Evening star., 1927-02-26
SELLING PRICES HOLDING FIRM.
DESPITE LOWERED ACTIVITY
Survey Shows Slight Increase in Shortage
In Single Family Dwellings, Apartments
and Business Buildings.

The real estate market for the coun
than at this time a year go, but sell
ing prices hold firm, according to a
survey of general real estate market
situation of the United States and
Canada Just completed by the National
Association of Real Estate Boards.
There Is a slight increase in the
shortage existing in single-family
dwellings, apartments and business
buildings, a barely perceptible change
from June OF 1925 In the situation as
to residential rents, and an increased
sterilization of rents for business and
Office space both for central locations
and for outlying districts.
Money for real estate investment Is
generally easy, with interest rates con-
tinuing steady.
The survey, the ninth semi-annual
survey of the real estate market to be
made by the association, is based on
reports from S04 of it's member boards.
While the situation in the real estate
market for the country as a whole
did not show great change, 29 per cent
of the boards participating in the sur
vey reporting the market more active
this year than last, 81 per cent the
same and 40 per cent less active, as
against AZ per cent, 81 per cent and 81
per cent, respectively, for last year,
in some sections of the country marked
changes have occurred. The Central
Eastern section, for example. and the
canadian cities showed decidedly in
creased activity over q year ago. In
the former section 4S per cent report
the market the same and "a per cent
hat 6{oy
real estate boards, SO per cent report
the market more active than last year.
Greatest Activity Slump.
The North Atlantic and Southeast
ern sections reported the greatest les
sening Of activity, go per cent of those
reporting from the former section in
dicating less active market than the
previous year, and II per cent from
the latter section so reporting. Other
sections of the country showed less
drastic changes.
Classified according to size of cities
those with population OF from 100, 900
to 200. 900 showed the greatest increase
in activity. 80 per cent this year re-
porting a more active market, as
against 10 per cent so reporting in this
class last year.
AS to selling prices. 4S per cent of
all boards reporting state selling prices
this year to be the same as last, "a
per cent higher and but 2S per cent
lower. In some sections of the coun-
try the percentage reporting prices
to be higher than year ago is large.
Outstanding examples are the South
Central section, where AZ per cent of
the reports show selling prizes higher
the Pacific c'ates, so per cent showing
higher priceS and Canada with 43 per
cent so Indicating.
Response of market activity to va
x1ations NJ price level is Indicated in
the survey findings.
According TO size of cities, the
group showing the largest percentage
Of those reporting prices to be higher
was that Of over 100000 population,
where the percentage so reporting
was so per cent, while 81 per cent
ef this same group reported the mar
ket less active. In contrast to this,
the group showing the largest per-
centage of those reporting prices to
be lower is that between 100 000 and
100000 population, 80 per cent Of this
group reporting this condition, while
this group was the one showing
greatest gain in market activity.
The subdivision market is reported
to be on the same level of activity
rs was the case last year in 38 per
cent of the cities which the reports
cover. Forty per cent of the reports
made state this phase of the market
TO be less active. Twenty per cent
state that 1t is more active than last
year. Two per cent report that it Is
much more active than last year.
The most active subdivision market
ts reported by the Pacific States sec.
tion, where Is per cent of those re-
porting indicate activity this year to
be the same as last and 80 per cent
more active. With the exception of
the Southeastern section, other Sec
tfons Of the country show about the