Evening Star Newspaper, April 6, 1935, Page 17

413 NEW HOMES TEN TIMES OVER MARCH LAST YEAR One-Family Dwellings Lead List of Residential Units for Month. $1,393,410 VALUATION TO $298,775 PREVIOUSLY Modernization Shows Valuation | Increase With $162,873, Com- pared to $141,880 in 1934. BY JAMES Y. NEWTON. The wave of home building which is making itself felt in Washington pro- vided 418 residential units during March, almost 10 times the number provided in the same month last year, official figures made public today by Col. John W. Oehmann, District build- ing inspector, indicate. Col. Oehmann’s monthly report | shows that permits were issued in | March for 146 one-family dwellings and 66 small apartments, capable of housing 272 families. In March, 1934 permits were issued for 42 one-family dwellings and no apartments. A comparison of the valuation of | residential construction in March | with that for the month in 1934 is equally as impressive. Official figures show that this type of construction last month was valued at $1,393,410, while ’ the same type in March, last year, was valued at $298,775. All types of con- struction, including new building and repairs or modernization work, reached | a total of $1,668.373 last month. | Although modernization work March showed a valuation increase. it ‘Was not comparable in size to the in- erease in valuation of other construc- tion types. Modernization work last month was valued at $162,873, as com- pared with $141,880 for March, 1934. Unemployment Figures. Despite this great increase in Wash- ington construction, and the near boom taking place in the residential communities of nearby Arlington County, Va., and Montgomery County, Md., officials of local building trades unions declared that the percentage of unemployment among the various affiliated labor groups is nearly as | great as last vear. John Locher, official of building trades and the Washington Central | Labor Union, stated that while there has been a slight decrease in the number of unemployed in some build- ing groups, this improvement for all groups of building tradesmen has been | negligible. He attributed this to “em- | ployment of cheap non-union labor” in a number of home-building projects here. Building construction in the city during the last week totaled $332.248, according to the list of permits. The right to build 34 one-family dwellings and 11 small apartments and flats was granted by the building inspec- tor's office, The largest permit of the week was issued to Boss & Phelps for construc- tion of six 2-story brick flats in the 5600 block of First place, at an ap- ¢ Proximate cost of $42,000. !" R. L. Davis, 5460 Twenty-ninth street, obtained a permit to build seven brick dwellings in the 300 block of Eighteenth street northeast. at a cost of $5,000 each. Fulton R. Gruver was named designer and Clarence R. Gos- mell builder. Permits of the Week. More important permits of week are as follows: Boss and Phelps, 1417 K street, owners and builders; Harvey P. Bax- ter, architect; to erect six 2-story brick flats, 5610-14-18 and 3611-15-19 First place: to cost $42,000. R. L. Davis, 5460 Twenty-ninth . Btreet, owner; Fulton R. Gruver, de- signer; Clarence R. Gosnell. 1414 Monroe street, builder; to erect seven 2-story brick dwellings, 311 to 323 the Eighteenth street northeast; to cost $5.000 each Henry Klein, 1282 Fifth street northeast, owner; S. V. Wells, de- signer: Clarence W. Gosnell, Inc., 1414 Monroe street, builders; to erect three 2-stoy brick and concrete flats, 2214-18-22 Nicholson street south- east; to cost $27,000. John M. Beane, 1100 Fifth street northeast, owner; George T. Sant- myers, architect; C. H. Small Co., 930 New York avenue, builders; to erect one 2-story brick flat, 1221 and 1223 (Continued on_Page 5, Column 1 o e COn I LIVE IN o~ | UXMANOR The Suburb of Contentment HOMES ON 1V, ACRE SITES OR MORE Model home open daily and Sunday until 6 P.M. Directions—Out Wisconsin Ave. fo Bank of Bethesda and foliow car line road to Lurmanor signs. Just 15‘ minutes from the heart of the eity, BEAUTIFUL WOODLAND SECTION TWO HOMES NEARING COMPLETION 6400 Block 31st St. N.W. Detached brick homes of exceptional beauty. Inspect today and buy before completion and have the opportunity of selecting your own interior decorations. Several adjacent beautifully LARGE wooded lots upon which we will build a house of your own selection on the same liberal terms on which we sell completed homes. To Reach—Drive east om Ritten- to Utah Ave. to 31st St., turn right to vroperty. WM. M. THROCKMORTON Realtors. Investment Bldg. Di. 6092 WASHINGTON, D. C, Homes in Suburban Sections Purchased in Recent Real Estate Market REALTORS OPPOSE BUILDERS' CODE Application of Construction Rules to House Building HOME LOAN BOARD METHOD CHANGED Simplified Announced as New Ex- Procedure Is in | | Under Fire. amination Policy. Vigorous protest against application | of the construction code to home building has been made by the Na- | tional Association of Real Estate Boards in a statement filed with the Senate Finance Committee, which has under study the whole question of N. R. A. operations. The association requested the com- mittee to report to Congress. first, the | abrogation of the construction code, | ‘The Federal Home Loan Bank Board announced today a new procedure in examination of home-financing insti- tutions applying to any of the three | agencies of the board | John H. Fahey, chairman of the | board, said the new plan, although seemingly consisting only of a change of routines, has an important signifi- [ cance to some 7,000 building and loan | assoclations throughout the country. and secondly, that in any event the | He explained that the simplified pro- business of development and selling of | cedure is expected to accelerate great- building sites and the business of | ly the development of the three sys- building and selling of residential ac- | tems, and at the same time allow commodations should not be included | considerable reductions in examina- under the construction code. | tion costs, which are borne by the in- | In a letter addressed to President stitutions making application. \ Roosevelt the association also makes The revised method provides for clear its opinion that the construc- | simultaneous examination, in the fu- tion code should not in any way be | tures, of institutions for (1) admission | applied to home building, and thal.‘ to the Home Loan Bank System, (2) the efforts to do so have retarded re- | conversion into Federal savings and covery in this important field. | Building Code Criticized. ‘The construction code is adverse | to’ the public interest; it has increased | | costs; discourages new construction, | and is decreasing employment, the| association declares. Addressing the Senate Finance Committee it states: “To aid home ownership and home building, the Congress has passed a | number of important measures, in- cluding the home loan bank act, the | Home Loan Corp. act and the na- tional housing act. The effects of | these acts, which were welcomed by the Nation at large, have been nulli- | fied by price increases due to codes. | “The average cost of a small home | today is approximately 30 per cent | greater than it was two years ago. | In the home building field, price in- | | creases do not stimulate activity if such price increases merely result in placing home ownership out of the reach of the average man. “Early in 1933 there were some evi- dences of recovery in home building. In the Fall of 1933, when a construc- | tion code seemed assured, and prices | of building began to increase rapidly, | home building immediately began to | decline again. As a result, in 1934 | new family accommodations erected | dropped to a new all-time low point.” Inquiries Sent to Realtors. Action by the association was taken | after a post card inquiry addressed to | every relator. The inquiry brought | out the fact that, of the approxi- mately 11,000 real estate offices hold- ing membership in the association, more than 2,000 companies and in- dividuals are engaged in the business of developing building sites and building homes for the market, and . Column_2) ‘ | PARK MODEL HOME IN FOXALL Detached and Overlooking Beautiful Foundry Park | (Continued on”Page 5 See this delightful home of 7 rooms and 2 baths. furnishel in exquisite taste | by W. B. Moses % Sons. With a beautifully wooded park ad- joining your rear garden, a first floor study paneled in knotty pine and an extra basement living room, you can really live in comfort. Every modern convenience, including gas heat, gas refrigeratar and illuminated gas range. 1421 44TH STREET Drive out Que Street to Wisconsin Ave- nue, north one block to Reservoir Road, | west to 44th Street and turn left three | blocks to the model home, open 9:30 A. M. to 9:30 P. M. daily. i e WAVERLY TAYLOR e 1522 K Street National 1040 | eral associations, of which 225 repre- loan associations, and (3) the insur- ance of their investors under the Fed- eral Savings and Loan Insurance Corp. More than seven million small | investors ‘and home owners, according to Mr, Fahey, are enabled by the change to gain speedier advantage of | these three governmental efforts to | strengthen American home finance. Twelve Branches Announced. % Examining activities under the new | procedure are centered in an examin- ing division in Washington, with branches in each of the 12 Federal Newark, Pittsburgh, Winston-Salem, Cincinnati, Chicago, Indianapolis, Des | Moines, Topeka, Portland, Oreg.; Los Angeles and Little Rock. When established in 1932, the board | administered only the Home Loan | Bank System, created as a credit re- serve in the home-financing field sim- ilar to the Federal Reserve System in commercial banking. There are now | some 3,200 Home Loan Bank member institutions located in every part of the country. An act of 1933 author- ized the organization of new Federal savings and loan associations and the conversion of existing State-chartered home-financing units into Federal as- sociations. There are now 752 Fed- sent conversions. In 1934 Congress provided for the insurance up to $5,000 of investors’ | accounts held in institutions of the building_and loan type, compulsory for all Federal savings and loan as- (C on Page 4, Column_ Cleveland Park—Brick 9 Rms.—QPEN—2 Baths 3608 Ordway St. N.W. Fine Location—Attractive Large, light, cheery rooms; big closets, living room with open fireplace, sun room, tiled kitchen, electric refrigerator, detached brick garage. 4 Real Bed Rooms 2 Large Tiled Baths Convenient to cars, bus, stores, Cathedral and John Eaton School $10,500 Brodie & Colbert, Inc. Realtors 1707 Eye St. Easy Te: One Trust Na. 8875 Today or Tomorrow VISIT THIS NEW DETACHED HOME ABEAUTI!’UL CEN- TER - HALL PLAN HOME that will delight you with its many su- perior features of con- struction and detail . . . in an exceptionally de- sirable location. Six beautiful rooms . . . two colorful tiled baths . . . large living room and dining room . . . modern kitchen . . . fine recrea- tion room . . . modern oil heat . . . large finished attic . . . big landscaped lot . . . detached garage. DRIVE OUT NOW! Drive out Connecticut Ave. N.W. to Chevy Chase Circie, vight on Weste ern Ave. to Tennvson Street to home. SATURDAY, APRIL 6, 1935. New Mortgage Procedure Attracts Hundreds More than 300 persons interested in the Federal Housing Administration’s plan of home financing visited the administration’s District office this week, according to Joseph Karl Gil- christ, director for the District, who announced that applications received since January 1 for mortgage insur- ance are valued at $957.550. Gilchrist announced that mortgage insurance commitments either already Home Loan Banks, located in Boston, | Nave been issued or are in the process of being issued on $725,000 worth of these mortgages. The new procedure announced two weeks ago, Whereby | prospective borrowers apply directly | to F. E. A. field offices and receive tentative approval of insurance of the | mortgage before approaching financial institution which is expected | to make the actual loan, has drawn | hundreds of home owners and those | who contemplate owning homes to the | Washington office. Through this new procedure, Gil- | christ said. he has accepted appraisal | fees from 45 persons, who ask a total of $277,550 for home financing. Ap- A CHARMING ALL- BRICK HOME 110 Glenbrook Rd. Battery Park, Md. ‘8,850 A beautiful Cape Cod home, all brick, with six very large rooms and lovely bath. Modern in every possible respect—electric kitchen, re- frigeration, open fireplace, slate roof, copper spouting, built-in garage, and on a 60-ft. lot. A LARGE NEW HOME AT A BARGAIN PRICE Follow cor line out Old Georgetown Rd. to Glenbrook Rd.—turn right. Open Saturday P.M. and all day Sunday Phillips and Canby, Inc., Natl. 4600 Investment Bldg. If You Want the BEST ® o o home! ® o o Jocation! ® o o yalue! SEE THIS NEW J. B. TIFFEY HOM E 3336 TENNYSON ST. N.W. CHEVY CHASE, D. C. BEITZELL Tower Bldg. DI. 3100 Insurance soring & poster contest for students in the District’s senior high schools, pub- lic, private and parochial. It was an- nounced that Carl J. Bergmann, pres- ident of the District Building and the | - Loan League, has offered to furnish a | $25 first prize and a $15 second prize | to the competition winners. proximately two-fifths of this sum is - sought for new construction. Nearly $300.000 worth of mortgages for new construction insurance either have been completed or are under consid- eration, Gilchrist stated. Meanwhile, workers in the Wash- ington Better Housing Campaign, the drive to uncover $6,000,000 in home modernization work in the District, reported that pledges had been re- ceived from 1,626 home and commer- cial property owners through Thurs- day. It is estimated that these per- sons have pledged to carry out about $525.000 in property improvement | work. The 100 canvassers have re- ported 5.545 interviews. Officials of the campaign are spon- New Detached Brick Lot 44x112—Garage Southern exposure % bed room and bath on Ist bed rooms and bath on 2d . titully fin- ished “hardwond floors: numerous closets. screened. weather-stripped. insulated and waterproofed. Electric Kitchen. Crosley Refrigerator. Open fireplace. Open Today $8-750 and Sunday L. T. GRAVATTE 329 15th St. Realtor. NAtlL 0353, Chevy Chase, D. C. & | l NEW BRICK CAPE COD HOME ‘West Chevy Chase, D. C. %9,750 INSPECT 3215 Tennyson St. Detached . . . Center-hall Plan. All-brick Colonial; 3 Bedrooms ..+ 2 Tiled Baths . . . Electric Health Kitchen . .. Rock Wool Insulation . . . Screened . . . Caulked . . . Weather-stripped « + . Automatic Heat . . . Built- in Garage. Located at Tennyson St. and 53rd—2 blocks north of Rittenhouse. Stone-Built Homes Are Better Built, PAUL T. STONE, Inc. Owner-Builder 918 15th St. N.W. A PERFECT BEAUTY large living room with side porch: spacious kitchen with Two large bed and bath on 4421 Garrison St. N.W. Open Sunday Out Wisconsin Ave. to Fessenden St., left to 44th, north to Garrison. F. Eliot Middleton Na. 0843 MEt. 2827 If You Have $1,000 Cash You Need Pay Only $55 Monthly (Including Interest and Principal) And You Will Collect $45 (Complete Apartment Already Leased) Thus Reducing Outlay to $10 “ (Plus About $15 for Tazes and Heating) More than $20 monthly will apply on the PRINCIPAL of your home investment, beginning with the very first payment, SO— Your Living Quarters Will Cost You Practically Nothing! (If you are an investor, you could collect $90 monthly, rental from 2 apartments, while paying $55 monthly, including principal and interest!) Detached Brick Duplex 25 Flower Avenue 7™ Park. Maryland On a large wooded lot with towering trees adjoining a beautiful public park with babbling brook 2 COMPLETE UNITS 2 nice-sized dinettes 2 large covered porches, part of which could be converted into 2 additional bed rooms [ 2 cozy living rooms 2 full-tiled baths 2 large bed rooms 2 labor-saving kitchenettes closets 2 General Electric units com- Automatic oil burner binding ranges and refrig- Lot to be attractively land- erators scaped PRICE, $7,950. Terms, $1,000 cash; $65 monthly, including principal and . interest. REALTY Tower Bidg. OPEN SUNDAY MOSS COMPANY Met. 1776 Building News PAGE B—1 HOME PURGHASERS SAVEIN BUYING BYF A PLAN Insured Mortgage Plan Puts Cash in Hands of Contractors. DISCOUNTS OFTEN GIVEN BY SELLERS Title II of Housing Act Facili- tates Turnover of Cash to Ad- vantage of All Concerned. Substantial savings to home buyers through outright purchases from builders, made possible by the in- sured mortgage plan of the Federal Housing Administration, and the in- | cidental flow of cash into the hands of land developers and contractors have grown out of the operation of Title II of the national housing act. In announcing this today, the ad- ministration reperted many instances | of discounts granted by sellers to | purchasers of homes, made possible | by full cash payments through private made for Paul T. Stone, Inc, |lending institutions, thus reducing builder. Upper right: 5720 Chevy |financing charges. Chase parkway, sold to D. M. | Full payment in cash for a property St. Clair through the office of |at the time of sale is of great im- Edward H. Jones & Co., Inc. The | portance to the operative builder, it residence, containing 8 rooms and 2 | was pointed out, since net profits on baths, formerly was the property |a building development depend to a of Mrs. Mary E. Bell. Below: At- |large extent upon the speed with tractive residence at 1820 Forty- |which capital is turned over. The fifth street, Colony Hill, sold t0 |money obtained from the sale of Fontaine C. Bradley, attorney, by |a house just completed can be put Boss & Phelps, builders. | immediately into the construction of Upper left: Home at 3219 Tenny- son street sold to Mr. and Mrs. Harold S Harwood by the Harry B. Pitts Co. The transaction was another house. —Star Staff Photos. REALTY ISSUES GAIN Real estate bond issues increased in market value an average of 9.2 per cent during the first three months of the year, although slow movements which characterized dealings through- out March contributed only nine- tenths of 1 per cent of this total, it is shown by Amott-Baker realty bond price averages, based upon 200 important issues secured by properties in Eastern citis | Lower Prices Obtained. | Reports also indicate that persons | who are planning to build their own homes are obtaining lower prices from responsible contractors when the con- tractors learn that they are to be paid in cash under the mutual mort- gage insurance plan, either as the work progresses or immediately upon its completion according to speci- fications filed with the application for mortgage insurance Banks, mortgage companies and other lending institutions also di- (Continued on Page 5, Column 6.) Aurora Hills Homes, Inc. REALTORS Announce that the office is now under the personal supervision of the owner, Mr. Henry C. Morris; assisted by Mr. Daniel E. Ragalie, Mr. E. C. Gibbs and Mr. Harold P. Hallock. Complete Real Estate Service covering Northern Virginia. Walnut 8895 Aurora Hills, Va. CLIP THIS AD FOR DIRECTIONS AND VISIT THESE LOVELY HOMES TODAY or TOMORROW . . UNSURPASSED VALUES 103 GRAFTON STREET 6811 FAIRFAX ROAD Located in the finest section of A beautiful new center-hall de- Chevy Chase, Md. Just west of tached brick in Edgemoor, Md. 4 the circle. A big, spacious de- bed rooms and 2 baths with bed tached all-brick center-hall Geor- room and bath on first floor. Price gian on big lot. Sold formerly for is only §10,950. $31,000 and can be bought now in _ From Bethesda Bank at old new condition for only $24,750. A Georgetown Road turn left into real bargain. Edgemoor Lane to Fairfax Road 5428 S0TH PLACE and left to property. 6134 30TH STREET New all-brick Colonial, Chevy - Chase, D. C. Slate roof, copper Astounding value in Chevy s . Chase, D. C. New all-brick Co- gutters and spouting: 6 rooms; i . N . lonial, 6 rooms and finished third finished third floor; 2 baths; finely ‘ § . floor; breakfast nook: electric re- modern and well-equipped kitchen; fri i heantifit. Ralh. with breakfast alcove: large, covered .Iigeration rear porch off dinins oo o, Shower: slate roof: furred walls, Tage. "Price only $10950. % deep lot; garage. Price only $9.500. From Chevy Chase Circle drive Drive out Connecticut Avenue to east on Rittenhouse Street to 30th Military Road, east to 30th Place Street at intersection of Utah and north to house. Avenue and home. OPEN TODAY 2 to 6—SUNDAY 10 TO 6 BOSS & PHELPS Realtors ]F you want the very latest features in a new home—plus the careful crafts- manship of one of Washington’s finest builders—by all means see this new home TODAY! T A TIFFEY 618 OPEN DAILY BUILT HOME ONEIDA 5. 05pm Large living room with attractive fireplace and Venetian blinds; step-up dining 100m; breakfast room with built-in china closets; breakfast porch. All these features help to make this WASHINGTON’S FINEST VALUE In addition, there is the Electric Kitchen. complete with range and refrigerator. d cabinets. and black inlaid tile drain board wi completely paneled recreation room with ce and flagstone floor; 3 ma bedre beautifully tiled baths; front ‘and rear stair screened sleeping porch; large landscaped lot; detached brick ga Out 7th St. N.W. and right on Oneida to the homes. TOWER BLDG. DI. 3100