The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-04-19
ACTIVITY IS 4 HEALTHY SIGN Real Estate Affected by City'S
 Great Prospects CONSERVATIVE VAL ES Investors Are Showing Wisdom In Re- cent Purchases of Birmingham Property-No Inflated Boom
 Is Invited.
CONSERVATIVE VAL LIE $

The great activity in the Birmingham real estate market during the past few months has been a subject of much com ment by people in the city and by visit ors from other sections who are inter- ested in the district.
 While an unusually large amount of property has recently changed hands, there Is gratifying unanimity of opinion that the present condition does not partake at all of the nature of boom. Conservative investors are buying choice property simply for the income they expect it to yield them. They are just becoming convinced of the safety and wisdom of such an investment.
 Brmngham's Rightful Place.
 Investors see that nothing can hold Birmingham back from her rightful place as a leader among southern cities. They see that an age of iron and steel has come in which these staples will be ex- tensively used in every kind of building and constr uction work. They realize that this district Is in a position to produce such staples cheaper than any other place in the world. They remember the time when Birmingham's highest ambi- ton was to ship all her pig iron to Pitts burg and Cleveland and Chicago, to be rolled into rails and used for making all kinds of steel tools; and they realize now that even today Birmingham makes such things at home, and that within a few years 1t will make many more; that an immense, increasing revenue will be poured into the districts coffers, enhance 4.- ~.r. .,-t.r Jefferson county.
 Even now real estate investments are open which offer a positive revenue to the purchaser of from to 20 per cent per year.
 It Is but natural when all these things are considered that much property should be changing hands. Compared with other southern cities, business and resi- dence property is very cheap at the present time. A centrally located piece of business property in Birmingham that is worth 5000 a foot is worth 5000 in Att lanta and $4O0O in Memphis
 Since 1t is reasonably anticipated that Birmingham. within the next five or ten years, will be larger than Memphis, the property can be expected to more than double in value during that time.
 Real estate men are all hopeful and en- thusiastic about the present status and lnelf NdTlouS OplnlunS Wlll De interesting.
 Healthy Activity.
 A. Fulenwider, president of the Bir- mingham Realty Co.-There is no boom at present. It Is simply a healthy activity that should be gratifying to every cti- zen of Birmingham. Prices are very low now compared with other leading south. ern cities and compared with the unna- tural boom prices of a few years ago.
 l sold a piece of property this morning for 1925 a foot that sold for a little over $600 foot during boom days There has really been no advance in the price of Birmingham real estate during the past two years. Residence property is just as cheap, comparatively, as business prop erty. It is generally acknowledged that some of the handsomest building sites in the city are on the northside, and yet the prettiest and best located corners 200 feet deep, can be bought for $25 a foot.
 Eugene Brown of Brown Bros & Co., The most notable feature to me about the present condition is that every piece of business property that is being sold is to be improved. Lots are bought to erect buildings on and the result will be an unprecedented era of construction work during the summer.
 Sure to Go Ahead.
 M. P. Messer of the Messer- Moore h. surance and Real Estate Co.-Most of the sales l have made recently have been for spot cash This is a sure sign of the permanency of the investment. Purchas- CTS want complete control of their prop erty either to erect new buildings or to make permanent improvem- nts on It.
 w. N. Malone of the Malone Real Estate and Insurance Co.-Birmingham is sure to go ahead, and investors are just becom- ing convinced of 1t. Property is not too high now nor we want to see 1t take on an inflated valuation. It is perfectly natural that there should be a gradual rise in it's value from now on and 1t looks as though the increase will be step by step and not by leaps and bounds as is always characteristic of a boom.
 w. B. Leedy of w. B. Leedy x Co., While the present activity seems to be most noticeable in business property, yet there is also quite a little residence prop erty changing hands, As a matter of fact, real estate located anywhere in Br- mingham is recognized as a good invest ment.
 Robert Jemison, Jr., of the Jemson Real Estate and Insurance Company We continue to have more inquiries to buy property than we can supply. There is every evidence that the present activ- ity will continue, for the coming of the Seaboard and the Illinois Central rail- roads is sure to act as a further stimu- Jus to the real estate business. One of the most notable features of the situation to me is the fact that we are receiving so many inquiries from parties in the small CT towrs of the state who want to invest money in Birmingham. It goes to show that the eyes of the whole state are turned toward this city.
 J. Cary Thompson of the Thompson Realty Company-We are interesting a great many people in residence sites. Most of our operations are confined to residence property, and especially to An derson Place on South Highlands; and while great activity is manifested in business property, there is just as much of a demand for suitable residences and sites.
 Demand for Homes.
 F. NJ. Roof-There is an immense de- mand for homes. The influx of people to the city Is very large and many of them want to buy. Most of them want homes ranging in price from 5000 to s4000. There has never been so much building going on as at present. and still the supply of residences Is inadequate. S. k. Thompson-The sales that have been made during the past few months have spoiled the sellers. There are plenty of people who want to buy, but it Is very difficult matter to get buyer and seller together. I had a buyer today and for him offered a man $500 more for piece of property than he has been ask ing for the past three months. and he rec fused 1t. C. L. Stickney of C. L. Stickney & Co., The only trouble now Is with the sellers. Every man thinks that because his sold a piece of property for a fair price that he ought to have at least