Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1919-05-11
CITY REAL ESTATE AND
J: BU|LD|NG OPERATIONS
Long.Drawn.Out Season Of Realty
Inactivity Has Reached an End.
Residences in Demand.
THE RIFT IN THE CLOUD wIDENs
Many Buyers OF Ready-Made Homes.
West End Deals Numerous-Ac-
a tivlty Also MISUNDERSTANDING
Operations-Small Homes Wanted.

The Richmond real estate dealers
see rift In the clouds that have
overhung the realty market for the
it is. Just why there should have been
this let down in dirt dealing" In
this city In the early days OF 1915
none OF the experts have ever been
able TO explain. and that 1t should
have lasted 30 long is mystery that
seems to have been unfathoma ble or
course, the war had bad effect on
ness was at its height before the war
became really a part of Americas
business. and 1t held on far beyond
inc expectations OF the most pessi
However. all OF this is past history
nov, for II is believed. and opera
lions for the past FIVE or six weeks
back stand the belief. that the period
OF Inactivity has passed and that
from now on there is going to be
something doing that is worth while
Noticeable Activity in West End.
There has been within the last
three weeks. in the western part of
the city good deal of buying and
selling. This activity has been con
nned to residences already built. the
These deals have been on Monument
Avenue. the Boulevard, Grove Avenue
Grace Street. Allen Avenue and other
thoroughfares. Within the last sixty
days not less than twenty handsome
residences on Monument Avenue have
changed ownership and as none Of the
transactions were In any sense forced
sales the presumption is that the
sellers were satisfied with the deals
Several highly satisfactory sales
nave recently been made Of good to
Avenue. on Stuart Avenue. on Allen
Avenue, on Floyd Avenue. and the
sales on West Grace Street have been
quite numerous within the past two
months.
Sales in East End and North side.
Is, not confined TO the West End.
There have recently been numerous
sales OF homes as we'll as business
property In the eastern part of the
has been especially active. and quite
number OF sales have been recorded
within recent weeks.
In the sections OF the city where
much bargaining ane selling in
houses. and the colored population
seem to be more active in search Of
homes OF their own than ever before
perha ps. largely TO the high wage
time, especially in war times.
activity is confined to improved resi-.
dcnce property. and all of the agents
report a continued slackncss in the
sale sale Of t,,, Hacan, lots to be used for
no trouble in selling a house and lot.
but md il hard yet to place vacant
lots in the hands Of prospective home
builders.
Building Operations Increase.
This is undoubtedly due to the con-
tinued high cost of all manner Of
building material from the timber or
bricks that make the home to the
nails or the lime that hold them to-
sc,her.. There Is a scarcity Of houses
In Richmond. and yet the would-be
home makers cannot make bold TO
start out on building operations. not
knowing when nor where the expense
is going 10 end. Rather than such
uncertainty he buys a home already
built il he finds one on the market.
As one agent expressed IL: "1t is easy
enough TO sell Richmond ready-made
homes. but mighty hard to sell va
cant lot for immediate building pur-
poses"
There Is much Improvement in, the
matter OF building as reports of per.
mits issued from the Building Inspec-
tors Office and published from time