San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1926-04-25
EN- TIRE CITY
IN THRIFTY
DWELLING
MOVE
Builder and Buyer Join to
Strengthen Backbone
of Nation

san Antonio home builders an
nounce that several attractiyely fur
nished dwellings will be open for
public inspection during National
Better Homes Week, i'm which this
city is taking leading part. Owners
and locations are as follows: Busby
Building Corporation, 1916 West
Magnolia! Carvel and Company, 233
Hollywood boulevard; Sam &. Ben
nett Company, All West MiStletOe;
Robert McGarraugh, 316 Eimhurst;
Alamo Development Company, ~
East AShby; John S. Murphy, 9SS
West Kings Highway. Several 9TH
ers are expected to announce open
houses during the next two days.
National Better Homes Week. in
which San Antonio is taking an active
part, will open Sunday. April %. San
Antonians will encourage thrift in
home ownership principally through
proper and durable construction result
ing in great savings ultimately. Homo
builders will display products in most
every section Of the city. Dwellings
have been elegantly furnished and pre-
pared especially for the entertainment
and instruction of present as well as
prospective home owners.
Realtors, city officials, the chamber
of commerce, civic clubs and members
of the building industry are all back
Of the move to encourage home owner
ship and thereby strengthen the "back-
bone of the nation" National officials
head organized forces which are con-
l,,nttna, FRO do,
the interest of better homes to help
maintain higher percentages of own
ers throughout every section.
S. A. SETS EXAMPLE.
Better homes weeks have been held
for the last five years and realtors
say that the move has done more than
any other one thing to encourages
proper construction of homes MS well
as their systematic and thrifty pur-
chase. San Antonio sets fine cX-
ample for an immense trade territory
with her fine homes and this year she
| will display many beautiful dwellings
which will be viewed by visitors as
well as her own people.
Furniture dealers, hardware stores.
lumber yards, brick manufacturers
| and dealers, contractors. architects,
subdivision men, mechanical refrigera
| ton distributors and all others inter
ested in the improvement of the Amer
| lean home from the StandpointS of
comfort, convenience, beauty and econ
Omy Of management, are participating
in Better Homes Week.
CHALLENGE TO NATION.
Secretary of Commerce Herbert
Hoover, president of Better Homes in
| America, the educational movement for
the improvement of the home, says
that maintaining n high percentage Of
individual home owners is one of the
searching tests that now challenge the
people of the United States.
Buying a home is usually the largest
investment made by q family. Also
it usually is done but once. therefore
the average family head is novice
when it comes to determining what
i can be devoted from the family iu-
come TO the purchase Of house. Ex-
perts agree and urge that written
agreements be made by home pur-
chasers in regard to financing. build
ing and purchasing. with careful atten-'
ton given TO legal details.
The following things should be con-
sidered in buying a home:
l. General location: land values
high or low: transportation facilities
to place of work and shopping centers;
protection offered TO homes, private re-
strictiOns, coming ordinances, fire and
police protection.
INSPECT IMPROVEMENTS.
.. Specific location of lot: char
acter OF the neighborhood; location
with reference TO schools and play
grounds for children; desirable points,
) shade trees and shrubs, set of house
with reference 60 sunlight and pre-
yailing winds, character Of the soil
and necessity for grading, filling or
draining.
3. Other safeguards in buying
property: Danger in buying lot lop
long before building; extent of i'm
provements (paving, sidewalks. water
supply, gas, electricity, seweragel !.
possible assessments; proportion nf
lot value to total outlay; checking
property values, Gland and housed
plan of house and quality Of CON
struction; steps taken in buying; cx-
animation of title.
The Better Homes movement IS
drawing widespread interest in the
improvement Of American homes.
ANOTHER ANGLE.
The physical housing Of the fann!y
is but one angle Of the educauouai
campaign which it is waging. The
scientific arrangement Of utility Dor.
tions Of homes, such as kitchens, the
Identification Of homes, the strong
aid given home life by proper furnish
ings, pictures, books and .nusic, good
home management through budgeting
} the family incume-all these and more
p are being urged by Better Homes ia
America