The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1938-08-18
See Demand For New
Homes In Sank Centre
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Homes In Sauk centre
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Centre is attracting large number
of persons into the city on a perm
anent plan, but rather the floaters
farmers who have sold out ant
those seeking WPA working rolls
are creating the overwhelming de
mand for homes. True it Is tina
these low income bracket people art
not alone in seeking homes, but
they seem to comprise the bulk Of
the demand.
Residential building in Sank Cen.
tire, even in the years when 1t knew
its greatest growth, has not been
sufficient. Although up to this point
the supply has been out pacing the
demand, presumably not enough
building has been done.
Here are the facts:
In 1888 one new home is now I'M
der construction.
In the past three years 4 homes
have been erected.
No more than 10 residences have
been added in the last five years.
In u years not over 40 homes
have been built.
"a new homes were built in this
city in the past 46 years.
Some Of these out of the total or
"a have gone the way of obsolete
ness, disappeared from the avail
able market. Others remodeled.
and divided, have been made mt to
meet newer needs of families today
A growing repugnance against
renting homes is characterizing a
trend among families whose bust
ness seems permanently established
here. Their buying of homes they
have rented removes such homes
permanently from the rental mar
ket.
Rural property owners, quitting
the farms, moving into the city have
further depleted the ranks Of avail
able residences.
Real estate dealers point out that
the condition of the average house
offered for rent in Sank Centre to-
day is outdated, is not, in the strict
sense, a completely modern home.
Renters complain houses are not
suitable.
Just what type of home does the
Mr.. and Mrs. Average family OF
Sank Centre want? First, it is as
sumed the house must be adequate
to house a family of four people.
On the basis of rentals today, 1t
must rent at about Is dollars. It
must be modern in the usual re-
spects.
Strangely enough despite the
higher demands for houses, the av-
erage rent is definitely lower today
than it was five years ago.
Top rental in this city has never
exceeded As dollars month; today
the absolute top, with the probable
exception of a few minor cases, is
IS. The average is Is. For every
house that rents at 80 or 35 there
are several at 10 or Is. Rents range
down as low as 5 dollars monthly.
For an all-modern house, as the
term is applied here, the average
rent is probably from 20 to % a
month.
The reason crisply reviewed is
that the floaters, WPA laborers, and
other low income brackets comprise
a large part of this housing de-
mand, tend to seek lower rental
homes because of lower incomes
bear the entire rental scale down
ward.
A similar condition exists in real
estate trends. 1t is estimated that
the average piece of home property
in this city would bring on markets
today about $500 to 5000 dollars
There are any number that can be
had from 1000 to 1900 dollars, bear
ing the average scale downward
There again the lower income group
tends to dull real estate movements
bears down prices. Yet for lots
without buildings, prices are con-
versely higher in proportion.
Indicative of the fact there Is a
percentage of families whose in
comes are lower than average is the
condition that there are an estimat.
ed sixty families who pay no per-
sonal property tax in this city.
The reason for the tagging build
ing trend in residences Is found In
that it simply doesn't pay. If hous-
es could be built on a plan such as
those twenty years ago, it Is point
ed out 1t could be done cheaper.
But that type Of new home won't
rent. Yet to build houses that cost
more, because of lower rentals and
climbing real estate taxes, Is un-
profitable.
Builders estimate that under
present arrangements an invest
ment in home building does not
yield 3 percent yearly.
Those who do wish to build are
confronted with the contingency of
having to borrow money through
government or private financial
agencies.
Because Of mounting tax bills,
that penalties for owning property,
some residences are falling into dis
repair. To repair, they argue, is
money out of their pockets, Is not
earned from the house itself.
Yet Sank Centre, situated central
ly on a number of highways, should
be attracting such groups as travel
ing men. Many now reside here.
Others would If homes of the type
they want were available. The need
seems to be for more Of the aver
age type home, more strictly mod