjoys more civic ad-
v4htages. except the voting privi-
lege, than any other city In the
world Congress keeps a fatherly
eys on the development and well
fare Of Its every activity. Under
such conditions, IT behooves a fore
sighted head of a family seriously
% consider his finances and plan
fet owning q home.
Better to Buy.
$40 pay out money for rent and
resolve no return except in actual
honsing Is faulty business for the
man who has a nest egg with
which to make an initial deposit
onE home The rental payments
can be turned into an investment
which, with wise purchasing of
property, will not only net the
owner the roof over his head, but
also make him independent of
landlords, and give him the fl
nancial prestige that is accorded a
home owner.
-Now that the realty market
Is showing no marked changes in
prices and values, and buying is
BRISK enough to keep builders
months behind in nlling orders.
there is considerable competition
aHlong the prospective buyers to
find property best suited for a
home. and that will give the best
investment return.
aEamfliaS must haua 49,.