Henderson daily dispatch., 1937-04-09

except for a brief period in 1920, build
ing costs are already the highest in
history. A house which cost $4,000 in
1929 and $1,000 in 1882 had gone back
to $4,000 last April and costs $500
today.
Industry Shows Some craftsmanship.
The tremendous improvement in
new home designs and equipment is
another impetus. wonder If building
supply makers are trying to follow
the example of the motor manufac-
turers by dating" houses through
means of constantly more attractive
home gadgets? At any rate, the bet
ter-class modern home is the most at
tractive and convenient house built
in any age or in any civilization. The
change in our living habits is another
powerful influence. The migration
from city to suburb is gathering mo-
mentum. The motor-car and the SUI
per-highway have brought touch of
the country and it's low tax rate with
in the reach of the city office build
ing. Finally, there is the ease of fin
ancing a new home under the govern
ment installment-mortgag plan.
So combine shortage of houses, a
demand for homes, and bigger pocket
books and the result is the beginning
of a building boom. Construction adds
to activity in twenty-six separate in
dustries and is, therefore, powerful
influence on all business. Latest fig
ures show BODYBUILDING IS per cent
above last spring and 600 per cent
above the depression low. 1t is essen
tial, however, that we do not let the
abuses, which contributed to the kill
ing of the last boom, destroy this one
prematurely Hence, l want to give
the various groups connected with the
industry a word of warning:
Cd City and Town Officials. Watch
out for the cheap speculative devel-
oper He's the biggest enemy of sound
expansion If you cannot control him
through your planning board or thro-
ugh minimum lOt-siZe" ordinances,
be severe with your inspections. Make
him put up well-built house. If you
want to help your tax-collector ten
years from now, do your job we'll to-
day.
GU Contractors and Developers
Recall the dark days Of 1882 to 1884
Do not contribute to the depth and
length of the next depression by build
ing poorly-constructe poOrly-deSign-
ed houses today simply because you
can sell them. Plan your development
along what you know are sound lines.
Buy your plans from architects. Tell
your customers who want bargain
built homes that a cheap house is
never cheap at any price.
90 Banks and Building Loaners.
Think back to the frozen real estate
market of only three years ago. You
know that the houses that caused you
the most grief were those that were
slapped-together on a shoestring. You
can avoid similar disaster by refusing
to loan your money to reckless build
erS.
az Real Estate Men. Your reputa-
ton is your only real asset-protect
it at all costs. Your commission is
paid by the builder but actually it
comes from your customer. Guard
your customers against spectators.
They are the real building-wreckers.
90 Building Mechanics. Your pay
envelope represents about so per cent
of the price of a finished home. You
are entitled to a good wage just as
everybody else. But somply because
there is a shortage of building trades
men at the moment, do not demand
such high pay that you will cook your
goose.
co. Prospective Home-Owners. If
you are going to buy or build, do not
delay. Costs of materials, labor and
| land are rising and will continue to
rise. But select carefully. A home is
an investment, so consider first sal
ability and rentability. Do not buy
an unusual home, because it's the
| fad of the moment Freaks belong in
circuses and not residential zones.
Put your money into babies and milk
rather than "game-rooms" and liquor.
Cd Bond and Stock Investors. With
high-grade bonds yielding less than
1-2 per cent, sound real-estate mort
cages at 1-2 to IL per cent may
be goo investments. Further earnings
| gains and stock-price advances are
| limited in many industries. Because
building, however, is still at only So
per cent of capacity further profit
J expansion is probably ahead.
Conclusion.
Human nature does not change a
| great deal Hence, / would not expect
| this coming boom to be much diff
| ferent from those which have pre-
| coded it except for education. Only
| through religion and education do we
bring about real reforms. Despite the
lessons we have had since 1929 and