The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1924-06-28
SELECTING SITE
FOR HOME IS
PROBLEM
Much to BE Considered for
Final Choice Is
lrrevocahIe
By MARGUERITE KEaIP.


Choosing the home site II not
always an easy task. Many ele-
znents enter into the selection Of
4 site for the home which win BE-
lived ia to the end Cf the persons
life. and il single one is omitted
from consideration it may mean
8 lifetime Of Inconvenience and
unpleasantness.
IN the cities everywhere the trend
a toward the suburbs. Each
suburban town has q distinct indi..
viduality, ana various virtues, a.
we'll ais faults. re possible, b year
should be spent in that locality ba.
Tore the home is purchased, to find
what spring, summer, autumn and
winter bring to that particular
spot, or how living costs are al
1ected. One suburban town know
has q stunning view Of the lake,
but Tor some unknown reason food
etuffs are 0utrag eously high, while
another suburban town, less favor.
ably situated, contains Just as nice
homes and pleasant people with
prices Of necessities considerably
lower.
Drainage Important.
Sanitation, the water supply, the
sewerage, and the drainage Of the
entire town should also be consid-
cred. A story Is told Of one com
nunity, where a drive on lots was
being made one Sunday, and g.
host Of would-be buyers flocked to-
the premises. But not single lot
was sold, for the men In the six
households already established at
that location unfortunately chose
that day to pump out the base-
naents, which had been flooded for
weeks.
IN another suburban town where
residents depend upon the train
service to carry them to and from
the business district. the summer
and winter railway schedules vary
50 greatly that one season or the
other entails q great deal Of incon-
yenience to the man OF the house.
In another town, fuel must be
hauled great distance.
Things to Consider.
One town / know Is alive with
community interests and entertain
ments, while another, which Is one
Of the most beautiful suburban vii.
lagos In the country. does not allow
g moving picture show. The pros.
pective home owner should decide
I'M this case which town he would
prefer before he begins to think Of
the home.
The electric iightN service IL
another consideration In choosing q
town. The electric light service 81
one good-sized town know comes
from the same source which sun.
plies power for an interurban line.
and it has a way Of waning almost
20 the point OF darkness. and then
tiaring up again throughout the
evening hours, One family who
recently moved to nice little town
was Mortified to find there was no
electric service between midnight
and q. m, which necessitates &
supply of kerosene night lamps
Tor cases Of illness or emergency.
or course, such disadvantages as
these do not necessarily bar lot
purchasers and home builders each
community has its residents who
love 1t deyotedly. But the person
who buys site under such condi-
tions should be .forewarned, for
that is being forearmed.
In smaller city, the problem Is
narrowed down to the selection Of
Q particular lot or block for the
home site. The distance from the
husbands place of business and the
facilities for reaching 1t are the
first consideration. 1t should also
be remembered that q location ''farI
on" at one time becomes compare
lively CLOSE In when the city
grows, and so the prospective build
or should study the trend Of the
city's growth, and the probable
changes which may take place..
The lot should be as large as
can be afforded, for q house always
looks better with smooth expanse
of velvety lawn, rows Of brilliant
flowers and tall, stately trees, SUR
rounding it. Then, the larger the
lot the more privacy to the home.
Passers-by cannot gaze in. the
neighbors' inclination for alI-night
parties cannot become annoying,
and the home becomes in fact a
little world of its own.
Sanitation and drainage should
be considered carefully for the In.
dividual lot, as well as for the town
in general, for the surface drainage
does not consider boundary lines,
and each house owner should look
after requirements of his own lot.
Buying the lot Is much more inn
portant than is generally believed,
and much time and thought should