Book Opener

The Opening SceneRobin and Patrick are sitting in their car in front ofa house with a “For Sale” sign on the front lawn.Home BaseROBIN: We’re really lucky. Not many people inheritenough money for a down payment on a house.Your Aunt Florence was really generous to us.PATRICK: She always did have a soft spot for me.ROBIN: This house is really cool.PATRICK: Yes. It’s nice. And the property around here iswell kept. That garage next door looks brand new.(A car drives up and stops behind their car.)BROKER: (Getting out of the car.) I see you found it allright. Isn’t this a beauty? Come on, I’ll show youthe inside. (They walk into the house.)BROKER: You’re going to love this place. It has threebedrooms, an updated kitchen, and a nice littleyard. Best of all, there’s a little apartment over thegarage that you can rent out.(After looking through the house, Patrick and Robindecide to buy it.)BROKER: You won’t be sorry. This house is the bestbuy I’ve had in a long time. Sign right here.PATRICK: Shouldn’t we have our lawyer look at thiscontract before we sign it?BROKER: That’s up to you, but you better hurry. Thisopportunity won’t last long.ROBIN: What kind of deed will we get?BROKER: The best kind—a quitclaim deed.PATRICK: Will the house be in both our names?BROKER: It sure will. You’ll own it as tenants incommon. That way, if one of you should passaway, the other will own the house outright.(Two months later, Patrick is measuring the length ofthe front yard with a tape measure. A car stops infront of the house, and a man gets out.)PATRICK: Hello.BUILDING INSPECTOR: Hello. I’m a building inspector.I saw your “Apartment for Rent” sign.PATRICK: Yes. We have an apartment for rent overthe garage.BUILDING INSPECTOR: You can’t rent an apartment here.This part of town is zoned for single families only.PATRICK: Really? We didn’t know that.BUILDING INSPECTOR: Sorry. (He drives off.)NEXT-DOOR NEIGHBOR: (Approaching.) Hi, Patrick!How’s everything?PATRICK: I just found out that we can’t rent ourapartment over the garage.NEIGHBOR: Is that right?PATRICK: And I’ve just measured my front yard,and it doesn’t seem to come out right. My deedsays that our front yard is 150 feet, but fromthat boundary over there, it goes two feet intoyour garage.NEIGHBOR: Are you sure? They built my garage onpart of your land?PATRICK: It looks that way.1. Is it important to have a lawyer check an agreementto buy a house before signing?2. Is a quitclaim deed the best kind of deed to have?3. What does owning property as tenants in commonmean?4. Do people always have the right to rent out anapartment in their house?5. Can someone gain title to another’s real propertyby placing a garage on it?Chapter 34: Buying a Home 729