Evening star., 1946-12-28
46Home0utpui
Put at $500
In D. {. Area
Builders Expect
Production Will
Mount Next Year
By Robert J. Lewis
Reol Estofe Editor Of The Stor

By Robert J. Lewis
Reel Estofe Editor Of The star
District area builders worked on
about $4,000 dwellings, during the
year now ending, to fill the unprec-
edented postwar demand. About
$500 were completed.
That was revealed today by a
Federal official, whose preliminary
estimates are based on the as-yet-
unannounced results of a survey
being made by the Bureau of Labor
Statistics for the National Housing
Agency. !
The estimate came as District
builders were predicting increased
production next year that would
take the worst sting out of the hous-
ing shortage
OF the $4,000 units on which build
ers worked during this year, some
were unfinished carryovers from last
year and the rest were new units
started this year.
About 5000 Carryovers.
The carryovers from 1945 were es-
timated to total 5000 units. The
new units started this year were
estimated at 1000.
This years $500 competitions rep
resent the 5000 carried over from
last year, plus about $500 of this
years new starts. That means that
builders are still working on about
$500 of this years new starts, try
ing to hurry them to completion.
About three-fourths of the units Sin
work" during the year were for sale,
and the remainder for rental.
The area covered by the survey,
besides the District, includes Prince
Georges and Montgomery Counties,
in Maryland, and Alexandria City,
and Arlington and Fairfax Counties,
in Virginia.
Taking stock at the end of hec-
tic reconversion year, builders were
pleased at the showing they made
under adverse conditions.
They had to contend with Gov
ernment regulations they didn't like,
with high costs. with materials
shortages, with disorganized produc-
ton. Looking back, there is scarcely
one who won't remember 1916 as a
nightmare building year.
Believe Worst is Over.
Looking ahead, they believe the
worst is over.
Charles H. Hillegeist, president
of the Washington Real Estate
Board, said today he expects great
strides will be made in the coming
year towards overcoming the lack
of housing" and that 1947 will be
"one of the greatest years in real
estate"
In statement, he said he ex-
pected that the asking prices of
existing houses would decrease as
owners meet new-house prices. In
addition, he said he believed there !
would be good deal of heavy |
construction, including large apart
>ment projects and tremendous
demand for properly located build
ing lots
Edward r. Carr, president of the
Home Builders Association of Met
ropolitan Washington, forsees a.
large increase in the number of
dwellings next year.
Sees Outlook Brighter.
IT believe production of living
units will be up from 25 to SO
per cent over this year" he said.
He added he believed production of
homes would be limited only by the
capacity to provide public utilities
and water
THE materials situation is much
better and everywhere the outlook
is considerably brighter" he con-
tinued. Some materials are higher
priced than we thought they'd be
with price controls off, but we've
already noticed some decrease in
the high and foolish prices of GER
tain materials, and I believe that
increased production will adjust all
prices and bring them into line"
He said the tendency will be for
materials prices to revel off" but
that he didn't expect any sharp
reduction in neW-home prices.
Foolish prices" now being asked
for existing homes will find lower
level in proper relation to reproduc-
ton costs, he said.
AS for rental housing, Mr.. Carr
predicted there would be sufficient
amount to take the edge off the
terrific demand"
Rush Forecasts Record.
II believe that a large percentage
Of people needing places to live
will be able to find satisfactory
quarters by the end of 1947 and
that we'll have steady sales mar
ket for number of years." he said.
Charles J. Rush, secretary of the
Washington Real Estate Board, said
relaxation of controls improves the
building outlook considerably" and
that he expects builders will be able
to "go to town" this year.
Under the new regulations, the
industry will be able to build more
(See LEWIS, Page B-3)