The morning call., 1895-01-05
REALTY PROSPECT
Too Early in the Season
to Criticize.
A GOOD TIME TO INVEST.
Land i'm the City Can Be Had
at Cheap Prices.
OPENING THE TREADwELL TRACT
An Important Improvement Out by
Golden Gate Park-Review OF
the Years Business.


with any degree Of assurance as to the
likelihood OF any change In the situation
of the real estate market. Undoubtedly
those people with judgment and having
meant to invest will quietly pick up
everything in the way Of a good invest
ment, but it remains to be seen if the ordl-
nary class of buyers will still hesitate to
take advantage of the numerous oppor-
tunities of securing bargains that every
day are presented.
Undoubtedly marked Improvement
will be witnessed during the year In build
ing interests. Numerous properties that
have lain vacant Tor some time will be i'm
proved with modern and substantial struc-
lures. This will be particularly the case
with medium-class residence property.
Notwithstanding the great number Of
dwellings that have been erected within
the past few years, there is dearth of
two-story houses, ranging in rental value
from $50 to $45 q month, that will meet
the requirements of families of three to
five persons. Almost an unlimited mum Der
of such houses could be rented without
difficulty, and any one having lots that can
be improved to advantage with houses of
this character need not hesitate in i'm
proving them. As for three-story fats,
which seem TO be the most recent fad with
landlords. on account of incomes to be de-
rived from investments, agents say that
the supply is already greater than the de-
mand. Evidence of this Is seen in the
large number of flats now lying idle
throughout the city.
In a short review of the past year Umb-
sens Real Estate Record makes The fol-
lowing comment:
sit is the general custom to give re.
view of past business on the first of the
New Year. Under most circumstanc es
this is good custom, but for the year 1894
the least said he better. A year has
passed in which much less real estate
business has been transacted than should
have been he case had the people of this
city and State a true faith in the great
future in store for California; and much
more was done than could possibly have
been the case during financial depression
had not the real estate market been sound
to the core.
THE displeasing feature of this years
business has been the desire shown by
both large and small capitalists to with
draw funds from active investments and
allow the NJ oney to lay dormant in saw
ings banks and sometimes even in safe de-
post vaults drawing nc interest at all.
The appeiatlon savings bank speaks
for itself. 1t is place where savings can
be safely placed. drawing a reasonable in-
tereSt, until the amount accumulated is
sufficient for proper investment in real es-
tate or business. These banks were never
intended as places where blocks OF capital
could be locked up and the wheels of busi-
ness be thereby blocked. In their proper
place savings banks are admirable ms titu-
tons and deserve to be largely patronized
by the citizen desiring to get a start in
business or 10 buy homestead. but out
side of this they do harm instead of good.
The action of a man who would allow his
money 10 lie In safe deposit vault draw
ing no interest, when the whole COM
munity is suffering from dearth of money,
is too mean TO deserve comment. Had
not this course of false economy been ex-
tensively followed the volume of business
done in 1894 would have been much
greater.
There is still a much larger amount of
money In the savings banks than should
be allowed there, and now that the rate Of
interest has been lowered for ordinary de-
posits to 4 per cent and to 4 $40 for term
deposits. ii is probable that much money
will be Withdrawn and applied'to other
purposes, principally the purchase OF
realty"
The building business of 1894 fell short
of eXpectations. 1t is twelve years since
the total figures were lower than the ag-
gregate showing of last year. Still, If
NJ i'd wiuter Fair contracts were subtract
from the statistics of 1898, possibly an in
crease would be noted on that period.
According to VOTES Building News, the
number and totals of building contracts
for the last ten wears are AS follows.