The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1908-06-21
RENTERS ARE BUSY;
MORE HOUSES WANTED
More Than Hundred Thousand
Dollars of Richmond Realty
Changed Hands in Week,
and the Midsunmec
Season Is Right
Here, Too.

past have not been as large In the
aggregate as the agents had expected,
but then the agents may have been n
little too optimistic. One hundred
thousand dollars, as the sum OF trans
actions, Is not to be sneezed at. and
then 1t must be remembered that q
majority OF the agents have been CIV
ing great deal OF their time to rental
matters. and just at this season OF the
year rental matters take up moro time
than sales.
All the agencies have moro or less
to do with rental affairs. and every
one OF them report that the portion
OF Richmond's population which pay
rents and live in rented houses have
been mighty busy during the past
week. True. the renters do not have
TO move, nor do they have to decide
rot to move until September lst. but
90 per cent. of them like to have that
whole matter settled and off of mind
at least sixty day previous to that
date. Hence the Ju7e activity among
renters.
Then. again: T. so hanpone this year
that rentable houses aYe unusually
scarce. and people who want to have
something In the way OF choice In the
matter OF houses have found it to their
accounts for the activlty of the renters
and tho rentees during the past week.
Letting Well Enough Alone.
An agent who has a long list OF
houses on his rental sheet tells me that
more people ARC staying where they
are than ever before known in the his
tory OF Richmond He predicts that
when the first Of September comes
around there Will be less moving from
place to place than Is usual. and that
the drayrnen w'llI have "a duHcr NOV
ing season than they Save saown in
very many years said IL agent:
The number OF stand pat: rs and
! stay where c-yoii-are-ater il eonsider-
ably larger this year dian have ever
known since 1 have been in tho real
estate and rental business
Whit 1t Ali Means.
This. taken In consideration with the
sactivities OF the building boom, which
has been on for not less than a year.
would seem to Indicate that people are
coming into Richmond from every sec
tion to look for homes.
The fact cannot be denied that more
homes haye been built during tho past
year than ever before known in the his
tory OF Richmond, and 1t is sure that
q large majority of the home-bu!lders
'N'' A'iatSA ANHNC1 o. oAlo Jot LILO US
nand for houses by renters appears
TO be greater than ever before. There
is but one conclusion to be reached. and
that is that the population OF Richmond
is increasing at rate never before
known.
II one happens to be Of an inquist-
tive turn OF mind. and seeks for an ex-
planation Of this condition of affairs.
he has only to make a study of the In
dustrial advancement OF the town with
in the last year.
Mechanics and all kinds OF wage
earners have been attracted to Rich
mond within the past year in numbers
that were never before thought OF;
investors have come here from all quar-
ters. and many folks from beyond the
State lines have come here to start
new industries. All OF these people
and their families have to live some
where. and this explains the urgent de-,
fnand 1or houses In every part of the
city and away out In the suburbs.
Wfso Investors.
Men OF means who are building
houses by the block for rent are fg-
uring wisely, and their profits are COM
Ing In we'll as the days go by The
truth Of all this appears In the fac.
that up to date the rental agents have
shorter lists than they have ever be-
1ore had at this season OF tho rental
period.
The fact is. the agents arc having a
much easier time this year than usual.
Tor very few people are giving up the
houses they have already been occupy-
Ing. and all the agents have to do. in
80 per cent Of the cases, Is to iii up
new lease, which Is promptly signed
up by the former tenant.
Over Hundred Thousand,
While 1t is true that the better part
OF the attention of the real estate uen
for the past week has been given TO
rental matters. some selling has been
going on. The estimates vary some-
what, but 1t is certain, as before stated.
that the actual sales for the week were
somewhere close to o,o0o-quite
likely considerably over that 1Hgure,
The largest sale Of the week was one
that has not been entirely consun.
mated. but It has gotten near enough
to completion to be mentioned. It was
the sale of the property No 400 East
Broad Street The agents, Messrs. ].
"a, Connolly s. Co.. who effected this
sale. are very reticent about the mat
ter, and refuse to give the names OF
the parties to the deal However,. 1t Is
known that the property involved has
been owned by the Friend estate, and
has for q number. OF years been occu-
pied by the Harris Hardware Cons
Ipany Tho name Of the purchaser Is
withheld, and no amount Of pumping
could bring It to the surface; but in
the course OF the pumping process the
fact leaked out that the amount Of
money changing hands on the deal Is
$4,000, and It Is also understood that
y, rn1, a la,
simple, and that no material changes
will be made In the property or Its dis
position.
Mig Options Strung.
The Times-Dispatoh man learned by
nook and crook, that there have been
several big options under consldera-
Zion the past week. Among them Is