The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-04-28
REAL ESTATE AND
BUILDING NEWS
Ali Transactions of Past
Week Were on
Small Order
AGGREGATE SALES
WERE BIG ENOUGH
Suburban Property More in De-
mand - Richmond Slow to
Learn Its Value, but Hav-
ing Learned, People
Are Eager to
Invest.

IIlbSOl.
There Is no denying the fact that
the past week has been very dull with
the real estate dealers. The agents,
TO quote one OF them, have hardly
made salt" That means. IL 1t means
anything at all. that the agents have
not been able 10 close any of the big
deals they have had 'on the string"
for 10 these many days. 1t is n big
deal that makes salt for the real es-
tate agent, and when lie gets in the
habit OF making large transactions that
count up a great pile or commissions
In a lump he gets in the way Of be-
lifting small transactions such sales
as thousand dollar lots or two and
three thousand dollar houses.
For this reason when a weeks busi-
or the smaller kind no matter how
immense may be the aggregate. the
well-trained real estate man calls 1t
small business or no business at all.
Many Small Sales
The fact is that something like sl25.-
900 worth of real estate changed
hands during the week Just closed,
but II was all done in small transae-
tIons that the agents think are not
worth quoting.
This simply means that small homps
and small, or. more accurately SPEAK
ing. cheap lots are much more in de-
7nand than the handsome homes and
the fancy priced lots.
The auction sales that were announced
FOR the week were fairly well attended
when the weather permitted. but somehow
the bidding was not altogether as spirited
as the sellers desired. and most OF the
property put under the hammer was taken
out again.
Object Of Auction Sales.
But that does not mean anything in
particular. An announced auction Is not
always intended to effect a sale. Some
,!rneS-very often. in fact-an auction
sale is merely IA fee.er, intended only to
give the seller an idea of who wants to
buy tho particular property advertised
for sale in order that he may be In
better position TO negotiate privately. An
attempt, or n pretense, at an auction
sale very often ends in splendid pri-
vate transaction that the public knows
not OF. At least three auction sales that
were announced for the past week were
merely .feelers" OF the kind intimated.
They resulted in private sales, and the
parties Interested are keeping the details
very private.
Ieal estate GSsUtS Always StI'tt'S
business, and no class OF men in Rich
1nond or elsewhere know better how to
talk when talking pays, or how to keep
quiet when in their opinion talking does
not pay. When one makes a big salc
for industrial purposes or otherwise, he
is not slow to tell the newspaper man
about 1t, that all the world may know
of the great things he has accomplished;
but when his weeks transactions are on
the small order, as last week. he Is the
most discreet man and the mummest
kind OF man to be found in months
travel.
Nothing Great Was Doing.
Every agency in the city interviewed
yesterday shook its head. and said,
''Nothing doing" That simply meant
that nothing very large was doing.
Not mothers son of chem stopped
to figure up the small transactions.
npd show that an aggregate of small
business is sometimes larger than one
or two good-sized transactions.
But all tho same, Richmond people
are investing their surplus cash in real
estate. and holding the same as a bet-
ter Investment than stocks and bonds.
Many such investments have been made
during the past week, but no amount
of pumping and interviewing can get
the principals and agents to tell about
these deals until all the papers have
been passed. Among such investment
deals of the past week was the pur-
chase of West Broad Street property
known as sos and $40 by NIessrs. Isaac
and Moses Thaihimer. The purchase
was made of Messrs. c. L. & III. l.. De-
noon on private terms. and 1t is said
that the Messrs. Thalhimer will
greatly improve the property and hold
it as n permanent dividend producing
investment.
Ginter Park.
The suburbs report active business
and increased inquiry for homes or
yond tho city hot air.
1t must be said that Richmond has
been backward in recognizing the great
advantages Of the beautiful country lying
to the north of tho city gates as place
of residence, but at last a steady stream
IS flowing that way, and building homes
in and about Ginter Park, Barton Heights
and Chestnut Hill. In all of these places
are found practically all the advantages
of city life, combined with the lhcstlmaple
benefits of the country
Ginter Park Is especially we'll adapted
to the needs of the discriminating home
seeker. This property lays we'll, Is beau
tifully developed. having n complete sew
eragc system, fine water service, Wlde'
macadamized avenues. thousands of shade
trees. miles of beautiful hedges, excellent
trolley service for one fare. churches
and schools convenient and it is being
built up with exceptionally good resi-
dences, It Is to-day one Of tho social
centres Of our city.
Tho Union Theological Seminary, with
ffs. Dth1atip fiffG. tbn Rpp Hunt
Club. Lakeside Park and the Lakeside
Country Club, all located in this vicinity,
appeal strongly to the lover of the coun-
try and to the younger social set. x
great future awaits tho full development
of this section, and now is the time to
buy
Mr.. Harry d, EHcheberger has Just