The real estate industry continued growing in 2020, even in the onset of a worldwide crisis. If that seems unexpected to you, it’s time you learned some interesting facts about real estate from all across the country. Markets have strange quirks, and these tidbits demonstrate how confusing and unique real estate really is across the country (and beyond).
Finding Sears Houses
Did you know that between 1908 and 1939, the Sears Company sold 70-75,000 houses in different styles all over the country? Half of these houses were built by homeowners themselves, and half were built professionally.
These homes were sold in mail-order catalogs, allowing potential homeowners to visualize what their new home could look like. The company also allowed consumers to customize their homes by ordering a similar model, but with their specific requirements.
Sears not only sold homes but also made an impact on the rural community by providing them housing options that may not have been available to them in other areas.
Mineral Rights in Western States
If you happen to be a property owner living in Wyoming or North Dakota, then you might be aware of the phenomenon of mineral rights consisting of oil or natural gases. These rights have sometimes been passed down within families by past generations. Since these rights are separate from “above-ground” real estate, they can be sold as such.
However, selling can be a complicated decision for these property owners. The most obvious benefit is getting a large sum of cash — and selling off mineral rights before you pass away can make the estate settlement process run more smoothly. These rights can also cost a lot of money in taxes.
Those of us who don't live out West may be completely unfamiliar with the idea of separate mineral rights, but it's a reality for many homeowners that what is above and below land are completely different concepts.
Mandatory Gun Ownership
If you are pro-gun-ownership, then you may want to consider moving to Nucla, Colorado. As of May 2013, it is required that every household own a firearm as part of the Family Protection Order. Nucla is a small rural area. The law is hard to enforce, but many citizens already had guns in their homes to begin with.
The law started as a joke when board trustee Richard Craig made an off-hand comment about adopting a mandatory gun ordinance while the board was discussing stricter gun control. The law has little effect on many community members, since hunting and ranching are already a part of the lifestyle in Nucla.
Does Houston Have Zoning?
Houston is one place famously known for its lack of zoning. But is this really the case? According to Matthew Festa, a land-use professor in Houston, this is not the case. The city also doesn't look any different from other major urban cities, which demonstrates that it does, in fact, have zoning.
Festa claims that Houston has lots of regulations that in other cities would be considered zoning regulations, but they just don’t refer to them as such. Festa also listed the other policies that provide evidence, such as deed restrictions, density, tax increment reinvestment zones, airports, buffering ordinance, historic preservation, and lot sizes.
Real Estate Claims in Outer Space
This one isn't exactly across the country, but far above it. Have you ever awakened one day and thought about owning a piece of outer space? Well, that's exactly what some people have done.
A man in Quebec by the name of Sylvio Langvein did just that. In January 2012, he walked into a courthouse and declared that he owned the planets within our solar system, four of Jupiter’s moons, and the interplanetary space in between. However, the case was dismissed in March 2012.
This phenomenon isn't new. The ruler of Prussia in the mid-1700s, one King Fredrick the Great. It is said that, in payment for so-called magical cures, he signed over the moon itself to the Jurgen family. However, these claims were later denied.
Here in the States, another man named A. Dean Lindsay decided to seek ownership of the moon and went to the Notary Office in Pittsburg to present a document indicating that fact. Linsday intended to make money from his new property, but not much else came from the claims.
Real Estate Purchasing Quirks
Real estate can be challenging even in a normal market, but in these regions, quirks and fun facts can make it even more confusing. Homes have unique histories, land has complicated ownership laws, and people are even trying to speculate on space.
There are so many interesting facts about real estate you may never have thought about, from Sears selling homes to mandatory gun laws. Now, you can tell all your family and friends about some of the most interesting places to move and live.
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