Evening star., 1928-12-01
HOUSE SHOULD FIT
SITE, REALTORS SAY
Home Should Suit Neigh
borhood to Get Full Worth,
Survey Shows.

Houses should At the neighborhoods in
which they are built if maximum values
are to be secured from residential real
estate sites, says the National ASSocia-
ton of Real Estate Boards in the fifth
of series of articles on what makes
urban land values. The home builder,
it is held, would do we'll to look over
the other homes in the neighborhood in
which he is. contemplating construction
and see that his home conforms to the
general cost level of the other Struc-
lures If he wishes to make the best use
Of his land.
In determining what is called the
~higheSt and best use" for commercial
property, consideration Is given to the
kind of structure that will produce the
largest income In general this rule
holds true for residential property also,
but in the case of dwelling this income
is figured in terms of satisfaction and
enjoyment and not in money, unless or
until the home owner thinks about re-
selling. the association states.
Maximum values are created for
real estate when It is put to the high
est and best use, but an expensive house
is not always for the highest and best
use of home Site A very good brick
house surrounded by inexpensive frame
houses may be thing of Joy to its
owner, but If probable rental or resale
value is consideration, such an owner
should remember that the real estate
appraiser has a cold eye and because
of the character of its neighbors, will
compute the value of the brick house on
the basis of frame construction rather
than brick.
Value Depends on Site.
"The market value of dwellings will
tend to correspond to their original cost
only when they are well suited to their
sites and to the neighborhood; so the
expensive brick house described above
would lose considerable value because
it was surrounded by inexpensive frame
dwellings.
Restrictions providing that houses
in certain areas must reach certain
cost level or even be of architectural
design harmonious with its neighborS
now control many residential sections
throughout the country; but there are
many places where no such restrictions
exist, where the entire matter is up to
the home builder.
Land is said to be developed to its
highest and best use when the Nstruc-
ture on it produces larger return than
any other type Of building would pro-
duce, but It should be noted that this
return must have a reasonable per-
siStance. In other words, in the case of
a homesite the owner should assure
himself that the house he Is building
on 1t will return the satisfaction and en-
joyment described above for long
period Of time.
Factories Cut Value.
Land that is developed today with
. home of exactly the right type may
fan in the path of city's industrial
progress and, as this encroachment
closes around 1t, its value as a homesite
decreases. At the same time, with the
change In the character of the neigh
borhood, the amount of satisfaction and
enjoyment secured from the home Is de-
creased until perhaps the location be-
comes unbearable, when all satisfaction
and enjoyment disappears.
''The loss of value in such property
IS a homeSite may be Offset eventually
by an increase in value for an indus
trial or commercial site, but this rise
in value does not usually come about
at once.
1T Is highly important that the home
builder ascertain that the section in
which he is contemplating constrHc-
tion vill continue as home section
20 that he may not only put his prop
eTty to the highest and best use as
residential site. but count on 1t persisting
IN this use for many years to come. He
should. of course, inquire whether the
district IS protected my zoning laws
or building ordinances that bar the con-
stTuction Of commercial buildings, but
he should remember that zoning laws
can be and are amended If it can be
shown that commerce or business Is
making juStifiable demands on q dis
fTict."