The Topeka state journal., 1908-02-08

/ L
Pacific is relatively cheaper than else
| where. The western part of the state
has been pretty well filled up and those
who invested heavily in Texas land are
| getting out from under.
The Rickenbacher Realty. Loan and
| Investment Co.: We have had more
| inquiries by bona f1de buyers In the
| last week or ten days than we have
had for six months. We find many peo-
pie who say they think their money will
| be safer in real estate than in the
| banks. Our sales and transactions have
been very satisfactory and we believe
| the outlook for large number of sales
| during the spring and summer Is very
good. Inquiry for farming property is
dropping off some and people are giving
more Of their attention to city property,
| though quite a number of deals 1nyoiV-
| ing farm lands are pending with parties
| from other sections Of the state. The
new loan proposition we have to offer
parties with small means for buying
| homes on easy payments Is q great
winner and quite q few have already
availed themselves Of the opportunity
of discontinuing the payment OF rent
| through our proposition.
Rodgers, Davis & Co.: It looks to me
| is If the prospects for real estate busl-
| ness are better in Topeka today tnan
they have been for year past; there
are more inquiries for property, espec-
| tally for good business and good resi-
dence properties, than there have been
We notice that inquiries are coming
| in from substantial farmers, both OF
Shawnee county and out over the state.
Our sales Of improved city property In
January. this year were almost double
what they were a year ago. Ihere are
| a good many inquiries from out over
the state and some from Iowa for rarm
properties. We sold one piece to an
Iowa man who said several of his
neighbors were coming Down TO IN
vest in Shawnee county land. He was
much surprised at the cheapness OF
our farms, saying that farm land in his
home county, no better than ours, Is
bringing more than double the price
demanded for land here. There are
comparatively few good houses vacant
in the city. People are demanding bet,
ter improvements, more modern ana
up to date homes, and owners have got
to make their residence properties more
desirable than ever. All the mats,
something comparatively new in Tope-
ka, are occupied at exorbitant rents
$35 and $40 q month. Contractors say
there are more investments for build
ing in sight than last year. One thing
Topeka needs today worse than any
thing else is more first-class business
rooms. Hardly day passes that We
who want to come to Topeka to go into
business but are unable to secure suit
able quarters.
R. D. Blaine: There has been no de-
probation of values in good, available
property; properties not so desirable
find slow sale. I believe that before
the season is over people will find this
to be true. City property can not be
bought for less, and in many cases
more is asked, than a year ago. Land
values in Kansas generally, especially
alfalfa and wheat land, are holding
right up and instead of decreasing
seem rather tending to an advance.
Kansas is in better shape than ever be
fore-better than any other state. Its
banks are full of money, it's farmers
have a surplus of cash, buildings and
other improvements have been paid for,
and the conditions are all favorable
for continuance of the era Of pros
perity that was begun some time ago.
1t is the eastern states that are suf-
fering now and Kansas is all right.
Clearinghouse Realty Co.: While the
financial stringency has a slight ten
dency to depreSs the real estate market,
people who want to invest their money
in farm or city property are not few,
and they are doing 1t. We have more
inquiries for cash payments than we
ever had before. Having several build
ing contracts already, we believe that
department is going to flourish this
year. However times may be, eastern
Kansas farms are not going to decrease
in value. They are the general source
of supply for the whole world and if.
the factories shut down to any extent
the people are going to be sent to this
country to make a living. While many
will not be able to buy farms, few of
them will and that will have tendency
to make transactions in farm lands
active and good. We really expect to do
better this year than last, and we didn't
| do so badly last year,
G. D. LytIe, ESQ, owner of WeStlawn:
I have had more lockers who are in
| the market to buy either homes or va
| cant lots within the last thirty days
than at any time since I have been
| building up Westlawn, regardless of the
season. sold a nice home and a pair
of vacant lots this week and have sew
| eral good prospects. I also will build
not less than ten more new modern
| homes this spring, which will fill up the
| Westlawn addition. People who have
| been looking forward to a time when
they can buy building material for less
| than during the last year or two are go
ing to be disappointed by not getting 1t
any cheaper. Some few items in df-
mension lumber may be little less,
but finishing lumber will be enough
higher to make up for the decreased
price in the other line.
| LOFltl c 0Oh. Gill SOiIiS " lSu yOu
the truth, said Mr.. Lovitt, Sr. The real
estate business is very quiet and the
outlook no better than that of any 9TH
er recent year. The situation has been
worse ever since the panic and though
| the demand is better than 1t was a
month or six weeks ago 1t is only the
natural demand. II anything. 1t Is not
so good as year ago. The situation
| with regard to farm land and town