Owning your own home has always been the great American (or as it may be, Canadian) Dream. However, did you know ownership comes rift with strange rules and rituals? Here are a few points to ponder.
In Pennsylvania, housewives are banned from sweeping dust under the carpet. Where the heck else are you supposed to hide your dirt before that unexpected showing your Realtor just called you about?!
Have a pesty rodent in the house? Don't get out the mousetraps just yet. In Ohio, you first have to get a hunting licence.
Have a pesty GHOST in the house? In New York you must, by law, disclose to a prospective buyer if you believe your home is inhabited by ghosts.
Don't smirk Canadians . . . we have our fair share of bizarre by-laws.
If you live on a corner lot in Souris, P.E.I., it is illegal to build a snowman taller than 30 inches. What, do they think large Snowman really are reincarnated human spirits, like Michael Keaton in the movie 'Jack Frost?'
Because it is considered an unlucky number, homes with the number "4" in their address sell for on average $8000 LESS than they counterparts in Vancouver's Chinese neighborhoods. Unlucky alright - if you happen to own one of these homes!!!
Kanata, Ontario has three bizarre laws. Clothelines in the backyard are illegal, and so is working on your car in the front street. You'll also get a fine if you paint your front door purple. And if you want to kiss your wife on a Sunday, you'll have to do it behind CLOSED non-purple doors, since public displays of affection are prohibited.
Scotland, on the other hand, LOVES coloured doors. In fact, homeowners paint their front doors red when they have finished paying off their mortgage.
For those homeowners' just starting out, a red door can seem far away. Don't fret . . . real estate is always a good investment, and you WILL see great return for your buck! In the meantime, you can look forward to the time-honoured "housewarming party." This tradition started as a way to . . . well warm the house. Guests brought firewood and lit all the fireplaces in the new home to make it warm and cheery for the new occupants. The fires were also a way to ward off any evil spirits that might be thinking of invading the new home, especially important for resale value in New York, if you had a "4" in your address, or large snowman in the yard . . .