## Chapter 120: Real Estate Tycoon
1500 pounds, in 19th century Britain, or even the whole world, was no small sum.
In London, 90% of people earned less than 100 pounds a year.
If one was in a high-income industry like construction or machinery manufacturing, a diligent skilled worker could earn around 60-100 pounds annually, depending on the type of work and their skill level.
As for jobs requiring a certain level of knowledge, such as company clerks, they could also earn a stable income of over 70 pounds per year.
However, if one was in the textile industry, a highly competitive industry with low income, even a healthy, middle-aged man could only earn about 30-50 pounds.
The low profit margin of the textile industry also forced factory owners to employ a large number of female and child workers.
In their words, the workload in the textile industry wasn’t heavy, and employing adult male workers was a waste of manpower.
But in reality, a glance at the wages revealed their true motives. Female workers typically earned half the wages of male workers.
As for child workers, their wages were even less than one-third of adult male workers.
Moreover, due to their lack of physical strength, child and female workers were easier to manage than adult men. A whip-wielding overseer could keep the looms in the factory clattering non-stop.
But if they employed a group of adult men, most textile factory owners wouldn’t dare to use such “hardcore management.”
Because most of them still vividly remembered the “Luddites” who smashed their machines and burned down their factories just over a decade ago.
As a result, 19th century textile factories in Britain proved with their actions what a “black factory” truly was.
In other words, 1500 pounds was roughly equivalent to 15 years’ income for a highly skilled craftsman, 20 years’ income for a respectable company clerk, or the cost of signing a 50-year lifelong employment contract with a skilled literate maid, or even a year’s salary for a hundred-person textile factory employing child workers.
Arthur followed behind the real estate agent and Eldred, clutching the two bills in his hand, examining them again and again. After a moment of contemplation, he realized he had become a formidable little tycoon in the Greenwich district.
Agareus leaned down and peered at the two bills. The Red Devil pushed his monocle up his nose and chuckled, “Arthur, how does it feel? I told you, it’s better to have wealth than a conscience! Come on, let’s go buy a classy villa first, then hire a maid to take care of your daily life. Don’t forget to rent a high-class carriage and get a well-dressed, skilled coachman. Finally, remember to hire a skilled French chef. I don’t want to eat any more of those cheap roadside foods with all sorts of unknown toxins!”
Arthur, hearing this, counted on his fingers and couldn’t help but frown.
“I don’t know the housing prices in London, but I do know that renting a high-class carriage alone costs at least 80 pounds a year, and if you add a skilled coachman, that’s about 150 pounds a year in net expenses. Your French chef and maid together probably cost the same. Spending money like this, I’m afraid I’ll be poor again soon.”
But the Red Devil clearly didn’t care. He continued to persuade, “My dear Arthur, how could you become poor? You’re already planning to become the underground king of London’s East End, aren’t you?
Fred, that little rascal, could afford to open a detective agency. You’ve taken over his business, so why not get a couple of chefs and maids?
Arthur, look at me. Don’t think I’m down on my luck now. Back when I was in hell, I had countless followers, and I would swagger around with my little brothers. Whoever I let eat, they would eat. Whoever I told to move out tomorrow, they would have to move out.
Big shots should have the style of big shots! Arthur, listen to me, just this once, you’ve been working so hard for so long, shouldn’t you enjoy yourself?”
Arthur glanced at the Red Devil. Just looking at the guy’s smiling face, he knew there was no good water in his belly.
He said, “Enjoy myself? I won’t deny your request. But you’re right about one thing. If I had listened to you back then, I would have been a big shot by now.”
The Red Devil rubbed his hands with a grin, “Who says that’s not true? So you’ve changed your mind?”
Arthur reached for his pocket and lit a cigarette. “Changed my mind? If I had changed my mind back then, my portrait would probably be plastered all over the streets of Great Britain by now, and there would be a string of zeros below my portrait. Anyone who caught me could have a real good time.”
As he finished speaking, Arthur stepped forward and followed Eldred and the others.
The Red Devil, seeing this, couldn’t help but widen his eyes. His enlarged right eye stuck to Arthur’s back, its size almost as big as a small villa.
He cursed, “Arthur! You son of a bitch! You still haven’t changed your mind? The reason you’re poor is not because you’re not capable enough, but because you put your conscience ahead of making money!”
Everyone’s footsteps stopped at the entrance of Central Street, the most expensive street in the Greenwich district. The real estate agent approached Arthur with a smile on his face, bowing and scraping as he introduced himself.
“Mr. Hastings, I heard your budget for this purchase is 1500 pounds?”
Arthur heard this and felt a little uneasy. Even though he considered 1500 pounds a lot of money, based on his painful memories from his previous life, he still had great doubts about whether he could get a decent property with that amount.
Although Greenwich was a suburb of London, it was still a suburb of the capital. The house prices here shouldn’t be too low, right?
Arthur pretended to be calm and said, “You pick one for me. Just a small one will do. I need two rooms, one for me and the other for that fat gentleman next to me.”
The real estate agent, hearing this, couldn’t help but laugh, “Sir, you’re really joking. I can’t find a two-bedroom house in Greenwich for 1500 pounds. If you’re looking for a luxurious and upscale house, I can take you to the City of London, Westminster, or some of the new areas in London’s West End.
There are many spacious and grand apartments built in the West End. As for the houses in the City of London and Westminster, although they’re a bit smaller, their locations are prime. Most of the residents there are upper-class gentlemen from the political and banking circles. This will definitely help expand your social circle.”
“Can I afford a house in Westminster and the City of London?”
“Of course!” The real estate agent finished speaking, and suddenly noticed a drop of water on his face. He quickly pulled out his umbrella, opened it, and stepped forward to cover Arthur’s head. “Mr. Hastings, this way please.”
“Ah… is that so?” Arthur heard this and even straightened his back a little. He unconsciously adjusted his collar, then put his hands behind his back, taking on the posture of a leader inspecting the countryside. “Then you tell me about this small house in Greenwich first.”
Who knew that the real estate agent, hearing this, didn’t introduce the house, but politely handed the umbrella to Dumas, who was standing next to him.
He said awkwardly, “Sir, would you please hold the umbrella for Mr. Hastings? I’m looking for something in my bag.”
He took out a brand new document from his small leather bag, then leaned forward respectfully and said to Arthur, “Mr. Hastings, do you see that house with the gray chimney and red roof at the entrance of the street?”
Arthur took a look at the house. It was a two-story wooden house. Judging from the brand new white exterior wall, the house should have been renovated in the last two years.
Moreover, judging from the number of windows, there should be at least four households living inside. Not only Arthur and Dumas could live here, but even Eldred and Darwin could come and crash on a bed.
Arthur nodded, “It looks pretty good, shall we go in and take a look?”
“No, no, don’t rush,” the real estate agent pointed to a three-story apartment building ahead, “That building is also under my agency, and it’s also for sale.”
Arthur saw it, stroked his stubble, and said, “I just want to buy a house for myself, I haven’t considered apartments yet. I haven’t decided whether to buy a house for rent.”
Eldred, unable to bear the rain, squeezed under the umbrella as well. He mumbled, “That’s right! London votes are not worth much, it’s better to buy a farm in the countryside if you want to invest in real estate.”
But Arthur, hearing this, just shook his head. “I never thought about votes. The money for voting has nothing to do with me.”
Eldred frowned when he heard this and slapped Arthur on the back of the head. “Are you stupid? Why not take free money?”
“Of course I’ll take free money,” Arthur raised an eyebrow, “But according to Scotland Yard’s internal regulations, even if a policeman has money, he cannot have the right to vote or be elected, so the amount of property has no political value for me.”
The real estate agent, hearing this, laughed repeatedly, “So you’re a Scotland Yard police officer? But that’s okay, even if you don’t have the right to vote, you can still rent out your property! London houses are slow to appreciate, but the rental return is not low at all.”
“Is that so?” Arthur looked at the three-story apartment building in front of him, seemingly a little tempted, “Then let’s go take a look at the apartment first?”
He was about to step forward when the real estate agent interrupted him. He said, “No, no, no, Mr. Hastings, you misunderstood me.”
“What’s wrong? Aren’t you going to take us to see that apartment building and this two-story detached house?”
The real estate agent smiled and took out the document in his hand. He pointed at the apartment building and then at the small detached house next to him.
“Mr. Hastings, what I mean is, if your budget is 1500 pounds, then from this two-story detached house next to you, all the way to that apartment building in front, plus a grocery store in between.
Let’s just say I’ll take a loss, these three properties are 1500 pounds in total, all sold to you.
If you think this price is good, then sign your name on this document. I’ll go and discuss the details with the landlords this afternoon, and we can go to the notary’s office for the transfer of ownership this afternoon. You can move in with your bags tonight.
As for the apartment building, you don’t have to worry about vacant rooms. The apartment building is fully occupied now, and you’ll receive rent as usual every month. What do you think about that?”
(End of Chapter)