Evening Star Newspaper, December 22, 1923, Page 15

REAL -ESTATE. CATHEDRALRASES PROPERTY VALUES Influence on Real Estate Cited by Harry K. Boss. Fund Aid Advised. The influence that the proposed Natfonal Cathedral at Mount St Alban wiil have on real estate values in Washington' was pointed out in a statement made today by Harry K. Boss of Boss & Phelps, former p ident of the Washington Real ard. ew real estate owners in Wash- id Mr. Boss today, “realize the extraordinary influence on real estate values in Washington of the building of a great cathedral like that which is rising above Washing- ton at Mount St. Alban. Considera- tion of the increased value of all real estate In this sectlon resulting from the building of this cathedral must remind us of the great economic prin- ciples involved, “Most of the realtors, who are worthy of that name, have given carnest consideration to the question of unearned increment Involved in thelr operations in Washington. Mafy investors are quick to buy up real estate in the neighborhood of a mon- umental building because they know that the presence of such a building nsures their property inst depre- ation and usually guarantees its rise in value. The home owner may likewise protect himself by cousi eration of theso un values, All Washingt “This procedure is mate,. it indicates wisdom ment on the part of the man who considers them. All owners of any real estate in Washington will benefit eventually from the erecti in Washington of National Cathe- dral. The sooner the cathedral s built, the sooner they will r this benefit. I do not feel, however, that an investor is justified in ar- rogating to himself a!l the profit that 1 accrue to him without consid- ering in the least the fact owes part of this profit t ence of a great rellglous t In a sense, such a man is taking from ;0d and glving nothing. As Bishop Freeman has said, ‘We must expect great_things from God, but we must also do great thin r God.' There is an element of * and take' in- volved in the building of this beauti- ful structure that all of us must con- sider. “It is not nece conviction unearned increm ues, belongs and not to the tate th discuss the ers that all all rise in real to’ the community, individual, so that the municipality might use this § ment for the ben of the com- munity. Yet we know it is ethically just to expect that some of the Which accrue to individual cipally the unearned in. be allocated to the public good. this is not done voluntarily it is done ompulsion. We need to Insure urselves against extreme forms of compulsion. More than that, we need to insure our future clvilization by proper recognition of the need in Washington of a great witness to God. Other Reawons Cited. “Of course, there are many other reasons why Washington should rally to support this cathedral. These re: sons are summarized to some extent in_the charter granted by Congress, indicating that the cathedral is bui for the promotion of religion, educa tion and charity. Other phases of the problem have been expounded by others, but T belleve it fs the responsi- Bility ‘of the representative of the real estate interests of the city to present frankly these phases of the situation “Every property owner in the city of Washington, regardless of personal religlous affliations, should welcome the speedy completion in the Natlonal Capital of a building of such com- manding architecture as the National Cathedral of SS. Peter and Paul, now erecting on Mount St.=Alban. Not alone because it symbolizes the fun- damextal principles upon which rests the perpetuity of the government, but because it will add another wonderful ifice to thosc that are fast making rington the rival of the world in structural grandeur; an Influence which exerts a most stabillzing ef- fect upon all real values, private as well as public, no matter in what sec- tio nof the city they are located.” ., ——,—, INSURANCE RATES IGNORE | FIRE-STOPPING SYSTEM| Companies Do Not Recognize Meth- ods Used in Reduction i of Rates. Fire-stopping in frame houses con- sists of blocks of wood nailed across he studs and joist spaces. A more complete installation is one in which an incombustible material, such as brick or plaster in metal lath baskets, is placed about these blocks, es pecially at the floor levels. Ingom bustiblo material also is placed be- tween the chimney stacks and the framing members of the floors and walls. Insurance companies do not regu- larly recognize fire stopping so far as decreasing the insurance rates are concerned —— The young lady next door, but one, says she does not believe all poli- ticians are hard-bolled eggs, because If that =were so they’d_hold their al conventions at Easter. More than 38 per cent of the people living in the Unitod States arc now protected in the purchase and sale of real estate by state supervision, according to a survey of the oper- ation of real cstate license laws now being made by the National Associ- ation of Real Estate Boards, from reports given by real estate com- missioners. The higher the requirements made for applicants for a real estate deal- er's license the more satisfactory the operation of the license system, the association’s Investigation finds. The report predicts a gradual rise in re- quirements and with that a gain in the general attitude of the publie toward the real estate business, In a number of states commis- | sions ‘report that the public would now support a stiffenfug of license requirements. Menace of Swindlers. he unscrupulous dealer in the real estate fleld is as great a menace to soclety, works as great hardship upon its members and destroys as much”accumulated wealth as the de- faulting banker,” the report states, In expressing the demand within the real estute business itself for tha operation of state licensing systems ith teeth.” “The real estate busi- |tlon from the ignominity of un- scrupulous dealers as the business of | banking is from swindling operations by the unreliable bond broker. Partial statistics Indicating the ex- tent and working of the license sy tem to inquire into the responsibility of dealers undertaking to offer real cstate Investment are summarized as [ follows: s having passed real estate li- cense laws represent a total popu- lation of 40,000,000. Licensed brokers number and licensed real estate 42,2 in_ the twelve ata is obtalnable. Complaints filed before real 62.407 salesmen states where TILE EXAMINATION GAINS INPORTANCE Y. M. C. A. Realty Class Told Effects of Population on Land Transfers. Title examination in connection with the transfer and ownership of land developed with the increase in population and the growth of other | cconomic factors, according to James . Becker, local title official, in dis- {cussing the subject before the real estate class at the Y. M. C. A. this wee In the early history of the nation purchasers of real cstate were sat- ‘L ed to sim accept a deed, as in | most ev case the owner occupled the land and was known and recog- nized as the bona fide owner. How- 1ever, as land values increased and as ; evidences of e multiplied, pur- chasers required more formal assur- anee of title security. From this sit- uation the modern title company wa evolved. An examination of title as conduct- ed by a title company simply deter- mines the status of the owner's title at a given time. In addition to the verification of the abstract or chain of instruments through which titl passes from one owner to another, special items such as equity actlons, probate court causes, taxes, etc., are 8lso examined as they may directly affect legal ownership. Knowledge of Law Needed. knowledge of the law In this connec tion fs necessary, {t was polnted out by Mr. Becker, to insure accurate compliance with all legal ments when preparing such ments. As a general law, the transfer and title to real estate the law prevailing in the place where the real estate is situated. In the preparation of deeds, Mr. Becker stated, it is essential to know that the grantor possesses the right to sell and convey, and that the phraseology of the deed be such as would actually convey to the grantoe Accurate descriptions of the property | convered must be incorporated in the deed and all requirements as to sig- natures and acknowledgments must be complied with. Sometimes an ap- parent slight oversight in failure to comply with some of the technical re- docu- acquisition of { quirement has @ rather serious effect on the title which may subsequently involve considerable time and ex- pense to clear up. The subject of taxation will be dis- cussed before the class at its mext meeting by B. F. Adams, local realtor. CRACKING OF STUCCO DUE TO SETTLING OF WALLS| Repairs Should Be Made Afte Movement Ceases and Thin Coat of New Material Applied. Cracking of stucco generally is caused by settlement of the walls of the house or some movement within them, due to improper foundations or improper framing of the superstruc- ture. Hair cracks may be caused in-Port- proposition of | is governed by | Licensing of Real Estate Men | Shows Gains in Popularityl is as much entitled to protec- | estate : | The preparation of deeds and mort- | Properly built, cracking is probably gages Is vital in considering the ques- ; due to shifting of the walls. tion of title to land and a thorough | isure to show {sound, wait until the process of = require- | cracks afterward, puttting on a thin - IHE--EVENING STAR, WASHINGTON, commissioners numbered 10,000 in the twelve states where records of this matter were kept. All these were Investigated and adjusted under su- | pervision of a dlsinterested repre- sentative of the state: Settlements effected through real estate commissions in nine states keeping such records have resulted in refunds of over $300,000. In ad- ditlon, Caltfornia, which, keeps no actual totals, reports that several hundred thousand dollars have been refunded, and states Keeping 1o rec- ords would probably show simi average amounts. Laws Self-Sustaining. Real -estate license laws, Wwithout exception, have been self-sustaining. In addition, in seven states they hav turned into the gemeral state treas- ury funds totaling $62,000. Howev in’ some states commissioners have found themselves seriously handicap- ped by being limited to a definite amount of expenditures, instead of being allowed to operate their de- Ppartment on its own returns. When there has been criticism of the law it has arisen from the fact that commissioners were unable to administer it properly because of lack of funds, Real estate commissioners in twelve stales report that the people of the state as & whole are interested in the law and its enforcement. In stance rellable real estate d. port that the business has receive wider recognition as a result of the passage of the,law. ° Fifteen states and one Canadia province have so far set up chinery designed to put licens guards on real estate dealing. Th sixteenth state, Oklahoma, has a li- cense law to become effective Janu- ary 1. The Florida law has been in | operation only since September 30 and results in that state have not been included in the general sum- maries, Indiana, Kansas, Texas and Ala- | bama are among the states where active movement among real estats men is now being organized to s cure the passage of real estate li- cense law Bankers Behind Move to Promote Buying of Homes The Investment Bankers' Asso- ciation of America has lined up behind a movement to promote home buying and home building, The financiers have as their im- mediate objective the conserva- tion of the savings of small wage carners and the ultimate invest- ment of such savings in homes and other property or in securi- ties of inherent soundness. Leaders of the assoclation are practically unanimous in the view that the banking and business fra- ternity must begin making war on the fake stock promoters. If the worthless stock salesmen are curbed they assert, nearly §1,000,- 000,000 will be saved to the people for'investment in homes or other Judicious wavs. John A. Prescott, direct superv FORMER 1. W. W. MEMBE AND WIFE HELD IN FRAUD Three Arrests in Chicago in Con- nection With Counterfeiting $100,000 Pay Checks. By the Associnted P CHICAGO, Decembar 22 ——Ja. Donald, once an W. W. member, with his wife and another mun we seized by the police ter nection with the operations which is said to have printed coun feit checks porting to ha ed by the Pennsylvania rail- asso- clation, reflected the view of fellow members when he said “Our best citizenship rests upon home ownership. Investment bank- ers are looking to the future. We want to see the habit of thrift more universally observed.” The bankers, with a ke. on the financial pulse, advise prospective to go out and bulld or buy. The give a world of €aution” against delay in home investment because of the possible expectation of price decline. On the Potomac River Wonderful summer home ; 20 miles from Wash- ington over fairly good roads: improvements, I¢ room house with bath: sit- uated on an eminence ove looking the river and sur rounding country; about half-mile river frontage; 200 -acres; 60 acres good river-bottom land, balance timber: excellent duck, quail and rabbit shooting; guage generaily home ow. land cement structure by using too rich a mixture, Cracks may be csused by the use of an unsound stucco material. If the house is im- Any patching of cracks will be It the stucco itself is tlement is finished and mend thae | coat of stucco to cover the iwhole good fishing. house . SR $20,000 ST Tty Thomas J. Fisher y & Co., Inc. We have a number 738 15th St. N.W. of very attractive Main 6830 houses and apartments BUSINESS BUILDING COMPLETED .C.’, 90 “ady ATURDPAY, DECEMBER 1923, WINTER BUILDING DECLARED CHEAPER D. Costs Found to Be Pared Be- cause of Dullness of Season. There are hundreds of houses built in the spring and summer to one that goes up in the winter. Yet it is oftén possible to build-for less in | winter than during the summier butld- Ing season. The Architects' Small House Service Bureau tells of a man who saved between $1,000 aud $1,600 by building in winter when the s sonal rush was over. The origial intention was to have tho house started in the spring-and rush the waqrk 5o as to be finished by early summer. - In tho previous fall the owner had an offer of a saving of $400 on mill work if he would ac- cept delivery of material in Decem- ber, and a lumber company was wil- ling to take $200 off the price. of rough lumber if it could be delivered in winter. While this was a flat sav- ing of §600, even greater saving was due ot the fact that carpenters, ma- sons, plasterers and painters were willing to shave their prices for win- | ter worlk. The footings and foundations were put in about the first of November, S0 they were ir place befors frost and the framing was rushed, as it was necessary to get the house shut in be- fore the bitter cold beg: torm windows were nalled on as soon as Wossible to make all snug inside. The heating plant was put in while the frame work was going up, and heat started as soon as it was time to begin plastering, and the house warmed for inside work. It took four tons of soft coal to keep the house warm, but that was more than | offset by the saving in labor. No difficulty was experienced in getting workmen, and the average pay ran about 35 cents less an hour than symmer prices. During the slack on workmen hunt up jobs. Here are some of the other ftems on which savings were made: There | was a bid on the plastering, for sum- | mer, for but it was done in win- ter for £170, and the labor saving on lathing for three floors and basement ceiling amounted to $34. It must.be understood, however, | that there was no effort to rush the | winter building. The owner 1\‘\'3.! o = of $100,000 and | convinced by his personal experience oA Ahe mount of $100:000 and to| {1t the man who is willing to pro- | ha as nany v ceed slowly, to watch markets, ma- Besides McDonald, whoxe wife is|terials and labop, and who wiil let his said t been involved with him | workmen take their own time, can LW trikes and troubles dur- | certainly make a worth-while saving ing the . Thon Murphy was | by buflding in winter. rrest the McDon n their fla de of the G ———. nd forged Catt says she has done her have bee in_helping women and will now th C uther points | devote her time to educating men. I Back to first principles. at 730 17th strect northwest, erected | usiness. It was constructed under the | terfe to Only 2 Left Inspect at Once Jameson-Built Homes When you inspect the many features in these homes at 1010 to 1016 C St. SE. SAMPLE HOUSE 1014 C St. S.E. —you are convinced you hi seen nothing to compare with these at the price asked. Only two squares from beau- tiful Lincoln Park. Six large rooms, tile bath, hot-water heat, electric lights, cement front porch, kitchen porch, large sleeping porch, beautiful living room and din- D. J. Dunigan in jSutherland of Alaska, in the District REAL ESTATE. FOUR NEW DUNIGAN [COUPLE FOUND GUILTY ~ HOUSES ARE SOLD| OF SLAYING GUEST New - Homes Are Located in Co- Verdict Returned lumbia Park Against Vetters Petworth., Storey Death. ntly completed by | By the Ass: lumbia Pork and | gy Petworth were sold. during the t | vetter und. his wife Mari week. 5 3 wera found gullty of first dogfes In Columbla Park, 720 Ingraham |panglaughter for tho killing of street was gold to Lrwin H, Schuler, | 1jors thr 1 e = £ and 738 Ingraham street to Walter 1. ( ‘\,l"“ w;"";“ rey, & former suitor o g g rth, 4331 34 street was | NS Vetter screamsd and collapsed sold to Ruppert. Ros ang Max|| wion theuveraint vas snuouncet ol Kamber purchased 231 Upshur street, | Lo atd PUt bis arms around he a large store with a four-room apart- | P2 © ment abov g WOULD ENJOIN PERMITS. | Delegate - Files Against Hoover. filad Manslaughter and in Four houses res ated Press, YORK, December Srne vestorday Ity that may pe etters for first de~ ghter is twenty years y was a former friend of Mrs. ' prosec roomer and Vetter befora on in Alaskan Suit | last and was t death by the hust . wrapped into Jam. Suit has been by Delegate of Columbia Supreme Court to enjoin Secretary Hoover from issuing per- mits for fishing rights in Alaskan waters, Mr. Sutherland and Senator King, democrat, Utah, have, introduced resc lutions asking for a congressional in- | vestigation of the admi ‘Alaskan fishing v of the Dppartment Phrough TRists the inereased 5,000, under control mmerce. T 2 N. Cleveland Park SEMI-DETACHED BRICK AND HOLLOW TILE HOUSES $13,500 $15,250 Seven rooms, bath and extra lavator places; built-in fixtures. They are charming homes beautiful subdivisio: It will pay vou to see them." Open Daily and Sunday, 9 A.M.-6 PM To Inspect: ] ‘Take Wisconsin Avenue Car which passes property at Veazey Street, or drive out Massachusetts Avenue to Wisconsin Avenue, then north to Veazey Street. WM. S. PHILLIPS Realtor—Builder Main 4600 15th St. at K St. N.\W. 2272 2 P A I LA TR, open R B R e, 1728 Eye Street N.W. Very excellent 4-story building, adaptable for remodeling; 17 rooms, 3 baths; electricity; lot 20 ft. front; 1,920 sq. ft.; alley; in- spection by appointment. $36,000 Thomas J. Fisher ing room. ki‘chen with one: piece sink, bu...-in ice box and many other extra features. Built-In Garages Sold on Easy Terms Thos. A. Jameson Co. 906 New York Avenue for rent. Consult our lists. McKeever & Goss M. 4752 1415 Eye St. N.W. And Be Open for Inspection Sunday FROM 10 AM. TO 8 P. M. 4029 Connecticut Ave. N.W. Beautiful semi-detached brick home containing 6 fooms and bath, glassed- in breakfast porch, double’ sleeping poreh. xcellent condition. Won- derful features, such as tinted walis, boiltn garage, side windows, open fireplace. etc. This is @ real bargain. Price, $13,500. On easy terms. William S. Phillips Realt 1th & KBts. o Phone Main 4600 A Home for You 1160 Fourth St. N.E. Open Sunday and Every Day What better Christmas present than a New Home? In this group o of which more than 30 have been sold, the builder has succebded in giving those spe- cial features that tend to make a house a real “Home,” without sacrificing any of the substantial qualities of construction. - Housekeeping cares are reduced to a minimum in-these homes. Thé House itself is of brick construction on a concrete foundation. - It contains six rooms, one bath, three porches, built-in garage; hardwood floors throughout. The Kitchen is specially planned and equipped to reduce work, some of the special f new Hames, 6 -large, spacious usual features. porches. features being a pantry and built-in ironing board. Our representatives at the sam- ple house, 1160 4th St. N. 1415 Eye St. N Realtors E., will be glad to show you the other unusual features. The terms of only $1,000 cash and the balance like rent are appealing to-buyers. = ......;Mcxnevsn-acss Trvim HU 913 15th Street Sample House, 1427 Varnum St. N.W. attic over entire house, oak floors throughout, outside pantry and built-in ice box, white enamel kitchen: cabinet, built-in:ironing board and many other un- Large concrete front’ porch, double rear “porches, 2 sleeping Deep lot to wide alley. Open and Lighted for Your:Inspection Daily and Sunday Representative on - Premises To Inspect—Take 14th-Street Car to Varnum Street, or Motor Oqt 16th Street to Varnum A REAL CHRISTMAS PRESENT wn Your Own Home Independent of the Landlord See Our Beautiful New Houses Just off 16th Street ESCRIPTION rooms, tiled bath-and shower, etxra' shower in basement, RRIS CA Owners and Builders | N.W. FRITZ CC *| - & Co., Inc. 738 15th St. N.W. Main 6830 WOODLEY PARK HOME Beauty—Location—Construction Combined 799 28th Street N.W. Price, $14,500 rice, < We offer for your inspection.a most wonderful small house -in an unsurpassed neighborhood. Highest grade construction. - Six large rooms; <old colonial fireplace; most attractive dining room, with:French doors; light kitchen, with modern, up-to-date equipment; sleeping porch; breakfast porch; built-in bath fixtures of the high-= est grade; large yard; brick garage, with reinforced con- crete roof; light cellar; Arco heating system; instanta- neous heater. Everything most complete and up to date. ! OPEN FOR INSPECTION DAILY FROM 8 AM. TO 9 PM. 'Arnc_)ld‘ and Company 1416 Eye Street Main 2434 R L Ee AT A RS VRSP A AT B TR S R URLR Se SR § PR T ST