The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-10-20
REAL ESIA1E ANU
BUILDING NEWS
Houses for Salaried Men,
and Wage Farmers
Are Scarce.
ACTIVE DEMAND
FOX SMALL HOMES
business III Real Estate Shows
Improvement "A Few Large
Deals Consunmated-Auction
Sales Well Attendcd--Sub-
urbs Activc-All House
Builders Busy.

Builders Busy.
Tie real estate business is pulling
itself together for the fall and winter
activity. AZ yet the safes In the CITY
proper are largely confined TO trans
actions in small property, which Isl
very much in demand. The agents VINO
had auction sales last week were agree
ably surprised at the very large ut
tendance OF prospective buyers. THIS
is taken as a very good sign Of the
times, showing us 1t does that good
money Is seeking investment IN Rich
lnond and suburban realty.
And yet the most active demand con-
tinues for small property. To Illus
trate: Messrs. j. T. Goddin e Co. last
week offered at auction q two-story
brick house on West Cay Street. Tue
attendance OF buyers was much larger
than expected. and tho bidding was
spirited. until the house wa knocked
out Mt $500. This is the class OF prop
crty that is in such active demand. and
more OF It could be sold II II was on
the market.
"Rentcrs. Very Scarce.
AS for renting, there are not near
enough homes OF this kind to meet the.
demand of people anxious tn rent
roof to live under. Several agents FUR
nisll the information that their rental
lists OF such homes have long since
been exhausted. One agent appealed
To The Dispatch TO render aid
in urging men OF large means who
iIaye Richmond's best interest at heart.
To build more of such houses for rent.
lie says high-priced mechanics and
well-saiaried business men are in need
81 such homer. They are good and
prompt rent-payers. and this agent
fears they will be driven from Rich
,nond unless they can find good. COM
Portable houses to rent for their fam
titles TO live In. This agent declared
that IL there were more small homes
That could be rented out at moderate
figures. there would he less complaint
on the part OF manufacturers and bus
iness men generally about the scarcity
of skilled labor.
Noticeable Improvement.
Nearly all Of the agents report that
while business. 70 far as selling and
buying are concerned. continues some
what duller than they would like to
zee 1T. there was much Improvement
Turing the past week. Inquiries being
more numerous and the inclination to
invest being more noticeable than at
we're ended. but. as before stated, the
inquiry Is more, for small residences
on the cheap order than for either
expensive residence property or busi-
ness sites. However. several business
men have been overlooking desirable
ritcs. and It mau be said that sew
sral large deals have been put ION the
,tring'' subject to future development
One noticeable sale of business pro-
perty during the week was .snt of
the storehouse on Marshall Street. near
Fifth. Mrs. Marietta Brown sold the
property to Messrs. c. q. and @. Is.
harper for $4,000.
A Franklin Street residence located
near Fifth Street also changed hands
during the week. the conside ration be-
Ing 312,500. Mrs, Recca S. Ellyson was
the purchaser.
The weather has beenTin all respects
) favorable. and there has been no
trouble during the week about show
ing property. q thing that the agents
are always gl~d to do. but only few
consummations OF large sales have
been made. According to the best es-
innate. the total of sales actually COLI
animated during the week amounted
10 about $4,000, which is decided inn
provement on the sales OF last week.
And yet some of, the agents complain
Of slow business. Deeds were record
I'd showing largely over sI25,000, but
some of these sales We're made some
lime ago.
Variable News.
There IS no business in the world
that Is subjectSto so many queer sltun-
tions and strange results as that OF
real estate. One agency may have an
absolutely blank week. scoring not q
single sale. although the agency may
have had all of Its members busy
showing property every day in the
week. The neighboring agency may
have, With considerably less visible
effort, scored good sale each day in
the week. Another week may show
the thing turned completely around
Thus 1t is that when one man reports
dull business, 1t is no sign that there
has been nothing doing. a searchel
after real estate news that Is news
haste go the complete rounds to gel
1T the bottom, facts.
On the whole, the situation is quiet
with business improving from day tt
day, but as yet showing nothing, like
10 rushing demand for anything eXcep
the cheaper residence property. The
activity In this line Is sufficient to keer
u all the agents busy, although the tota
q of their sales. in the nature of the
pase, does not foot up SO large MS Il
their transactions were along otho,
and more expensive lines.
The Suburbs Show Activity.
The suburbs We're active all thu
week. and good sales are reported u
iintar Park. Highland Park. Bartos
Heights, and other suburbs.
Tho C;inter Park people report {
N,teady stream OF buyers. not a. Yer,
arge stream, but q steady and Yer!
Interesting one. II q Il s5 II, Y
During the week the company dis
posed OF four choice lots to prospective
home-builders The demand for tht
high class property Is on the increase
fContinucd on Third Page y