After working as a Superintendent of Construction for Pratt Consolidated Coal Company, W.A. Watts sought an interest in construction and real estate through several companies. In 1906, he owned Cement Block and Manufacturing, constructing many cement block homes in the area for investment and rentals. These were probably the first of what we now call "split face" block style buildings. In 1907, the Oliver-Watts Construction Company expanded its construction, to the purchasing and sales of properties. The Hillman-Watts Land Company of 1908 specialized in the buying, selling, dealing and owning of real estate. This lasted until 1918 when Mr. Hillman passed away and the resulting business became known as W.A. Watts, Realtor and then Watts Realty. W.A. Watts helped organize the Birmingham Building and Loan Association, later federalized to become the Birmingham Federal Savings and Loan Association. W.A. Watts was a former President of the Birmingham Board of Realtors.