Evening Star Newspaper, October 31, 1925, Page 17

REAL ESTATE. 1925 TO BE BUILDING PEAK, BANK REPORT INDICATES 4 Construction in 1926 to Reach Level Com-| mensurate With Conditions Normally Affecting the Business. will probably esent cycle of © .* says the Nation: of Commerce in New York. comstruction she tend level commensurate with the growth of the populatio be | s @ ued in the single year 1914, a figure ently much below either the level or the average of the years The employment of too low re reduces the estima hortage in later years. Dy of 1913 191014 a base value of permits | Unique Planned Home Designed For Shallow Lot May Be as a Bungalow or | Second Floor May Be | Finished OF—Effi- i ciency of Plan Not Drosperity of the countr: attained ought to be high enough to avold any serious depression in | the industry itself or reaction on gen- eral busines: Continuing in~the November issue of Commerce Month- 1y, the bhank “The influenc struction on will be The level | Trend of Building. As to this question, from an inde- i pendent study of the trend of con- struction from 1913 to 19: i denced by building nermits in 66 the bank concludes that ap “There remained in the United Sta at the end of 1924 billion dollars I such a figure is the roughest of es mates. Furtherm LAt s total for | the country and caanot be interprete: las meaning that requirements had not | anywhere been made up. Doubtless in | many citles and tcwns there was no N of bullding and con- zeneral busines second to none. s is so closely woven ato the whole industrial and shortage of over three Of e toward marked recession would adversely affect the general prosperity > are pecullar difficulities involved in any attempt to appraise the current situation as to demand for and supply of building space, but on the b of such as are available it appears that by the nd of the current year the short- ages accumulated during the war veriod will have heen on the average | &bout made up. Luxuries Distributed. cost of construction and ital are the most impor. at control the building Industry. Three principal factors in the demand which has resulted in the sustained program of the last four have heen an excess of Assuming that the balance continues it the rate of the | first nine months, however, the exce: of construction in over the nor mal level will elfminate most of the { shortage existing «t the end of 1924, “The eral rent index for the United States as a whole has been de- clining_moderately since September. 1924, A decline of renta wn evidence of the the housing shortage. However, care must be used in interpreting the trend of such an index, and in drawing from |its movement conclusions respecting | the future activity of construction be distinguished—the re- rents are dependent primari nts of normal growth, demand | conditions, there cre wide varlations ng from a highe standard of from city to city and from one sec- 10 the makinz-up of the war [tion of a city to another. Reports age. from individual citles indicate that alled normal demand is | where rents are declining it is usually that which results from the replace- |in one particular class of residence, ment of obsolete or destroyed facilittes | most frequently in the high-priced rom the natural growth of the class. A decline in one class reduces v and consequent expansion of uverage, but has comp: At the present time it is |little effect on the rents a | classes where high rents show that four billion doliars is required | further construction is mneeded im- annually to take care of this growth | peratively ju the United States Material Important. “One result of the war was a wider ution of the luxurles of life and | “As demand for building and con- raising of the standard |struction returns to normal, prices in the United States, so that | of building material and of wages will » *what satisfied people before the war |become increasingly important factors in determining the amount of new does not them now. In the field of re and in fact in all building to be undertaken. both direct- flelds of constructlon this desire has ly and because of thelr oceasioned an_extensive but immeas- | the availability of capit wrable demand for new construction. ' high enough to give sati - on investments ir. any line based on osts materially higher than the gen “The demand attributable to th ral price level is a reasonable ex- factors would not have caused the un-|pectation only when demand is ab- wonted activity witnessed in the last | normally high in relation to supply. , four years had there not been added | It seems a safe assumption that under the cumulative effect of wartime short- | existing conditions further increases age. Whether the vacuum created by | in wages or prices of building ma- the war has vet been filled is 2 much | terials would drastically curtail build- mooted question. ing for a_ time, for such advances “The United States Bureau of Labor | would make the earning power of statistics, from a study of permits|capital invested in buildings increas. issued in‘a sroup of 130 cities, recently | ingly doubtful. announced the conclusion that taking| “A downward movement of cost: the country as a whole the end of the | while it might occasion a temporary ar shortage was probably reached |let-up in activity, would probably tend Defore the close of 1924. In this opin- |to stimulate the long-run volume of bureau is supported by several | building. tor lowe id lower istical organizations interested in|risks would permit investment of building industry capital in the low-rent tvpe of resi- “On the other hand, a good deal of | dence structures for which there Is evidence has been presented for the|an unsatisfied demand. side of the question; and| the conclusions of the bureau, | ing acti has been urged that its calculations | years has nearly | there ma | building jof 1 halt Wartime Shortage. ty throughout the past four tisfied the cumula- =SS === ==S==== PLES== =234 =9 ESZPEEE Where the Inf ' %fizziép N particular picture. Wesley Heights communit; speculation and commercialism. % | impossible -,| wide as was demanded and butld it | | shortuge at that time, while in some | v on local | 4 | “In summary, the tremendous build- Sacrificed to the Charm. A very wide and shallow house | was desired for a corner lot; it was | to make the house as | straight across the front of the lot, | the interestingly irregular floor | plan which accompanies the cleva- {tlon of this house was worked out, | mnaking every difficulty into an ad- |vantage. In order to gain the { amount of space that was desired, the | | design on the right-hand side was, turned Into a right angle. This sives | | an amount of light und sun that could not be accomplished any other way. | The first floor s so arranged that it {will serve for complete living quar- | for a small family. There are | bedrooms and bath on this floor. Of | | course, with & large family, or one or | { two maids, it would be necessary to | | finish and outfit the top floor, and this is so partitioned that it can readily be done either at the time of building or |with the increase of family or with | the rale of the house to people with | {a large family. 3ut if this house is to be occupled by only two or three people and one maid or no maid, the ground floor fur- | | nishes a charming bungalow scheme, with every inch of space planned out | s completely and compactly that housework is reduced to a minimum and at the same time the utmost pri- vacy of living is possible. The two bedrooms are on the ground floor, so that they get a rich amount of sun and light from the East. The living room, set diagonally, gathers light from the south and west. The dining nook, off the living room and connected with the kitchen, is a charming arrangement for a small family. It i quite large enough for breakfast and lunch and even dinner without guests. And if at any time the family increases and t*~ upper floor is finished and used, .en the | dintng nook could be extended out | into the porch and a commodious din- ing room achleved. i ’ The finest bit of designing In this | ——— i | | | tive shortage of the war and post-war | veazs. Apparently there still remains | a small shortage which with the ordi nary requirements of & growing and | prosperous population should be suffi- | {cient to maintain activity at a high rate for some time. The markets for {both building materials and labor, however, has been keyed up to the abnormally high level of construction. A_decline from this level w edly make itself felt in these market: Lower building costs, although they | may temporarily check activity, will | in the long run tend to sustain and | ate the volume of con- struction.” luence o _Z!amgijfits —the Garden Spot of Washington ATURE holds high carnival here the year around—always beautiful—providing an ever changing, ever new background for the Homes which are specially designed for the tting given them in this glorious a protected and exclusive Your ownership is safe here from the undermining influences of encroaching Your invest- ment will enhance; it cannot deteriorate. Your charm with the environment will grow stronger as the delights of residence here are experienced. Homes of varying types—and English Homes full of modern innovations—that will meet per- sonal ideas and family requirements—all of them Miller designed, and built into already been sold. and all day Sunday Motor out Massachusetts Avenue, across Wisconsin _Avenue, into Cathedral Avenue—Or, take Wesley Heights Bus at 20th and P Streets. them is the Miller integrity of material and workmanship. More than 125 Homes—representing an im- provement of upwards of $2,000,000—have PricesRange up to $70,000 With such arrangement of terms as makes the purchase convenient. Open for inspection every afternoon and evening | rooms house is the relation of the Kitchen to the halls and the halls to the different | » that no space is wasted in making hallways. Each hall serves a | different purpose. The front one pro- | tects the living room from the bed- | room, kitchen and porch, and the back | hall enables any one in the Kitchen to answer the front door bell quickly and | to get to the bedrevms and bath with- | out using the front of the house. | Also, these two halls shut away the bedrooms completely in case of sick nesa or if there are little children in the family who need quiet. | It is also worth tuking a glimpse at | the kitchen to see how very interest ingly and compactly the space is ar-| ranged there. The range, vou will notice, is directly back of the living room fireplace so that there is but one chimney in the house. This makes for real economy. The sink is placed un der a very wide window, so that there | is light the year round and air in the | Summertime. Just beside the sink is | a wide counter for placing dishes, and | over this 1s another window. The unique arrangement of th space of this house left curfous littl corners which could not be used in th halls and rooms. These were, of | course, made Into closets—a coat | closet in the front hall and back hall; | a linen closet for the bedrooms, and | upstairs many large closets for bed- | rooms and storage and linen. i It would be interesting to have the wood trim of the lower floor of a wal- | nut, in the hall and living room, fin- | tshed in that old gray-vellow tone that was used for the colonial walnut. For the dining room a light silver | gray tone on oak. This silver tone | should have in it a little yellow w! would connect it with the walnut in | the living room. And the bedrooms, | of course done in walnut, | siive gray or white. | that oval door with circles of glas n color or orange, set in dark gray leads. Knockers and hinges of wrought iron could be add- | Since the prices of labor and ma- ed to this door, and an old colonial | terial vary so materially in different p lantern should hang in the porch. | jocalities, we do not attempt to give richer looking hall is desired, the | un estimate as to cost but advise that ak torie in the door could |you consult your local, builder, who d into the little hall, instead |can give vou detailed information as of walnut, and a blue rug could be used with dull blue draperles. HN the heart of that beautiful stretch of country between Connecticut Avenue and Wisconsin Avenue, just north of Cleveland Park—Ilies Devonshire Downs—a Miller-built community —most unique in its conception and type of development. Semi-detached Homes of English motif— varying in architectural detail enough to relieve of monotony—but finished with a singleness of purpose—to provide REAL Homes, complete in every element of liveableness and factor of com- fort—and all built to the Miller standard— which means best built, and therefore, a “best buy.” s The location is most accessible—soon approachable from either avenue. Stores and churches, car lines and bus lines conveniently at hand—but well beyond the confines of the community. Homes of six and eight rooms—with luxurious baths; cozy fireplaces; fully equipped Kitchens and pantries; cheery Bedrooms of like- able size; hardwood floors; famous Miller cedar- lined closets, and guaranteed hot-water heating system. 3 $12,950 =4 $13,500 Terms adjusted to your requirements. Open for inspection every afternoon and evening and all day Sunday For_the immediate present motor up Massachusetts Avenue, turning north at Wisconsin Avenue—to Van Ness Street and Devonshire Downs. W.C. and A. N. Mill Realtors REAL ESTATE. BRIGHT FUTURE IS SEEN . FOR BUILDING IN EUROPE | |France Needs Sound Financial Policy, | Says S. W. Straus, Back From Trip. | Germany and England in Better Shape. 17 American interests are rapidly in- | “There Jecting themselves into the European | shortage in Pa bullding and real estate situation, and | large cities of Fr Every effort is both the Continent and Engla ld | being made to develop a building great potential possibilities of de | movement, but this cannot come whil | opment comparable to the present|the financhal situation is as unfav | spectacular progre now going on in | able as at present. this country, according to S. W.| “I believe some outstanding Frencl | Straus, president of S. W. Straus & | statesman could work out a solutior | Co., who has just returned after|of the present financial difficu fnvarly three months spent al ad | which are more internal than exter | studying the financial, building and | nal, if allowed a fr real estate situations. | 1s not being dc “France occuples the key sltuation | “While I'r: has shown trad:- on the continent at present, and what | tional solidarity in times of war, c is needed more than anything else is | litical strife is impeding her settle- the return of that country to a sound | — T | financial basis,” Mr. Straus declared. is a pronounced usi 13 and in the oth and, but this Continued on Page Twenty-one.) Massachusetts Park Washington’s most beautiful residential section of detached homes. Containing seven million feet of forest-covered land, with six miles of improved streets. Incluues what remains of The Triangle of Increasing Values —between Connecticut, Massachusetts and Cathedral avenues. Over 200 homes from $15,000 to $200,000 built and under con- struction. Actual improvements and home values exceed $8,000,000. Wooded villa sites, lots, central and side hall homes, with lots from 30 to 115 feet front. Park Office, 32d St. and Cathedral Ave. Middaugh & Shannon, Inc. E ABLISHED _1399 Riggs-Semmes Bldg., Dupont Circle, Potomac 2200 Before the Snow Flies S the ounce of precaution taken NOW that will avert a serious condition later. The expedient thing to do is to make sure every- 4 thing is sound——for melting snow and ice can worm ¢4 its way into crevices you didn’t know existed—and 3 work serious damage. That kind of weather is here. ¢ Call us into service. Have us i vestigate the con- { dition of the roof—attend to what is needed—if any- thing. When we put our O. K. on the roof—it’ll be in first-class condition. No need to delay on account of the expense—for vou are welcome to the convenience of our budget system of payment. to the cost of installed in th ur exact needs to be design. For information as to the procuring of the building plans of this design, No. 81, send a stamped and self-ad- dressed envelope to the Real Estate Editor of The Star. i (Copyright Geores Matthew Adams) A Miller-Built Home in Cleveland Park T’S one of a group of eight distinctively dif: ferent types of design—four of which are sold. - The location Park. Idaho Avenue—Porter and Quebec Streets They are Homes that have very permanently fixed the ::haracter of the neighborhood. Six and eight rooms—with one and two baths—some with extra lavatory on the first floor. 515,250 t© $17,500 The picture photographs the Home at Idaho Avenue and Quebec Street— a picturesque Home in a picturesque setting. Center Hall type— built on big, roomy lines; equipped with every convenience of house- keeping and home.making down to the minutest detail. Inviting open fireplace; artistic lighting fixtures; select hardwood floors; two lavishly appointed baths—with built-in fixtures. Lavatory on first floor; Kitchen h daylighted pantry adjoining; linoleum floor covering—servant's toilet in basement; best of hot-water heating plants; and instantaneous hot-water heater. the high point of Cleveland Profuse shrubbery planting on the grassy terrace —and a porch that spells summer enjoyment. Open for inspection every afternoon and evening and all day Sunday Motor elther up or down Porter Street from Connecticut or Wiscon- sin Avenues to Idaho Avenue—and these charming Miller-built Iomes. Main 1790