Rent Receipts or Title Deeds.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18889, 12 October 1929, Page 32 (Supplement)

Rent Receipts or Title Deeds.

WHICH DO YOy HOLD?

A HOME STORY FROM REAL LIFE—AND THE MORAL.

Christchurch, the city of homes! And why not? Homes, the permanent, stable, sales-making, characterbuilding factor in any community. Show me a city of homes, a city where the homes are owned by the folks who live in them, and I will show you a sound, sane, progressive, happy and proud community. Show me the city where people own their own homes, or who are making their homes their own by regular payments, and I will show you a people thrifty and prosperous, with a stake in the community, prompting better surroundings indoor and outdoor. Such a community will evince an active interest in public affairs, realising that the doings of their representatives in local and general government concern each home owner individually, and affect his pocket. Show me a district in which mostly home-owners reside, and I will show you well-kept gardens, trim fences, houses kept in good order, families of healthy children. I will show you schools in which the happy surroundings are but a reflection of the home life of the scholars. There we will recognise in the people a sturdy spirit of independence, an alertness and pride which are in the main a thing unknown to the renter, whose stay in any one house or locality is governed hy the decision of a landlord. “I am but a stranger here, nowhere is my home,” chants the rentpayer, and only too often his state of mind is reflected in his house and grounds.

Of what use for the renter 'to dig and cultivate when none knows whether he or some incoming tenant will reap the fruits of his labours? And why should he bother about the doings of his borough or city councillors,, so long as they keep open the means of access to his front gate and arrange for regular removal of rubbish and garbage ? Of what interest for him to join with the enthusiasts who beautify the surroundings Of church or school, when, for all he knows, his next year will be spent in another parish or school district? Someone has declared that “an Englishman’s home is his castle,” but - yhat security of tenure has the occupier when the castle belongs to someone else? The writer of those lines must have meant a home owned by the occupier. A rented house is not really a home; it is but a place of residence.

And this neighbour of mine is but one of hundreds. He and I came to Christchurch at the same time, and neither of us had enough money to buy a house. He rented one, and I should have done the same; but my wife thought she’d like to buy a place. She had a dread of being turned out of house and home at the sweet will of the owner, and said there wasn’t much sense in my working in the garden and making the place look nice if that nice appearance was just going to tempt someone else to step in and buy it. Womanlike, she had her way We paid down a deposit, and each month paid off so* much principal in our rent We never missed it, and to-day the place is ours! We can beautify it as much as we like, and be sure of enjoy ing the improvements. We have added little comforts and conveniences froip time to time, until now the place reflects our own likes instead of pre senting to us day by day just what the landlord thinks we are entitled to for 30s or 35s a week. The shrubs we planted eight years ago have been full of bloom year after year, and our garden is a pleasure. And it’s home! It’s ours! And having had experience of rented houses and of this home of our own, I give my vote solidly for the gospel of “Own your own home! ” Young people about to be married, and young people generally, will find it a real investment. Planning to own the home provides a worth while ideal and .object in life. And when at length the title deeds are their very own, what a sense of satisfaction!

A friend of mine, a neighbour, was bemoaning the fact last week that in ten years he had paid away over £BOO in house rent. He produced his rentbook and showed that he had never missed a monthly payment. “And what,” he asked, “have I got to show for it? Nothing but this rent book. Why,” he went on, “that £B7O would have bought this house and the section next door when I came here. I’ve paid for it, and haven’t got it. Although I’ve paid out all that good money to my landlord, I’m no nearer owning the place now than when I arranged to rent it. If I had looked for a home to buy on easy terms I could have made it my own long ago.”

A NOVEL COMPETITION. COLLECTION OF RENT RECEIPTS. An inspired advertising idea in which an eighty-three-year-old lady, a dog, and a bundle of 629 rent receipts did their share in bringing a real estate firm much free publicity, thus securing the attention of the readers of Chicago’s daily papers and producing a point of contact between the firm and thousands of rent payers, was recently carried out by the Lonnquist Company, Real Estate Agents, of Chicago. “For years, one of the many objectives of our office has been to find some point of contact, where the hundreds of thousands of rent payers throughout the United States might be aroused to the point where they would at least realise what the perpetual payment of rent means in comparison with the ownership of their own homes,” said Axel Lonnquist, president of the firm. ‘Various methods were discussed whereby we might eliminate every other idea except figures that would appeal to the imagination of the rank and file. Just how to create that common interest which would bring about a discussion of this kind and enable our salesmen to have the necessary approach to possible purchasers of homes, has been more or less indefinable, until the idea was hit upon to hold a reward record offer among Chicago rent payers.” This reward offer was to the rent payers who had saved the greatest number of rent receipts. The rent receipt given for business purposes was not eligible in the record; the contest was only for receipts given for payment of rent for a place to live. The first prize was 150 dollars, the second, 100 dollars, and the next ten highest were given 10 dollars each.

Several weeks before the annual “Own Your Home” show was held in Chicago, the Lonnquist Company ran modest advertisements in the daily papers. Detailed instructions were given in a most simplified form to eliminate further inquiries as to the terms of the contest. The first publicity story appeared in a Sunday paper, and the following Monday the telephone inquiries coming into Lonnquist offices kept five telephones busy. After the first advertisement appeared, entrants, numbered in ‘the thousands and the novelty of the idea attracted editors in other cities who gave the idea much publicity. The exhibit of the winning receipts at the Lonnquist booth in the “Own Your Home” exposition proved of great interest to visitors. A long box held the receipts and a photograph of the winner, Mrs Anna Vaas and her dog. Mrs Vaas had submitted rent receipts dated from October 21, 1872, to March, 1926, inclusive. The rentals which were paid from the time Mrs Vaas and her husband, Ernest, began housekeeping ranged from seven dollars a month to fifty-five dollars. The letters which Mrs .Vaas and the other contestants sent accompanying their count of receipts, all expressed great regret at the great amount of money spent with nothing to show for it.

From early times down to the more hurried and complex life of to-day—-the home has remained the traditional heritage of every family. Character, sincerity, health, courage, love, are the family fruits of home ownership.

THE NATION'S PRICELESS ASSETS.

Intelligent young men and women, and happy, contented homes —these are the nation's priceless assets. As we contemplate the increasing number of homes being purchased to-day by ambitious young married couples, we may well recall the sublime thought of Robert Burns: “ From scenes like these our country’s grandeur springs, That makes her loved at home, rever’d abroad.” The feeling for home is especially vital in this community, always a centre of staunch ideals. THE SYMBOL OF | CIVILISATION. I Throughout the span of the centuries. “ home ” has ever been the cornerstone of progress and personal happiness Character, sincerity, health, courage—all of these attributes developed with home ownership. And to-day, as always, the family that owns its home is living up to the nation’s finest traditions. FINANCIAL INDEPENDENCE. COMES WITH HOME OWNERSHIP. Saving money is coming to have a deeper meaning to thinking young people who investigate it through the laws of thrift, for it means not only independence from want but independence from the consequence of want. A sound method of saving money is to set about acquiring a home of your own. And the steady increase in values of modern houses is an added inducement. A profit of a few hundred pounds when it becomes necessary to give up possession is a trifle that most people can appreciate. THRIFT. Home-owning and thrift go hand in hand. It is a business asset to own your own home. It means to the world that you are a man of thrift and foresight—a man who plans wisely and whose judgment is therefore trustworthy. For a man with a family, the buying of a home is more than an investment. It is a loving forethought for his wife and the kiddies—it means generous protection against the chances of the future. What a senseless waste of money to be lining the pocket of some other house-owner each month, when the same amount can be paid on a home of your own! Home ownership brings not only financial independence, but it enables the family to live in a selected residential district, to enjoy the companionship of other fine people, to live in lifelong comfort and security, That home which rent receipts might have bought! Might have, but didn’t. Rent receipts have never yet bought a home. Thoughtful, intelligent people realise this; that’s why so many of them have stopped being renters and have become happy, prosperous home owners in and around Christchurch.