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On a Personal Note...This is a big month in our house. My oldest son will be graduating from high school and heading off to play football at Columbia University in the fall. I am so proud of him and his accomplishments but I am most proud of the fine young man he has become. We are kicking off the summer with a trip to Wyoming and I am looking forward to some fun adventures with the family and of course, a busy summer in real estate.
Wishing you a fantastic June to kick off your summer!
Great buys in Great Falls under $1 Million
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Win a $10 Starbuck's Card
It's Easy to Win!
Look for the quiz question in the newsletter below and click the button to email me your answer. Each month, all correct entries have a chance of winning a FREE $20 Starbuck’s card.
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Last month’s quiz: As of May, 2015, who is the world’s oldest documented living person? How old is she?
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Answer: Jeralean Talley of Inkster, Michigan, is the oldest currently documented living person at 115 years.
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Why Do We Love Looking at Houses?Recently, and not for the first time, someone asked me why I like real estate. The answer is complex. It's partly about loving running my own business, and partly about being of service to others in a high-stakes industry. But to a large extent, it's also about loving houses.
I've discovered that loving houses is a universal feeling. Why is that? Why do we crane our necks to look up at skyscrapers, or pause to gape at ornate Victorians, or marvel at odd shapes? Why do we get warm feel-ings from some houses and cold feelings from others? How is it that we have feelings about houses at all?
I believe the answer is similar to the reasons we love art and music: a love of aesthetic and history. Houses tell stories, and the more character they have, the more interesting their stories. Their shapes, features, and colors resonate within us the same way listening to a piece of music does.
Houses are uniquely human. They are homes we decorate instead of merely holes we hide in. Because of that, I think it’s in our DNA to feel houses. Every house is a potential home.
When we’re looking at houses, I believe we’re experiencing them, not just seeing them, which is one reason so many people love house hunting. |
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Thank You Friends & Clients
Welcome new clients and Thank You to friends who’ve trusted me to work with their friends, family and coworkers.
I hope you will continue to feel comfortable introducing me to the people you care about, so that I can take care of their real estate needs, too! |
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A Special Request: Keep Me in Your Phone
And Take Me with You
When I use a high-end service, whether it's legal, medical, or financial, I want to work with a problem solver who truly cares about the quality of my experience while also helping me get what I want. That's the same attention I bring to my real estate clients. So the next time one of your friends, neighbors, or acquaintances mentions buying or selling real estate, would you mind connecting us so I can see what kind of help they need?
Call or text me a few details at: 703-851-2255
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Garden Shed Cantinas Are "In" |
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A Few Things You Thought Were True...
- You can't really see the Great Wall of China from outer space.
- Eve may not have given Adam an apple...the Bible mentions no particular fruit.
- If you touch a baby bird, it's mother will probably not abandon it. Birds likely can't smell humans.
- Black holes are really super dense objects, not holes.
- We really have close to 20 senses, not 5 (or 6), including balance, pain, hunger, etc.
- It’s OK to wake a sleepwalker. They’re more likely to hurt themselves sleepwalking than waking.
- Banana trees area technically herbaceous plants (also known as herbs), not trees, because the stem does not contain true woody tissue.
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June Quiz Question
What is the largest animal ever to have lived on earth?
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What’s Recorded in Your Home’s History? |
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A variable that often derails real estate transactions is the discovery of previously unknown restrictions or easements. For example, a house might have an old restriction that prevents anyone from adding on. |
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That's something that often happens in historical neighborhoods. Or a property might have a recorded easement that allows a neighbor to use a strip of land for access, even if no one has used that strip of land in the past 150 years!
Unfortunately, even if unused and unknown, restrictions and easements run with the property, affecting (limiting) the new buyer’s ownership rights. |
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In some cases, these can be removed with a“quiet title” action. But mostly a property is stuck with them.
My job as your real estate agent is to have solutions to these surprises, and to help you negotiate a fair settlement so you can still close. No matter what comes up, I'll make sure your interests are protected.
Call me for diligent representation. |
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Just for a Laugh
It’s Important to Have Fun in Retirement
 Working people frequently ask what retired people do to make their days interesting. You might be surprised that it doesn’t require any big plans. Here's one man’s answer:
Well, the other day Mary and I went into town to do some shopping. We were only in there for about five minutes. When we came out, a cop was writing a ticket.
We went up to him and I said, "Come on, man, how about giving a senior citizen a break?"
He ignored us and continued writing the ticket.
So I called him a dummy. He glared at me as he put the ticket on the windshield. Then he calmly started writing another ticket, this time for worn out tires.
So Mary called him a bone head. He glanced at her, finished writing that ticket and started on another.
So we called him another name, and the patient man started writing another ticket. We’d have kept on, but just then our bus arrived, so we got on and went home.
Now that we’re retired, it’s important to have a little fun each day. |
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Who Likes Monopoly?Did you know that the board game Monopoly was originally known as The Landlord's Game? It was designed by American, Elizabeth Magie, and patented in 1904. Magie intended it to illustrate the consequences of rent, privilege, & land value taxation. The emphasis was on the concept of economic rent, which is viewed as unearned revenue vs. earned income through productive human action. By 1933, several people had contributed to the game's design, most notably Charles Darrow who patented and sold it to Parker Brothers. |
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Imagine Someone Else Paying Off Your House!Have you ever thought about owning a rental home? Imagine...you could retire not with just your own house paid off, but with another house paid off entirely by someone else. If you like that idea, here are some thoughts from investors about what to look for:
First, are there neighborhoods near you with good rental potential? It's best to buy close to where you live, because you may have to visit periodically. Also, when tenants know you could drive by anytime, they're more likely to take care of your property.
Second, understand what you can afford and if that will get you a rental that makes financial sense:
- Pick a property you think looks interesting. Then figure your estimated monthly payments. Add a 20% monthly cushion for repairs and vacancies.
- Check Criagslist or other local rental sites to see what that house could rent for.
- Do the math: Do the rents cover all monthly expenses?
Third, once you find a house that's priced right for your budget and rents, take a contractor to the house before making an offer. Get a firm estimate of the renovation costs and factor those into your up-front purchase costs.
If you'd like to explore owning income property, get with me to talk about the rental market in your area and to take a look at a few properties before deciding. I’ll help you work through the figures to see if it makes sense. Just give me a call to chat about it.703-851-2255
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Free Consumer Report
Buy First, then Sell or Sell First, then Buy?Like the negotiating problem called the Prisoner’s Dilemma, there are always going to be trade-offs when you have a home to sell and buy at the same time. Here’s a list of common trade-offs and answers that can help you make a decision. Contact me for a copy:
jenniferhalm@cox.net ♦ 703-851-2255
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