The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-10-16
REAL ESTATE AND
BUILDING NEWS.
Quiet Week, Say Some
OF the Agents; Good
Business Anyhow.
DULL In THE CITY;
SUBURBS ACTIVE
Some Interesting Deals That
Were Made-Much Inquiry
for West End Property.
Activity About Battle
Abbey Site - Historic
Places Change Hands.

Places Change Hands.
1T has been rather quiet week and
no big thing sdoing." remarked one
OF the leading real estate agents as
he was confronted with the newspa-
per mars Interrogation mark. This
was an agent vho generally has some
thing to say whenever anything is
doing. for II he Is not in the doing
himself. which he usually is. he comes
very near to knowing what the other
fellows have been up to. However,
AFTER being pumped to some extent this
agent found a good deal to tell In
fact. when he came to lok over his pa
pers he found that his own sales foot
ed up much more than ne had thought
that is to say. something like $4,000.
But this was SO much smaller than his
usual weekly average he really
thought he had not been doing any
thing.
While 1t is true that the most Of the
sales OF the past week were on the
small order. there were a good many
OF that kind, and the aggregate runs
considerably over $4,000.
Sales Tint Were Made.
Within the city limits, perhaps the
largest sale pulled off during the week
was that made by John w. Bates, who
sold the business property at the cor
ner of Third and Broad Streets. 81 feet
front by 100 feet in depth. formerly
owned by II. F. and c. f. Grimmell.
Abe Marks. who occupies the property
as a store. was the purchaser, and the
price paid is understood to have been
$4,000. This is one OF the deals that
has veen on that string for quite
while. and It's contamination last week
Will not surprise the folks who keep
UP with these things Another sale OF
business property in the eastern part
of the city amounted to something
over $4,000 but the particulars can
not be obtained just now, as the buy
ers. who propose to utilize the property
for business purposes. belong to that
class which keeps all such matters
dead secret until the records OF the
court clerks reveal the same.
Spectators in Evidence.
An encouraging sign of the times is
that several investors" as they pre-
fer to call themselves, were on the
market last week. and II is known in
certain circles that one of them in
vested in quite batch OF property be-
low Fifteenth Street, and from there
on eastward the most Of which was
business property.
AS these Investors" are what would
be known In the West. or down in
Georgia, or anywhere else, except In
Richmond. as Spectators" and are
buying when they think they see
bargain only for the purpose OF selling
again at profit. they refuse to give
figures or any other kind of particu-
lars. and certainly they are wise in
this. but all the same the fact that
they have been active for the past two
weeks with their eyes on Church Hill
and neighboring property is very
good sign Of the times, for no people
on earth know better when the iron
Is warming up than these same in
vestors."
Much West End Inquiry.
Perhaps the greatest activity OF the
week was noticeable In the West End.
Not that the Gales were very large, al
though not few Were brought to
head. but certain signs In the asr
were very encouraging to the agents
and to the holders Of West End prop
erty.
The city authorities are doing a
great deal of sewer and grading work
in that locality. A large force OF hands
under engineers and surveyors IS pc
ing kept busy in the Soldiers Home
neighborhood arranging for sewers
and grading streets; getting ready for
the Battle Abbey work. The plans for
the Battle Abbey, 1t is believed. will
be announced within week, and all
of these things have aroused a new
interest in the property IN that re-
gion. 1t is likely that not less Than
q hundred prospective buyers OF lots
visited that sectio Mast week, ana the
agents who hold lands Whereabouts
fhair automobiles and
their buggies very busy.
S. Emmett Walters has broken ground
for the erection of handsome home
on the Boulevard diagonally across the
street from the Battle Abbey site.
The plans have been some time in the
hands Of architects and are now IN the
hands OF the contractors
Some sales were made IN the tar west
End, and from there all along through
the western region. H. Seldom Taylor
& Co, did some good business, IN that
tngion, having sold three lots on
Grove Avenue, near Allen Avenue,
upon which they say sresid zen WI WI
was to a nonresident, who is soon to
make Richmond his home. This firm
also sold some downtown property,
including an East Leigh Street resi-
dence and brick store on Brook ave-
nue..
Among number of sales made by
Amos s Poindexter was ITO feet on
Kensington Avenue. and mouse out
in that direction at prices that We're
encouraging to real estate men In
general
Suburban DOings.
The above rambling notes refer only
to properties within the city bounds.
and show that, while the agent quoted
in the outset as to the quietness Of the
week may be correct in the main. there
has really been something doing. There
is however no denying the fact that
the suburbs are decidedly more ac-
tive than is business within the old
Heights, Norwood. Highland Park and
all Of the suburbs to the north of the
city show activity. Not that so many
sales have been made, although quite
a number of lots and a few dwellings
changed owners the past week. but
the inquiry Is great and the kind
OF people who are going out to these
interesting home places to look at lots
are showing an interest that leads the
agents and the owners who want to
sell TO believe that there will be no