Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-12-09
REAL ESTATE OUTLOOK;
J TWO OR MORE OPINIONS
Business That Has Been at Standsti!l
for Long Time Shows Some
Signs OF Revival.
MANY WOULD BUILD HOMES
When They Get on Market for Lots
There VIII BE Something Doing.
Agents Not Agreed as to Date of
Revival.

While rcadjustment OF business to
peace conditions and the revamping OF
industrial propositions and kindred
subjects are so much under discussion.
there arc many real estate agents and
other business men who hre asking.
What about real este?
Trading in Richmond realty has
been pretty much at IL standstill for
long time. The old-timc activity be-
came 4 thing of the past before this
country got into the world war. ana
SO the long -drawn-out dulncss in thi.
branch of business was primarily due
the war had the effect OF making all
discussion of a revival out of the qucs-
ton. But. now that peace has come
and other lines OF business that sur
fcrcd by the war are getting back to
normal. or at least see their way soon
to get back. and now that other causes
TO put n dampcr on the business have
disappeared. some OF the real estate
agents can see no good reason for \
much longer continued dizziness and are
the firm belief. that the time is not far
distant when there will be marked ac-
tivi'y in their line. Some go so far AZ
10 set date for the beginning of the
when IL does come. will be all the NOR.
pronounced because of the long holt
day.
Even these optinrists do rot look for
any great amount of speculation. but
they say there are and have been 70,
wb .'G ;G I'M t,tne e, large number Of men
on them, but who have been held back
ior various reasons none OF which is
lack or money. and these men are not
going to remain homeless much longer.
The slightest break in the extra high
cost OF building material. together with
s enG r ion OF an sovGrnmentai re.
men into the market 70 rcigibe lots on
whlch TO butd the ong-contemplated
homes. That: they Say. will start the
real estate business to moving, and
once started the activity will likely
grow until the old-time business will
come GO ,eol into TO- its own aEain lust when
ana predicted the agents arc not
agreed. Some of them are calculating
on decide hmovement with the very
opnning OF the new year while Others
put IL Off until spring, and possibly u
majority OF them are of the opinion taht
it will be springtime before the agents
eligible lots and drawing up the pa
pers coniirmatory OF good sales made.
hhnTe are some agents in Richmond
rival of the real estate business for a
year or more yet. They cannot. or
al nea s scast roc DO not eve any very definite
or for their lack OF faith in the
prophecies OF the oDtimists. except that
mere VII! he no big selling of lots un-
I'll a building boom can be inauxurated.
ana that is NEXT to impossible. they
argue with building material and labor
quoted at anything like their present
lrces. ~
Hui.dinG operations are. OF course.
nj standstill. and have been ever
since restrictions were placed on pri
Nate enterprise in the building line
No" That these estrictions are being
removed. several contracts chat had
hccn closed with building contractors
,efore the embryo was placed upon
them are soon TO he carried out and
quito number that were practically
completed are being revived and nut
IN shape. but no new contracts Of any
dimensions have hen made lately TIL,
contractors say there is some INQUIRY
hut there is nothing yet to lead them
TO look for any imposing building