front porch news
Lori Smith
Lori’s Real Estate Company
123 Main Street
Any City, Any Country
www.lorismith.com
June 2015
with Lori Smith  890-456-7890
front porch news
Summer Means
Maintenance
LABEL
If you need help around the
house, whether it’s painting,
repairs, or garden work, and you
need great service providers, just
text or call me for referrals.
890-456-7890
Who Likes Monopoly
What’s Recorded (Officially) in Your Home’s History?
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...something
that 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, these restrictions and easements
run with the property, affecting (limiting) the new buyer’s ownership rights. In
some cases, these can be removed with a “quiet title” action. But in many cases,
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 great representation!
~ Lori Smith  890-456-7890
[email protected]
This newsletter is for entertainment purposes only. Credit is given to the authors of articles when the original author is known. Images are
either public domain or used by permission. This information should not be substituted for medical, legal, financial or tax advice. Any and
all decisions and actions must be taken with the advice and counsel of a qualified physician, attorney, financial advisor and/or CPA. Do not
hold us responsible for actions you may take without proper medical, financial, legal or tax advice.
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.
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 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.
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 feelings
from some houses and cold feelings
from others? How is it that we have
feelings about houses at all?
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.
A Special Request: Keep Me in Your Phone
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: 890-456-7890
June 2015
with Lori Smith  890-456-7890
Just for Fun: It’s Important to Have Fun in Retirement
Working people often ask what retired people do to make
their days more interesting. You might be surprised to know
that it doesn’t require 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 Now that we’re retired, it’s important to have a little
bus arrived, so we got on and went home.
fun each day.
June Quiz Question
Buy First, then Sell...
or
Sell First, then Buy?
Like the negotiating problem
called the Prisoner’s Dilemma,
there are always going to be tradeoffs when you have a home to sell
and buy at the same time.
Here’s a list of
common trade-offs
and solutions that can
help you make a
decision.
Contact me for a copy:
[email protected]
890-446-7890
What is the largest animal ever to have lived on earth?
Garden Shed Cantinas Are “In”
June 2015
with Lori Smith  890-456-7890
Thank you
Welcome new clients and Thank You to
friends who’ve trusted me to work with
their friends, family and coworkers.
Special thanks this month to...
Mary Smith
Tom Jones
Carrie Guiterrez
I hope you will feel comfortable
introducing me to the people you care
about, so I can take care of their real
estate needs, too!
Want to Win a $10 Starbucks Card?
It’s easy! Answer the quiz question on page 2. Each month,
all correct entries have a chance of winning a FREE $10
Starbuck’s card. Put the word QUIZ in the subject line
and send to: [email protected]
Last month’s quiz: As of May, 2015, who is the
world’s oldest documented living person?
How old is she?
Answer: Jeralean Talley of Inkster, Michigan, is the
oldest currently documented living person, 115 years.
Last month’s winner: Cassie Donavan
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:
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
First, are there neighborhoods near you with good rental me to talk about the rental market in your area and to
potential? It's best to buy close to where you live,
take a look at a few properties before deciding. I’ll help
because you may have to visit periodically. Also, when
you work through the figures to see if it makes sense.
tenants know you could drive by anytime, they're more
likely to take care of your property.
Second, understand what you can afford:
a. Pick a property you think looks interesting. Then
figure your estimated monthly payments. Add a 20%
monthly cushion for repairs and vacancies.
b. Check Craigslist or other local rental sites to see what
that house could rent for.
c. Do the math: Do rents cover all monthly expenses?
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...no
particular fruit is mentioned in the Bible.
• Black holes are really super dense objects, not holes.
• It’s OK to wake a sleepwalker. They’re more likely to
hurt themselves by sleepwalking than being woken.
• Banana trees area technically herbaceous plants (also
known as herbs), not trees, because the stem does
• Vitamin C does not fight a cold directly...it boosts
your immune system which might help fight a cold.
not contain true woody tissue.