Recently while looking in the library a book about city buildings was seen. The book focused on a large city in North America and surrounding area projects that were proposed but not built. When cities expand land becomes more expensive and people see opportunity. Companies which are growing need to consolidate their work forces, developers want to make money and buildings are proposed. Not all get built, first the buildings are proposed and then people have to commit to the space, once there is enough commitment to satisfy the bankers, buildings can get built. The time between the proposal and commitment can be lengthy which is why there are more buildings proposed than get built. As time goes by economic cycles change, economic models change, business changes and of course people change. There are many variables before a building is built. Which is why the development industry tends to be a copycat industry, if single family housing is selling then that is what is built.

While looking through the book, if the projects had been built they would have changed the landscape of the city. Some of the buildings were proposed for the what now is the core of the city, some were proposed for outside the core because that is where someone either owned land or could accumulate a large parcel of land. Near where the author lives, 40 years ago someone tried to accumulate land and failed to get a bigger piece and the project died. Now a midrise condo is on of the site of a former bread factory and former parking lot and fits well into the neighbourhood.

Linking to dividend paying stocks, in the stock market and in every market some will see opportunity to make money and some of the ventures will be successful and some will not. As long as people are seeing opportunity then you have a healthy market which is a good thing. Within the markets some companies consistently make profits, some will be considered less than cool, but consistent money making is always very good. Within the consistent money making companies those that pay dividends have been through the economic cycles and continue to pay a dividend which is great. The stocks may not be the highest performers on a year to year basis but looking at on a 5 to 10 year basis the stock price plus the dividends will have enrich the shareholders will less risk than the highest performers.

There are more questions than answers, till the next time – to raising questions