San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1925-12-27
BOOM ONLY
BEGINNING
IS BELIEF
Trading in Business Prop.
srty to Take Big Squirt
With New Year.

When the books are closed for 1925,
the year probably will have broken
all records in San Antonio in the turn
over on speculative real estate. This
particular kind Of real estate is so
designated because it is almost en-
tirely bought by businessmen seeking
investment for surplus funds with the
expectation of increases in valuation
giving them a higher rate of interest
than they could obtain in the usual
stock, bonds and first mortgage mar
kets.
Speculative real estate is almost en-
tirely business and semi-business prop
erty. 1t usually is located immedi-
ately adjacent to the principal bust
ness section Of the city and is bought
by investors with the expectation that
in the next five years, the usual period
Of 4 first mortgage investment, it will
enhance in value sufficiently to pay
handsome profit.
MARKET HEALTHY.
It has been fifteen years since bust
nessmen in San Antonio have been
50 active in this field, real estate men
report. During 1925, several million
dollars worth Of speculative real es-
tate changed hands, some Of it chang
ing several times and yielding profit
each time, an indication of the healthy
condition of the market here.
The chief buying in 1925 has been
Broadway, Main Avenue, North and
South Flores, South Presa and inter
secting streets. These are all arteries
leading into the business district from
various angles and all in demand be-
cause of the volume Of traffic. Most
notable price gains have been on
Broadway and on South Flores. The
latter underwent a street widening
and reconstruction program during the
year that materially helped real estate
values. Presa street has been in
heavy demand because of small bust
ness locations and has made a notable
gain in the establishment of such
places in the last IL months.
DEMAND FOR CORNERS.
Main avenue demand came from
similar sources of slightly large cap
ital. Broadway was the more nearly
in investment proposition, the bulk of
the deals there being for investment
and to await advances in values, al
though much new construction took
place and much new business was
opened on that thoroughfare also.
There has been revival during the
year in the demand for corners. With
the passing Of the corner saloon, when
Mr.. Volstead arrived, there was a
slump In corner lot prices that per
sisted until 1925. During that year
however, the corner site resumed its
role as a prime favorite in the realty
market. The filling station and the
soft drink stand were largely re
sponsible for its rehabilitation.
However, the small corner lot is no
longer desirable and the bulk of the
sales in corner site were made to in
clude the usual 30 foot corner frontage
and the next inside lot adjoining, the
deal usually taking upwards of 100
feet frontage, or sometimes splitting
the inside lot and taking only rs feet.
BOOM JUST BEGUN.
The wider corner site demand comes
from the added space needed for the
filling station and the soft drink stand
and for "drive in" business purposes
Of all kinds.
1t is predicted by well informed real
estate men that 1925 has been merely
an index to the market trend and that
1926 is going to sec a peak demand for
speculative and investment real estate |
Of all kinds. Prices during 1925
mounted steadily and are. continuing
the uptrend and relatively higher
prices for all desirable San Antonio |
real estate may be anticipated for
1QOc avan militant tho hoon, conditions