Evening star., 1954-09-18
Builders Report
Sales Exceed
S8Ni||ion
86 Houses Sold
By One Firm; Peak
Attendance Hit
By Robert J. Lewis
Reel Estats Editor Of The S,or

ny NVVGtt .. LSWtS
Reel Estats Editor Of The Ssor
The second big week end
for the Fall Festival Of Homes
began today, with builders
whose houses are listed in the
exhibition reporting sales Of
more than So million during
the first week of the Star-sup-
ported observance.
1--WE can only say the first
week was phenomenal" James
w. Pearson. executive vice
president of the Washington
Home Builders. Association,
said today.
"1t was by far the biggest,
in both attendance and sales.
of any event of this kind in
the history of the organized
construction industry here"
Persons who did not have an
opportunity to visit exhibition
houses last week end are in
vited to make the tours today.
tomorrow and each day until
the closing date, Sunday, Octo-
ber 3.
Total sales last Saturday.
Sunday and until last night
exceeded 500 houses, a conserv-
ative estimate based on a sur
vey of cooperating builders
showed, Frank Calcara. chair
man of the Fall Festival Of
Homes Committee of the
Washington Home Builders
Association, said today Total
attendance was estimated at
more than 100000 persons.
Sales Up Sharply.
The festival is being spon-
sored by the Association in CO.
operation with The Evening
Star.
Mr.. Calcara said sales dur
ing the first week of the home
festival were almost three
times greater than those re-
ported by builders in a corre-
spending period last year dur
ing National Home Week, when
a more limited exhibit Of
homes was undertaken.
This year, with The Stars
initiation of the Fall Festival
of Homes under sponsorship
of our association, the event
has taken on community wide
significance of interest to
every one" the executive vice
president of the builders or
ganization said.
$50 far as we know The
Star is the only newspaper in
the entire country to have ex-
tended cooperation to a home
builders association on a scale
that affords such a broad op-
portunity for an area wide
exhibition of ome-building
production" he added.
A total of approximately so
homes were placed on display
beginning Saturday, Septem-
ber II. The exhibition will
continue daily and Sunday,
from noon until dark, until
the closing date.
In addition, many project
builders had other homes in
the immediate area of the ex-
hibit houses that have been
thrown open for public inspec-
ton.
Exhibits Are Listed.
Exhibit houses were listed
in The Star last week-and
are listed again today on
Page CO. together with a map
showing their location and di-
rections to reach them.
These Official Exhibit
Homes were approved by a
Representative Homes Com
mittee named by the associa-
ton. 1t consisted of Leonard
G. Haeger, research expert for
the National Association Of
Home Builders: Thomas L.
Phillips, president of the
Washington Real Estate
Board. and Clyde J. Verkerke.
president of the Washington
Home Builders Association.
A spokesman for the build
ers' association said members
have made preparations for a
large turnout of visitors to ex-
h1bit homes again today and
tomorrow.
Interest in the festival
tours is so high that many
thousands of additional fam
lilies will be choosing houses
to visit again this week." a
spokesman for the builders
association said today.
Some will go on the inspec.
ton trips with a view of buy
ing. but many others will Just
want to make a comparison
between the exhibit houses,
and between what is available
now in contrast to a few years
ago."
Houses Sold Later.
Builders reported that a sur
prising number of houses were
sold during the weekdays after
the exhibition last Saturday
and Sunday.
We had a lot Of people come
back during the week after
having made their first visit
Saturday or Sunday, one
builder said.
They looked at our house.
made comparisons and then
came back to buy, he ex-
planned. The same thing un.
doubtedly occurred at other
Developments,
Largest number Of sales re.
Continued on Page C-3, Col. 81