San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1924-03-16

L
annually in San Antonio If home
builders would only remember tha'
conventional features in a rcSluehc'
are much more likely 10 attract q
buyer than eccentricities, SAYS Gus
Nigel. city building inspector, whil,
reviewing the types and prices OF
homes constructed here during the iasl
two or three years. Regardless OF
the fact that this general rule Is
known 10 the majority Of home own
ers and home builders. there are a
great many people who employ entire
ly too much individuality in building
their homes and do not consider It's
commercial value. 4 sensible arrange
ment, free from eccentricltles. Will also
give greater happiness TO the average
family. However, n person should and
can express individuality in the l.
terror as well as exterior decoration
of the home, says one local interior
decorator.
Beginning the construction of their
house. man and his wife often or
der the arrangement of rooms and III
stallation of various features 10 sult
only themselves. They satisfy their
own personal desires for attractions
in a home and their taste governs
the appearance of the completed dvell-
ing. In doing so. they often install
cccentricities which hinder the value
of the house from a commercial stand
point and make it anything but at
tractive and welcoming 10 visitor.
Freaks" Do Not Attract.
The persons doing this think OF the
home as their residence only. They
forget that the house may at some
time be placed on the market. Inc
unexpected sometimes happens Just at
the wrong time and the consequent
sale of the home is usually 1nevlta-
Bile.
When the house is placed on the
market it often remains there for
length of time unless its price is
placed low enough TO make it at
tractivc as an investment. Prospective
home buyers are not attracted by It's
freak features. its queer arrangement
and its cold" appearing decorations,
perhaps.
The owner soon finds that he cam
not sell his home for the price it cost
him and when he is forced to sell he
loses several hundred and sometimes
thousands of dollars.
Despite his intentions. while build
ing the home. of keeping il always
md of willing it to his children. the
home builder should remember that &c
nine times out of ten will
often distract and often lower the
value of the house in the minds of
others. And although he thinks fav-
,rably OF freak arrangements and odd
features at the time he is building
MS house it is often the case that
sensible arrangement encourages
greater happiness and gives more OF
nm atmosphere OF comfort and well
come.
How TO Express Personality.
But. in spite of his advice to home
TO leave out the freaks
when building n home. Mr.. Niggli re-
minds that people must not altogether
'ar individuality. for it is in the build
ng of house that the Individual per-
onality of the owners can and should
,e expressed, he says.
1t is often said that house should
,e literally a portrait Of its occupants
md the type of life lived there. A
little careful considera ton. however,
an eliminate most of the trouble in
arrangement. 4 large amount of
personality can be expressed in build
ng a home without disturbing the
stability OF it's design or the attract
veness TO others. 1t is n much easier
matter TO express ones personality
81. e hn IN
interior decorations and movable OBJ
jects rather than in design and room
says local interior dec
orator.
1t is often the case that the decor
atoms in a house hinder its sale for
these are placed according to the within
of the owner and are looked upon only
in his favor. They can easily be re-
moved or replaced BY saner decora-
tons when desiring TO sell the house.
The change in style Of houses cannot
be overcome, or at least it is not
being overcome. and for this reason.
the home builder will do well TO re-
member that practical arrangement
and common sense ideas in a house
have real market values.
Condition Good Here.
These reminders apply to every
kind of home construction. large and
small. says Mr.. Niggli.
at is a gratifying fact" says the
building inspector. ito note, while in
specting homes under construction
throughout the city. that the majority
Of home builders are practicing CON
servativeneSs in their ideas and de-