The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-01-20
REAL ESTATE AND
BUILDING NEWS
Gloomy Weather Has Its
Drawbacks, But Bust
ness is Fairly Good.
BUILDERS ARE
CATCHING UP
Manchester Is Active and Real
Estate Men Report Several
Deals-Barton Heights
On Something Of
Boom-Other
Notes.

No business transacted in Richmond de-
ponds more upon weather conditions than
that OF real estate. During the past week
these conditions have been unfavorable
To high degree Said one who was
interviewed In the latter part of the
week, when the clouds hung heavily over
all OF the eastern section OF the state:
This Is splendid ducking weather, but
II Is mighty tough on the real estate
business. When the clouds hang heavily
over us, and every minute threatens TO
bring more rain, We can't get real estate
deals TO move. But they do say that in
This kind OF weather the ducks down on
the Pamunkey River are moving with an
activity that simply charms the shooter.
There lis nothing in real estate, and am
off for the swamps, where the ducks
are numerous and flying low enough TO
come In reach of my gun
The hunting clothes that this individual
wore indicated that he meant what he
said, and, as he held In his hand a
railway ticket. 1t was fair to presume
that he expected bigger profits in the
swamps than he could possibly make In
the real estate business under the then
prevailing weather conditions.
Indoor Business Active.
However. II takes very damp weather to
head all the real estate men off and to
check all real estate transactions. In
spite OF unfavorable weather conditions
good deal OF office business was trans
acted during the week and some fairly
large deals Were perfected. but as usual
the real estate men We're reticent and
not disposed to make public their bust
ness.
All the auction sales announced for the
week were called off because of the bad
weather and tho clouds and rains that
kept buyers from assembling. Several
OF the agents report deals OF a private
nature involving many thousands OF dol
lars. but they positively refuse to give
particulars.
Messrs. ]. Thompson Brown & Com
pany report the sale privately OF large
number OF lots In the new West End
annex. as offered by them on Jacauelin,
Dance. Ashland and other Streets.
a surprising feature to them Is the
fact that, while they offer easy monthly
terms, many of the purchasers are paying
all cash. No less than eighteen lots were
marked off the map as sold last week
and had the weather been good, Mr.
Brown says, thrice that number might
have been sold. Among the purchasers
were Messrs q. 3, Smith, J. j. Jones,
a. j. Haley, j. S. Braxton. and others
The purchasers in 4iost cases expect TO
build homes at once. although some OF
them think they have made investments
that will afford a profit at an early day,
and they will probably hold the lots for
surely-expected advance.
There continues an active demand for
small houses, both by renters and home
seekers. who want 10 buy, and all tho
q in this line
than the supply can satisfy
This condition OF affairs keeps alive
the agitation in favor of the formation
of a company to buy lands and erect
small houses, to be sold on accommodate
ing terms or to be rented at reasonably
moderate rates. All are agreed that such
a company would do well. not only for
themselves but for the community in
general; but up to the present time no
men with the necessary means to put
such a movement on a good financial
basis have come forward to take stock.
Manchester Activity.
Manchester real estate agents re-
port more inquiry for Industrial sites
than they have known for several
years, Several large deals have re-
Gently been made in that locality. and
one agency reports not less than six
ION the string" that he thinks will
be contaminated within the next week
or ten days.
Vacant property in Manchester OF
which small homes may be erected IS
also reported to be in active demand,
and the agents say they are doing as
good business in this line as they could
possibly expect. Over In that town the
agents have to contend with diff
Guilty that has heretofore been noticed
on the north side of the river. Holders
OF real estate. some of whom arc
anxious enough to convert their ground
into money, have gotten their ideas
rs to value considerably inflated, and
to put the matter In the simplest Ian
guage, are simply asking much more
for their property than it is worth and
will be worth for some time to come.
A Manchester agent said to The
Ulmes-Dlspatch man yesterday: II do
not think the people who own business
or manufacturing sites on our side
of the river are asking too much for
their property, but the man who holds
property that Is good for, and Is want
I'd for, small homes gets an idea that
that Kind OF ground ought to bring
as much money as a business or man
ufacuring site, and no kind OF argu-
ment will convince him that a piece
of ground that is. not fit for any
anything in the world except a small
residence Is not worth Just as much
money as larger piece of ground
that Is good for business purposes. So
If l get, say, $25 a front foot for a
good manufacturing site, the man who
owns a little thirty foot lot, somewhere
on the same street that Is good only
for q small residence can't Very we'll
understand why Iyshould not get s25
per front foot for him ALSO, when, as
a matter of fact, l cannot get over $40. .
Notwithstanding these drawbacks the
real estate business In Manchesteris good.
and during the past week several large
deals We're made. The court records show
that much property is Exchanging ha!sG&
Busy Buildesa