Evening star. [volume], May 13, 1944, Page B-2, Image 15

About Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972

Image provided by: Library of Congress, Washington, DC

                
Nearly All Homes to Need
Repairs, Equipment After War
Serious Deterioration Caused by
Lack of Care Due to Labor Shortage
By MARGARET NOWELL.
A sensible, down to earth under
standing of what the average home
owner may expect for his postwar
home begins to emerge from the
glowing pictures which have been
painted during the last six months.
It would be difficult to find any
house today which does not suffer
in some way from broken down
equipment or lack of care. There is
little doubt that fixing up the frayed
edges of existing homes and putting
household equipment in working
order is going to be a postwar first.
Men of the home building in
dustry, who know by long expe
rience what the public wants, what
the materials market can produce
and approximately what the labor
situation will be present an intel
ligent, practical procedure.
All Sections Affected.
Washington homes, at the end of
the war, will be sadly in need of re
pair. In this respect they will be
like every other home in every other
town oi the United States. Despite
the increasing effort of every house
holder to keep his property in good
order, he plays a losing game which
accelerates quickly after the first
two years.
With many home owners in the
service, those at home too involved
with war work to attend to home
details, much of the upkeep has
fallen down entirely, or fallen onto
the shoulders of the “little woman,"
who at best can only begin to un
derstand the regular schedule es
sential to first rate structural up
keep.
With only a limited number of
workmen available for maintenance,
months elapse before servicemen
can get around to small repair Jobs
with the result that minor breaks
become major ones rapidly. Lack
of necessary repair parts to replace
worn out mechanical equipment has
resulted in bathrooms and laundries
being permanently “out of order."
Washing machines, refrigerators,
vacuum cleaners and other house
hold equipment have been side
stepped pending the time they may
be put In working condition again.
Reconversion Slow.
Much as we love to dream about
the wonderful new furniture, the
all-electric kitchen, the fool-proof
heating and the glass walled rooms
which undoubtedly will be ours in
time, it is foolish to believe that
these things will be available when
the guns stop firing. It takes
months to get out the specifications
for new equipment, and many more
to retool to turn it out, and while
all of this is going on buyers have
to be educated to accept thd new
products. Human beings change
their way of living very slowly.
They buy what they are used to,
and what they know will work. They
prefer that the “other guy” waste
his money on the new gadgets that
have not yet been proved efficient..
With all of America’s 32 million
residence units crying for moderni
zation and major repairs to main
tain their equity it is likely that
home owners will consider these
problems first. During the time it
will take to make the transition
from war to a peacetime economy
emphasis can, and should be, placed
on the modernization of existing
structures and the repair of present
equipment. Factories can immedi
ately operate on a pre-war schedule
New parts will be available for the
equipment turned out in 1942.
Most important part of this pro
gram is that it can get into opera
tion immediately, employing return
ing labor as fast as it is available
The result of this will be an increas
3 Licensed to Sell
Real Estate Here;
2 Apply as Brokers
The District of Columbia Real
Estate Commission issued li
censes as real estate salesmen
this last week to Edgar L. Web
ster, 1417 K street NW.; Ru
dolph H. Miller, 1181 New
Hampshire avenue N.W., and
T. William Barrett, 2002 M
street N.W.
Applications for licenses as
real estate brokers were re
ceived from Robert William Mc
Ginniss. 329 Woodward Build
ing, and Edson W. Briggs, Inc.,
8422 Georgia avenue, Silver
Spring, Md.
Applications for licenses as
real estate salesmen were re
ceived from Dorothy K. Wein
stein, 718 Fifth street N.W.; Leo
C. Toliver, 1524 U street N.W.;
Charles O. Ward, 1036 Park road
N.W.; D. Patrick Williams, 1112
U street N.W.; John S. Lewis,
925 Fifteenth street N.W.;
James A. Anderson, 609 F street
N.W.; Robert Clement Jones,
8422 Georgia avenue, Silver
Spring, Md.; Edward J. Gray,
1732 K street N.W.; Hilda E.
Howard, 1011 U street N.W.
An application for a license
as a business chance salesman
was received from Anthony A.
Haritos, 215 Portland Building,
1129 Vermont avenue N.W., and
a license as a business chance
broker was issued to Benja
min L. Baum, 1321 Maine ave
nue S.W.
/-\
Georgetown
A Lovely Home
Built 1835
3018 Dumbarton Ave.
1st Floor—Huge living room
overlooks garden. Dining room,
pantry, kitchen, breakfast room.
Ind Floor—Library, 2 bedrooms
of master slue, 2 baths.
3rd Floor 2 bedrooms, bath,
large storage cloeet.
Features include numerous fire
place,. automatic heat, patio with
wall fountain and outdoor grill,
walled-in garden. 2-car garage.
Completely renovated.
Voeont—Reduced to
$29,750
Open Sunday 1 to 6
Thos. J. Fishor & Co.
INC.
738 15th St. Dl. 6830
Eealtor,
terlmwe Agent
V _/
ing number of houses put in livable,
salable condition within a short
time.
The lapse of time while this work
is being done will give new designs
and material time to be tested, new
machinery time to be set up so ma
terials can be turned out in low
cost quantity. Mr. and Mrs. Home
owner will also have time to adjust
to a warless world in which they
can begin to think of the type of
home they really want. It should
prevent lost motion and false starts
all along the way.
Americans are saving millions in
banks and war bonds for the pur
chase of new homes. Much con
fusion exists in their minds as to
what this postwar house will be like.
History has proved that no people,
even those as forward looking, en
terprising and ingenious as Ameri
cans, are ready to turn from the
“tried and true” to the unproven
invention, no matter how pleasing
its “package.” at the drop of a hat.
A wise thoughtful approach to the
whole situation, which takes into
consideration what is wanted, what
dollars can buy, and what can be
produced that is worth buying, is
the picture which will be faced by
the home-owner when the war is
over.
SUMMER APPEAL—Attractive home of Dr. and Mrs. Aaron H. Gerber at 1731 Holly street N.W.
acquired this week through the office of Shannon and Luchs. Spacious house and tree shaded
grounds will be most pleasing during the hot weather. —Star Staff Photo.
Real Estate News of Week
Gerholz Praises Plan of Private Builders
To Take Over Low-Cost Housing
The plan drafted by Washington
private builders to take over low
cost housing and “courageously at
tacking the further spread of
“socialized housing” was praised by
Robert Qerholz, president of the Na
tional Association of Home Builders
of the United States, at a four-day
conference held here this week.
“We are going to sponsor a com
prehensive plan,” he stated, “for
enabling private enterprise to abolish
slum areas with a minimum of
governmental assistance.”
Representative Frederick C. Smith
of Ohio, speaking at a conference
session said, "The United States
Housing Act is a grossly dishonest
piece of legislation. It shows un
mistakable evidence of having been
written with the view of deceiving
whom it could.”
* * * *
Opinions on public versus private
enterprise handling housing, slum
clearance, and rehabilitation of
blighted areas will be aired Saturday,
May 13, during a city-wide housing
conference at the United States
Chamber of Commerce Auditorium.
* * * *
“More than a million housing units
are needed annually in this country
for at least 10 years,” Irving Clarke,
of Westinghouse Manufacturing Co.,
told the Washington Building Con
gress, challenging them to make
plans immediately for postwar
building.
Joseph Merrion, speaking before
members of the National Association
of Mutual Savings Banks in New
York on the same subject, said, “We
must sell the American public on the
principle of home ownership • • •
For ah of the $84,000,000,000 that
Is spent for cars and Jewels and furs
will have no beneficial effect upon
the thing most vital to the future
of your business, your families, your
lives—the basic character of the
people of this country. In a world
that is being torn apart by con
flicting philosophies, what more cer
tain way to anchor a people to the
sound principles on which this Na
tion was built than to provide each
one with a stake in his country.”
* * * *
Great progress could be made In
eliminating blighted city areas and
redeveloping valuable urban prop
erty if the power of eminent domain
is granted to private enterprise
under properly controlled conditions,
Frederick Babcock, of The Pro
ducers’ Council, stated here yester
day.
“Under the present system, the
owner of 1 per cent of the property
in a blighted district can prevent
redevelopment by refusing to sell his
property or by asking an exhorbitant
price.”
* * * *
First major sale of a Defense
Homes Corp. project was announced
this week. Stuart Gardens De
velopment in Newport News, Va.,
was sold to a group of local business
and professional men for $3,615,000.
Important point is that Newport
News evidently wishes to integrate
its new wartime population into the
community permanently. Also in
this first DHC transfer there was
no broker and no prior appraisal for
the Government.
* * * *
Reverse lend-lease is in operation
from Russia. Returning ships bring
Russian soft woods which will be
used for crating military shipments.
Amount incoming is not yet known,
but the need is enormous. Possible
3014 12th St. South, Arlington, Va. j
*8,350
TERMS
Open Saturday
and Sunday
TO REACH: Drive over
Memorial or Highway
Bridge to Columbia Pike.
pi west on vike l’/t miles
to Highland St., left one
block to 12th St. and
left to 9rovertv (2nd
house from corner/ or
take Columbia Pike-Bar
■1 croft Red Bus at Penna.
j Ave, and 12th St. N.W.
and get off at S High•
land St. or our office at
! S. Barton St.
Ideally located—close to stores, schools and
excellent transportation—10 minutes to Navy
Annex and the Pentagon Bldg.—6 large
rooms and bath—porch—2-car garage—hot
water heat with automatic coal stoker
furnace—gas range and refrigerator— !|
asbestos shingle siding—rock wool insula- |
tion—large lot (75x115)—beautiful shade j;
trees and shrubbery—dead-end street with jj
no through traffic—nice quiet residential !
section. For further information call or see |!j
B. M. SMITH
2408 Columbia Pike OXford 2038 I
Arlington, Virginia
___ !•
b . SILVER SPRING
18807 2nd Avenue
A detached English brick home with 2 bedrooms
ond bath on the first floor, and a finished bed
room and both on second floor. Tree shaded
lot with Victory garden and outdoor fireplace.
Gas Air-Conditioned Heat
*10,950
IMMEDIATE POSSESSION
Open Sunday, 1 to 7 P.M. S
Out 16th St. to District Line, riohf $ blocks ©
to 2nd Ave., left 2 blocks to house. g
J. WESLEY BUCHANAN
Exclusively ^
1732 K St. N.W,ME. 1143 j
release of American supplies for
construction is seen.
* * *
Out in Tulsa, Okla., mortgage
bankers have been talking about
food, farm prices, and future use
of farm land all week. Dr. E. C.
Johnson of Farm Credit Admin
istration, told the Mortgage Bankers’
Association that the city man is
a threat to the real dirt farmer in
the current speculative land boom.
“City buyers, as a rule, don’t know
anything about operating a farm
and are keeping bona fide farmers
from purchasing land,” he said.
"There is little the farmers can do,
as the city buyers often pay the full
amount in cash, and no financing is
involved.”
He warned mortgage bankers to
watch this trend lest farm lands get
too high in price, and remain un
worked while farmers’ hand are
tied in competition.
* * * *
Building activity is running 73
per cent below the high rate of 1942,
in the New York area, as reported
by the Alexander Hamilton Institute.
Completion of construction work
which was abnormally stimulated by
the demands of war and continued
restrictions on private residential!
building are the primary reason for
the further contraction of building
this year.
Mott Named Director
Of Urban Land Institute
The appointment of Seward H.
Mott as director of the Urban Land
Institute was today announced by
Hugh Potter, institute president.
At the same time Mr. Mott an
nounced his resignation as director
of land planning for the Federal
Housing Administration. He will
Join the Institute June 1.
Mr. Mott has occupied the FHA
post for nine years, during which
he was largely responsible for de
signing the administration’s resi
dential developments throughout
the country.
His appointment to the urban
land position at this time, Mr.
Potter explained, is in line with
an expansion of the institute’s com
munity planning service to meet
postwar demands. His executive as
sistant will be Margaret Kay Stew
art, who has been directing the
institute staff since March.
Survey Shows Huge Demand
For Homes of Family Type
(Editors note: This is the first
of four surveys of the national
real estate market. The others
will follow in this column on
successive Saturdays.)
The National Association of Real
Estate Boards today reported that
the Nation’s real estate, under the
economic pressure of two-and-a
half years of war is being used more
intensively than at any time on
record.
The association in its 42d semi
annual survey of the national realty
market, disclosed the most general
shortage of dwelling space in history,
a high volume of sales and an un
paralleled demand for the “family
type" house—the one with two and
three bedrooms.
The survey, which in 21 years has
become a standard business index,
eras designed to determine the effects
of two-and-a-half years of war on
the Nation’s real estate plant. It
covered 376 cities and represents the
carefully checked data and opinion
of local real estate boards in those
cities. i
Pressure Easing.
It was found that there was:
1. A shortage of single-family
dwellings in 82 per cent of the re
porting cities as compared to 88
per cent six months ago when the
previous wartime survey was made.
Only 2 per cent report oversupply.
There is an undersupply of apart
ments in 83 per cent of the reporting
cities as against 75 per cent six
months ago. Only 1 per cent report
oversupply. This is an unprecedent
ed situation. But already observ
able in a few cities where employ
ment has passed its peak is an
easing off of the extreme pressure
for housing.
2. Selling prices for real estate,
especially for residential property,
are higher than a year ago in 88
per cent of reporting cities, at least
as high in 99 per cent of the cities,
and lower in only 1 per cent of the
cities.
For those places and those types
of property experiencing a price rise
the median advance was 12% per
cent.
Sales Volume Up.
3. Volume of sales is higher than
a year ago in 83 per cent of the
cities, at least as high in 93 per cent
of the cities and lower in only 7
per cent of the cities. But some
cities expect their sales volume
actually to fall off, despite demand,
in the months ahead because of the
scarcity of listings.
4. A very large portion of today’s
buying is for use by the buyer. In
urban property the reports estimate
that an average of approximately
77 per cent current sales are for
the buyer’s own use. Approximately
16 per cent are for investment. Ac
cording to local estimates, an aver
OPEN SATURDAY AFTERNOON 3 TO 7 P.M.—SUNDAY 11 AJA. TO 7 P.M.
1420 INGRAHAM STREET N.W.
Corner Colorado Avenue, Piney Branch Road A Ingraham Street
Built by owner for a home, ond occupied by owner since erection—15,513 square feet of ground
(two lots—over Vs acre)—pure Coloniel—13" walls of tapestry brick—red tile roof on house ond
garage—living room—dining room—butler's pantry—kitchen (with tiled walls and floor)—break
fast room—large library with fireplace—very large side porch—four very large bedrooms on sec
ond floor—two tub baths—large extra shower wi th glass door—maid's room with complete both
<heated) in cellar—two-cor detached garage of same materiol os house—most accessible location
in city—
ONLY $27,500, WHICH IS AWAY BELOW PRE WAR PRICE
JUST COME AND SEE IT
THOS. E. JARRELL CO., Realtors
721 Tenth Street N.W. Sunday and Evenings: GEorgia 4355 NAtional 0765
■'! ~T ' I 1 =—■
1145 Connecticut Avenue ...
recently sold by Shannon and
Luchs for approximately
$75,000. One of the many
* ^ investment properties sold
during the past month.
\
\
\
\
Shannon and Luchs has
sold over $2,150,000 worth of Real Estate
in D. C., Maryland and Vir
Kinia during the first 4 months of 1944. \
Our staff of over 50 Real Estate experts Is N.
on hand at all times to help you with your ^
property problems. For quick action and profitable sales
list your properties with Shannon and Luchs.
[Shannon & luchS]
Washington’s Leading Real Estate Brokers Since 1906
1505 H Street N.W. NAtionol 2345
age of approximately 7 per cent of
the buying is in hope of a profitable
resale. The same condition largely
prevails in farm transactions.
Communities estimate an average
of 75 per cent of such buying is by
fanners for their own use. In 17
communities out of every 100 farm,
acquisition is solely for use. In-,
vestment buying makes up 18 per
cent of farm purchases, being a
somewhat heavier factor for farms
than for urban real estate. For
farms, as for urban real estate,
only about 7 per cent of the buying
is estimated to be primarily for
resale.
5. The family-size dwelling, with
two or three bedrooms, at a price
around $5,000, is the kind of urban
property that is in greatest de
mand today. There is a marked
preference for the close-in home
with gardening land and good trans
portation.
W. A. Reick Heads
Federal Architects
William A. Reick of the War De
partment was elected president of
the Association ef Federal Archi
tects at the annual banquet at the
Hotel Hamilton this week.
Others elected were: Vioe presi
dent, Marshall Shaffer, Public
Health Department; secretary,
Oliver W. Wilson, W*r Department,
and treasurer, Albert A. Gustafson,
N»vy Department.
Directors chosen were S. M. Well
and„H. Kaplan, Public Build
lfiV^v^dmir.'^tration • Nicholas E.
ChotSSsTN^ey O&sartment; Franklin
E. Warner' and Charles Johnson,
War Department; J. J. Accardo.
office of the District architect, and
C. H. Irwin, Veterans’ Adminis
tration.
The association is composed of
architects in Government service
whose work reaches the public
through the official publication,
the Federal Architect.
Make Idle dollars fighting War
Bond dollars!
| CHEVY CHASE, D. C. I
(1 Block from Chevy Chase Circle)
*18,950
. I If) 'MIHWU— ——1
5709 Chevy Chase Parkway
An unusually attractive center-hall Colonial
brick,, consisting of 8 rooms, V/j baths and
featuring a 30-ft. living room. Each of the four
spacious bedrooms can be furnished with twin
beds. There is. a lst-floor den and lavatory and
a complete maid’s room and bath in basement.
Oil heat. Built-in garage. Within easy walking
distance of parochial school, shopping district
and transportation.
OPEN SATURDAY 3-6—SUNDAY 10:30-6
To Reach: Out Conn Ave. to Patterson Street,
turn right to Chevy Chase Parkway to house.
BOSS & PHELPS
1417 K Street N.W. REALTORS N>^ ^
IHNlNlliUllfllllHllllHillUIIIHUIIIII!NIIIHIII!lillH!IHi!lllilllllllltil!l!il
DRASTICALLY REDUCED
1 FOR QUICK SALE
s This Description Gives But o Faint Conception of the
3| Rare Charm and Beauty of This Delightful Home
3421 Massachusetts Ave. N.W.
Hf Owner leaving city
=5 Detached brick. 1st floor: Large center hall with side entrance, 1e
5= drawing roam, dining room, den, lavatory, butler's pantry, 2
ss kitchen. 2nd floor: 4 bedrooms and 2 baths. 3rd floor: 2 ===
5E bedrooms and 2 baths. Automatic heat. 2-car garage. Sgg
Immediate Possession
Open Today, 2 to 7 P.M.; Sunday, 1 to 7 P.M.
I J. RUPERT MOHLER, JR. Realtor M
M 1223 Conn. Ave. NAtionol 4080 M
SS- Liet Your P rope Ay With U* for Immediate Reeulte! S
MlllllllllliaillllllllllllNIIIIIIIIIHIIHIIIIIIIIIIHIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIllHIIIIIIHIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIINIIIIIIIINIIIIIIIIIHIHM
! ATTRACTIVE 6-ROOM HOME S
7905 CUSTER ROAD, BETHESDA
Situated on a nicely landscaped plot. 57 by 135 feet, with white
picket fence and outside fireplace, this appealing home of three
large bedrooms and bath has a beautiful 22 by 13' living room, 13'
by 14' dining room, and sizeable, modemly equipped kitchen,
including electric refrigerator and de luxe Glenwood gas range.
In new house condition, the dwelling is well insulated and equip
ped with storm windows. The coal-fired hot-water heating plant,
with automatic blower, requires only about 5 tons yearly.
*12,950
OPEN FOR INSPECTION SUNDAY, 3 TO 6 P.M.
Other days by Appointment Only
TO REACH: Drive uo Wisconsin Avenue to Bank of Bethesda,
then left on Old Georgetown Road about k blocks to Wilson
Lane, then left on Wilson Lane about 6 blocks to Custer
Road, then right on Custer Road 1 Vock to No, 7 903.
GEO. J. MOSS SHepherd 2600
Realtor Evenings, SHepherd 7181