A Fun Story Worth Sharing….
Editor: We all know moving a real estate transaction to completion can have its challenges. Sometimes it takes creativity and persistence to accomplish the goal. Here’s one such example that will add a chuckle to your day—and just might be a deal saver in the future. We’re not clear on the original source…
Original Story:
“As most of you receiving this know, New Orleans residents are challenged
often with the task of tracing home titles back potentially hundreds of
years. With a community rich with history stretching back over two
centuries, houses have been passed along through generations of family,
making it quite difficult to establish owner ship. Here’s a great letter an attorney wrote to the FHA on behalf of a client
that I thought was absolutely priceless! This is one lawyer you gotta
love!…..It’s too good not to share!
A New Orleans lawyer sought an FHA loan for a client. He was told the
loan would be granted, if he could prove satisfactory title to a parcel
of property being offered as collateral. The title to the property dated
back to 1803, which took the lawyer three months to track down.After sending the information to the FHA, he received the following
reply:
(Actual letter):
”Upon review of your letter adjoining your client’s
loan application, we note that the request is supported by an Abstract
of Title. While we compliment the able manner in which you have prepared
and presented the application, we must point out that you have only
cleared title to the proposed collateral property back to 1803. Before
final approval can be accorded, it will be necessary to clear the title
back to its origin.”
Annoyed, the lawyer responded as follows (actual letter):
“Your letter regarding title in Case No. 189156 has been received. I
note that you wish to have title extended further than the 194 years
covered by the present application.
“I was unaware that any educated person in this country, particularly
those working in the property area, would not know that Louisiana was
purchased, by the U.S., from France in 1803, the year of origin
identified in our application.
“For the edification of uninformed FHA bureaucrats, the title to the
land prior to U.S. ownership was obtained from France, which had
acquired it by Right of Conquest from Spain. The land came into the
possession of Spain by Right of Discovery made in the year 1492 by a sea
captain named Christopher Columbus, who had been granted the privilege
of seeking a new route to India by the Spanish monarch, Isabella.
“The good queen, Isabella, being a pious woman and almost as careful
about titles as the FHA, took the precaution of securing the blessing of
the Pope before she sold her jewels to finance Columbus’ expedition.
“Now the Pope, as I’m sure you may know, is the emissary of Jesus
Christ, the Son of God, and God, it is commonly accepted, created this
world. Therefore, I believe it is safe to presume that God also made
that part of the world called Louisiana.
“God, therefore, would be the owner of origin and His origins date back,
to before the beginning of time, the world as we know it AND the FHA.
“I hope you find God’s original claim to be satisfactory. Now, may we
have our damn loan?”
The loan was approved.
