Evening star., 1927-02-26

same relative activity as does The
| country as a whole.
! Residential rents show very little
change voer those Of a year ago, an(
practically none over those of June
1926, according to the survey of the
| real estate market situation of the
United States and Canada. OF the
| 304 cities whose rent situation was
| reported on by their local real estate
| boards, 66 per cent are stated to have
a stationary rental situation. Elever
per cent of the reports give rents as
higher, and 2S per cent state them
| to be lower.
Rents for centrally located business
! and Office space show greater stabili
zation that was indicated in the asso
cations similar survey of six months
ago. OF those reporting in the pres
ent survey So per cent state rentals
for central business property to be
on a level with those of last year
For central office rents 73 per cent
of the reports show such a continu
. ance of level.
AS to such rents in outlying dis
tricts, 63 per cent of the reports
| made state that business rents are
| at the same rate as last year. Sew.
enty-flve per cent of the reports state
that office rents continue at last
years rate.
The steady difninution of the build.
ing shortage, which has been going
on in the past few years, is showing
a slight retardation, according to
the survey. The survey studied the
degree Of existing underbuilding or
overbuilding in three types of struc-
tures-single family dwellings,, apart.
ment buildings and business build
ings.
For each of the types studied the
number of cities reporting a shortage
shows an increase over the number
shown in a similar survey made by
the association six months ago. AS
compared with the situation shown
by the survey of year ago, how
ever, the shortage Is indicated as
having further decreased.
Family Dwelling Shortage.
OF the 3O4 communities reporting,
shortage is shown for single family
dwellings in 20 per cent the re-
ports, for apartments In SO per cent.
and for business buildings in 19 per
cent. as compared with II per cent,
15 per cent and II per cent respec-
lively for June Of 1926.
The largest shortage of single
family dwellings exists in the Pacific
States section, where the percentage
reporting this condition is A. OF
apartments, the southeastern and
south central sections show the larg-
est shortage, the percentages being
As per cent for the former and "a
per cent for the latter. The south
central section also shows the great.
est shortage in business buildings, 25
per cent Of the reports indicating
such shortage. Fifty-six per cent
of the district boards reporting show
shortage Of single family dwellings.
The greatest need for apartments as
well as for business buildings exists
In the cities Of under $4,000 popula-
ton. None Of the cities reporting of
over 100000 population shows any
shortage of apartments or business
buildings, while but SO per cent re-
port shortage of single.family
dwellings.
The money supply for real estate
investment is generally ample
throughout the United States and
Canada, according to reports made
to the National Association Of Real
Estate Boards by 304 of its member
boards in the survey
OF the real estate boards reporting
AZ per cent indicate that In their
communities capital is seeking loans.
Thirty-three per cent report eQuilib.
rum between supply of capital and
demand for loans. Twenty per cent
state that desirable loans are avail.
able In excess of the supply of capital.
OF the 304 communities rs per cent
report interest rates steady; per
cent. rising; 10 per cent, falling. AID.
parently no sharp increase of inter
est rates Is anticipated, since 73 per
cent Of these communities report
that no change is expected, and of
the ~ per cent reporting an expected
change, a good proportion state this
change to be an easing Of the situ.