15 Surprising but true real estate facts
A good real estate agent should not only sell homes and offer properties for rent but also support engaging conversations with colleagues and not only. One of the ways to do that is to learn some interesting facts from the sphere of real estate. Here are some ideas that will surely be appreciated by everyone and even boost your social campaigns.
Modern real estate is sold in the metaverse
Currently, buyers can get virtual property available in the metaverse. Such real estate is characterized by uniqueness, limited supply, and the possibility to lease it and generate income.
An eagle is a symbol of freedom from mortgage payments
It's a significant achievement for any family to pay off the mortgage, so many homeowners want others to share this happiness with them. Earlier, they used the number 32 to indicate that, but a more popular approach is to attach a metal eagle outside the house which symbolizes freedom.
Castles are the most expensive real estate
There are homes worth millions of dollars, but do you believe that some real estate may cost billions? Experts say that building such a palace as the Palace of Versailles, for example, is worth $200 - $300 billion nowadays.
McDonald's success is in the land, not in burgers
The popularity of McDonald's food is unquestioned, but fast food sales aren't the only source of income for this restaurant. The company invests money in a land where businesses are located, and it makes franchise owners pay rent together with traditional royalties on a monthly basis. There's even an Entertainment McDonald's serving pizza, pasta, and offering a huge play area too.
The width of the smallest house is only 72 inches
Great Britain is home to the world's smallest house with a strange Welsh name known also as the Quay house. Built back in the 16th century, it features a width of 72 inches, a height of 122 inches, and a depth of 120 inches. It used to be a dwelling of Robert Jones who proved its smallest size and saved it from demolition.
There's a home in the middle of the ocean that isn't located on the island
In fact, it's a light tower known as Frying Pan Shoals. It's located to the southeast of North Carolina and was built back in 1966. Currently, it's owned by Richard Neal who purchased this light tower at an auction and offers it for rental and an unforgettable experience in the middle of nowhere.
Eiffel Tower is not only a landmark
This Parisian destination built by Gustave Eiffel is definitely a tourist attraction, but few people know that a designer developed a 1000-square-foot apartment on its top. Many VIP guests offered money to visit it, but a constructor welcomes there only artists, thinkers, and other world inspirators.
Wire fraud in real estate led to the loss of over $213 million a year
A crime when fraudsters use electronic communications to deceive people and get money illegally is called wire fraud, and it was the most prevalent cybercrime in 2021. The NAR says that the number of daily complaints exceeded 2,300 in 2021, while the losses exceeded $213 million. If you compare this number with the previous year, the total number of crimes per year was 380% lower - around 13k.
There's oil production in downtown of Los Angeles
It's not a secret that the heart of California is an oil-production center, but you can see the same situation in LA downtown too. One of the known installations is next to the Grove shopping center which produced over 20 million barrels of oil in 2009.
There's a real replica of the Simpsons' house existing in real life
The most famous cartoon called the Simpsons has been watched by millions, so two world's leading companies such as Pepsi and FOX decided to run a contest and reward a winner with a replica of the Simpsons' house in full size with the same arrangement of furniture or the money equivalent of $75,000. The house can still be found nearby Henderson, Nevada.
Mark Zuckerberg owns real estate worth more than $200 million including part of the island
It's not a secret that real estate is the best investment. No wonder one of the world's billionaires chooses exclusive locations for owning. In addition to a home in Palo Alto worth $7 million, a townhouse in San Francisco, and a $53 million compound in Lake Tahoe, he decided to buy a part of Kauai island making the first purchase of 700 acres for $100 million and 600 more for $53 million 7 years later.
The Empire State Building has been empty for a year after construction
The tallest building in New York was completed in 1931 which was the time of the Great depression. It resulted in very low occupancy rates which were only 23% soon after the opening of the building.
One more interesting fact about this building is that commercial rent isn't the main source of income for this building. 70% of its revenue comes from tourists who buy tickets to see its observation deck located on the 86th floor.
Alaska was purchased from Russia cheaply but with great benefit
The total area of Alaska purchased by the US in 1876 is 375 million acres, and it was sold for $7.2 million which is now worth $126.5 million. It means that the price per acre was only $0.02, but it isn't the only benefit gained by the US. In 1967, the country discovered massive oil deposits in this territory, so it was a real financial win.
New York homeowners have to add a disclosure if their homes are haunted
The decision of the New York State Supreme Court made home sellers sign a separate disclosure if they believe that their property is haunted. This case is known as the Ghostbusters Ruling.
A Hollywood sign was originally mounted to promote property sales
Each of us knows that Hollywood is a paradise for movie fans, but that huge sign was developed with an absolutely different goal: to provide a clean atmosphere and a pretty outlook of the hills located in this area and attract more people who'll wish to get a new property in this area.
All these facts aren't widely known, so if you share any of them with other people interested in real estate, they'll surely impress and surprise your interlocutors and social media readers.
