THE LAND BOOM.

Taranaki Daily News, 15 July 1920, Page 4

THE LAND BOOM.

CAUTIOUS BUYERS AT HIGH PRICI3S. DEMAND FOR HOUSES UNSATISFIED In the opinion of a New Plymouth'land i agent, the land boom is not likely to •break for som« time to come. "For* land up to £SO per acre the demand is as keen as ever," he told a Daily News reporter yesterday. "It is true that buyers are more cautious when purchasing land above that price, but such caution is only the result of the disquieting numors in circulation" He thought that with the high prices ruling, and likely to rule, for produce, there was little likelihood of the price of dairying land falling to any appreciable extent in tfte near future. In regard to housing, an agent states that the demand for reasonably priced houses is quite beyond the supply. Every day he has to turn away home-seekers, j often with large families, because no houses are offering. "There is a very keen demand for houses of four and five rooms in all parts of New Plymouth, and buyers for old and new houses ranging from £7OO to £I2OO in price cannot be satisfied on account of the limited number of houses offering," one agent said. "We have about a dozen clients who will purchase houses with deposits of from £2OO to £3OO, but it is impossible to secure sellers. We could sell forty houses while we are looking for one to rent. About a third of our time is occupied in saying 'No' to unfortunate people wanting to rent, and we are seriously thinking of placing a placard in our window to tht effect that we have no houses to rent."

One house which was condemned by the Health Department, and was being pulled down, one homeless man offered to rent up to 17s 6d per weeK, Jmt, of course, this offer could not be accepted.