The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-12-29
Much Topeka Property Has
Changed Hands.
READY FOR NEXT YEAR
Indications That Building Boom
Will Continue.
Talk of Syndicate Purchasing
Keith Track for Residences.

year which is about to open, most of
them with hopeful chances toward the
future. In the year 1903. in spite of the
flood, perhaps in consequence of it,
much real estate has changed hands
in Topeka, many people have built new
residences and more have purchased
residence property with a view of
building if future conditions Justify. A
few sales of business property have
been made and some substantial build
ing has been done. In the farming
localities around the city a steady in
crease in land prices and a continued
demand for lands has been observed.
And for the year to come Topeka real
estate men are inclined to- forecast
very similar account of things. Gradu-
ally, as for several building seasons
past, the movement of residence build
ing has been west and southwest. Or
chard Place has sold out well. Almost
all of the best of its locations have
been taken UP. A few houses are in
construction on it and more are in
contemplation. Western avenue, Ty-
Ter street, Fillmore and Clay south of
Tenth avenue are filling with SubStan-
tial residences. Several more IN the
vicinity of Fifteenth on these streets
are planned for the coming season
Central park and its promise OF be-
coming attractive under the endeavors
OF the Topeka board of park commits
sioners has had a benefiffcent int1u-
ence on property about 1t in all direc-
lions. During the past six months or
q year a dozen small houses have been
built directly west of the park within
a few blocks of 1t. Some of these are
very pretty cottages and few eight
and ten room houses are among them
As Emmett E. Roudebush said today;
There is no reason to anticipate
change in the building business. II
tlzTe ND
demand for rental properties remains
the same. At present cold weather IS
retarding real estate activity of all
sorts but I believe that with spring 1t
will begin f1ourishing again
Il look to the Keith tract to be the
next important addition to the resi-
dence portion of Topeka, said e T.
Strauss of the Strauss agency. Its
location is very desirable. That will
be placed on sale about April 1, and
understand that a company is organ
izing to purchase the entire tract ana
open it for building. With the excep-
ton of a slight gully on the. east side
the tract is admirably laid out for resi-
uence use. 1 understand also that as
soon as it IS opened the Topeka railway
company Will put track through II,
and the nearness of the POtWin station
on the West Sixth avenue line will
practically give the whole neighborhood
seven-minute car service. do not
know who are in the proposed synd1-
cate Out SilOulu luluh II d NClJ 5OOO
proposition"
1t is anticipated by a number of OBJ
servant real estate men that there may
be some money in the handling of
Highland Park property when warm
weather comes. Just at the present
time the street car service given by
the "Vinewood Park Limited" is not
the most satisfactory to people who de-
pend entirely upon it for transporta-
tiOn. When the Vinewood line was
opened last summer the service was
good. 1t continued so as long as the
amusement season at the park con-
tinued, but with the settling down of
cold weather the Topeka railway COM
pany substituted very diminutive and
''jigglesome" car for the large Vine
wood cars and reduced the number of
runs to about one per hour. Since then
interest in Highland Park building
properties has subsidized nOticeably. H
g. Bowman in particular is keeping
track of the real estate opportunities
in Highland Park. He is of the opin-
ion that the settlement that will come
in the course of another season will
guarantee to the locality satisfactory
street car service. There are certainly
Highland Park.
ut is no breach of confidence" re-
marked H. NJ. Philips in his usual con-
servabvely confidential manner ito
say that Shawnee county, and Kansas
farm properties generally, are in good
demand. Sales of it have been steady
at advancing prices. 1t is substantial
advancement, which is proven by the
fact that great part of the sales at
present are to farmers who are in
creasing their holdings, having found
their first Investment profitable. In
every part of the state the tone of
things is the same, and looking back
II IS to be seen that the presRt con-
dition of good values is the top notch
OF an advancement that has been I'M
der way for a long while. There is
nothing IN the atmosphere to make me
think that the coming year will be any
less profitable one to us who iuggIe
in farm values"
we are head over heels in farm busi
ness said S NJ. Wood. The most of
II is IN rentals, to which we nav con-
siderable attention. There are more
applications for rentals from people who
are willing to pay good prices right now
IMAM there have been for a long while.
IN many cases the applications are
made by outsiders who want to rent fol
season or two and find out. We have
some people from the northern states
VINO want to come where it IS warmer.
VI course, too, considerable of the bust
ness IS made by home people who are
changing locations and by young men
just starting out. The country is filling
This is not the right time of year to
talk real estate" said George B. PAYNE.
It is very duh right now. Very little
city property is being sold because il is
us t41l'S VI the year. however,
l am hoping for a good season again. as
we have had during the past year, and
see no reason why the real estate bust
ness should decline any from its pre-
vious prosperous condition.
H T. Barnes of the Barnes Real F,s-
tate agency is hopeful OF a good season
On city properties as soon as there Is
an opportunity for business to begin4
He said:
AT this time of the year there is new
er much doing in city properties Bust
ness is better for the farm property men
because the farmers have a little time
off to look around. Business property
is very quiet. 1t is too good an invest
inent to make it very frequent in the
market But the good rents and the
purchases of real estate during the past
season indicate that there is yet a lot
of building tC be done and I aDticinate