Real Estate Trivia

 
Q  What is considered the primary factor distinguishing buyers of prestigious properties from the average home buyer?
A  Financing doesn't worry these buyers; they often put down 40 percent or more or pay cash for a property
 
Q  In what real estate market are more than 90 percent of home sales cash transactions?
A  Palm Beach, home to princes, politicians, and CEOs, has homes from 2,000 sq.ft. condos to 56,000 sq.ft. estates.
 
Q  Fewer than 2 percent of homeowners build this type of home:
A  Fewer than 2 percent build a custom home; most buy an older home or select from a home builder's menu.
 
Q  What areas are known as the 'silk stocking' districts of this famous city?
A  In Central Park West, Fifth Avenue and Park Avenue in Manhattan, apartments go for $222,610 to $282,709 per room.
 
Q  Which law allows a person to give another individual up to $10,000 a year without any tax consequences?
A  The Federal Gift Tax Law allows both parents to give a child (or anyone) $10,000 each in one year.
 
Q  At the doors of what famous temple do you find yourself when you climb the 'Stairway to Heaven'?
A  The Temple of Heaven in Beijing, China, attracts the local faithful and tourists.
 
Q  Originally incorporated under the name Georgiana, what is the oldest incorporated city in the United States?
A  York, Maine, which received an English charter in March 1642, is the oldest incorporated city in the U.S.
 
Q  What does the abbreviation PITI stand for?
A  Principal, Interest, Taxes and Insurance are the four major items included in a monthly mortgage payment.
 
Q  Due to low business and living expenses, what areas are considered to be the fastest growing in the country?
A  According to recent studies, the Southern and Western regions of the U.S. are among the nation's strongest economies.
 
Q  What has been described as the world's most beautiful building?
A  The white marble Taj Mahal in India was built by the Mogul emperor Shah Jahan (1631-53) to enshrine his favorite wife.
 
Q  What is the legal term used to describe the right of the U. S. government to condemn private land for public use?
A  Right of Eminent Domain allows the government to confiscate private land by paying full market value for the property.
 
Q  What is an encumbrance against a property, which may be voluntary or involuntary?
A  There are many different kinds of liens: a tax lien, a judgment lien, a mortgage lien, and a mechanic's lien.
 
Q  Who is considered the world's most renowned living architect?
A  I.M. Pei who retired in 1991; he earned this status after designing the glass pyramid entrance pavilion to the Louvre in Paris (1989).
 
Q  What bizarre post-midnight pageant celebrated the great transformation in Manhattan architecture during the 1920s?
A  Beaux-Arts Architects' Ball (January 23, 1931) at the Hotel Astor commemorated the end of the first skyscraper age.
 
Q  What is considered one of the slimmest buildings ever designed?
A  The Carnegie Hall Tower, designed by Cesar Pelli, is only 50 feet wide and 60 stories high.
 
Q  What is the maximum interest you can deduct on your federal tax return to purchase or improve a first or second home?
A  One of the greatest benefits of home ownership is the federal tax deduction for interest up to, but not exceeding, $1million.
 
Q  Lenders in 14 states--California, New York, Oregon, Utah, Vermont and Wisconsin and 9 others--have what in common?
A  Lender in these states must pay interest on funds held in escrow accounts.
 
Q  What document must lenders provide within three days of receiving your application for financing?
A  The "Truth In Lending Disclosure Statement" will give you complete financial information about the loan.
 
Q  What are considered the ideal conditions for a buyer's market?
A  In a buyer's market, there are more houses for sale than buyers, homes take longer to sell, and sellers may have to cut prices.
 
Q  What are considered the ideal conditions for a seller's market?
A  In a seller's market, prices are firm and good houses are sold before advertised or as soon as they show up in the MLS.
 
Q  What mortgage transactions between borrowers and lending institutions operate in the private sector of the economy?
A  Conventional mortgages are private sector transactions that are not insured or guaranteed by the government.
 
Q  In which 'Oil Sheikdom' of the Far East do the wealthy still choose to live in primitive houses on stilts?
A  Brunei's oil wealth results in no income tax, free education and health services, and cheap housing loans for its average citizen.
 
Q  What information does nearly every state in America require the seller of a home to reveal to the buyer?
A  Most states require disclosure of any existing problems or conditions that could affect the value of the house.
 
Q  What economic factor can make the purchase of a home an excellent long-term investment?
A  Home price appreciation can result in a substantial return on the buyer's investment as a house increases in value over time.
 
Q  Who is "Fannie Mae" and why is she a big name in real estate?
A  "Fannie Mae" is the real estate industry nickname for FNMA, or Federal National Mortgage Association, the stockholder-owned corporation that purchases mortgages from mortgage lenders.
 
Q  What U.S. state is home to the world's richest woman?
A  Alice Walton, daughter of WalMart's founder and heiress to $16.5 billion, lives on a ranch in the state of Texas.
 
Q  What does "contingency" mean in real estate?
A  A contingency is a specified event that must take place before a home purchase contract is binding; for example, a sale can be said to be "contingent upon the sale of the buyer's current residence."
 
Q  Who is "Freddie Mac", and why is he a big name in real estate?
A  "Freddie Mac" is the nickname for FHLMC, the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation, which buys mortgages from lending agencies, thus allowing lenders to continually replenish funds for new mortgage loans.
 
Q  What is the average age range of a second-home buyer in the United States?
A  Currently, second-home buyers in America are most often between 41 and 44 years of age.
 
Q  Where was the great land boom (1919) in which investors paid up to $25,000 for lots not yet dredged up from the ocean?
A  The great Florida land boom brought hundreds of investors to the state after Carl Fisher founded Miami Beach in 1919.
 
Q  What land did the U.S. Government buy for $7.2 million?
A  In March 1867, the US bought all of Russian America (Alaska) from Russia.
 
Q  How can you give your home the equivalent of sunglasses?
A  Install low "E" squared glass filters sunlight, saves on energy costs and prevents fading of furniture, drapes and carpets.
 
Q  What is a "smart home"?
A  A "smart home" is equipped with structured home wiring packages that control the home's systems via networked technologies.
 
Q  What five basic components of a "smart home" can be controlled by technology?
A  Lighting and window treatments, security and access control, data communication, environmental/energy management, and audio/video entertainment can all be operated by a "smart home".
 
Q  What was the longest distance a building has ever been moved?
A  Detroit's five-story Gem Theater, built in 1927, was moved 1,850 feet (5 blocks) to make way for two new sports stadiums.
 
Q  Where is the world's largest mud building?
A  The Grand Mosque in west Africa measures 328 feet long and 131 feet wide, and has been carefully maintained for centuries by local craftsmen, especially during the rainy season.
 
Q  What is arguably the world's strangest (and most dysfunctional) kitchen?
A  In 1998 the Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art in Kansas City first displayed a kitchen made entirely of 40 million colored glass beads by artist Liza Lou of Topanga, California.
 
Q  What famous American monument is also the world's heaviest statue?
A  The Statue of Liberty, officially named "Liberty Lighting the World", weighs 54.31 million pounds.
 
Q  What did 75% of 10,000 buyers surveyed by the NAR list as their top reasons for selecting a Real Estate Professional?
A  Knowledge of the housing market, knowledge of real estate practices and financing, and familiarity with neighborhoods.
 
Q  Who received the largest land grant ever given to an English subject for only two beaver skins per year?
A  William Penn, the Quaker leader, received Pennsylvania and Delaware to settle a debt owed his father by King Charles II.
 
Q  What area was designed to look like a 1940s southeastern town with traditional architecture?
A  Disney's "Celebration" in Orlando, FL, will eventually have 8,000 houses and many commercial tourist attractions.
 
Q  What oceanfront area is currently the most popular choice among people searching for second homes and vacation homes?
A  According to statistic published early in 2005, the Florida coast is the most sought-after vacation and retirement destination in the United States.
 
Q  Where is the world's largest art gallery?
A  At the Winter Palace and Hermitage in St. Petersburg, Russia, visitors would have to walk 15 miles to see the 322 galleries which house almost 3 million works of art.
 
Q  How did actress Jayne Mansfield decorate her Hollywood "Pink Palace" without buying any furniture?
A  She wrote to furniture suppliers asking for free samples, telling them they could brag that their furniture was in her outrageous mansion. She received over $150,000 worth of free merchandise.
 
Q  What Hollywood star made the first footprint outside Grauman's Chinese Theater?
A  Norma Talmadge accidentally stepped in wet concrete outside the building in 1927.
 
Q  Where is the world's largest stained glass window?
A  The American Airlines terminal at the Kennedy International Airport in New York City has a stained-glass window that is 300 feet long and 23 feet high.
 
Q  What famous hotel did John Wayne, Lee Marvin & Elvis Presley stay at while filming on Kauai?
A  The Coco Palms
 
Q  How many rooms are there in the U.S. President's primary residence?
A  There are 132 rooms in the White House.
 
Q  How many step are there leading to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris, France?
A  Visitors who walk to the top must go up 1,792 steps.
 
Q  What might happen to the Empire State Building in extreme weather?
A  The Empire State Building can sway several feet to either side when buffeted by a severe windstorm or rainstorm.
 
Q  What famous building receives a fresh coat of 300 tons of reddish-green paint every seven years?
A  The Eiffel Tower in Paris, France.
 
Q  Where and when was the first motel introduced on the American commercial real estate scene?
A  The first motel, appropriately named the "Motel Inn", opened in San Luis Obispo in 1925.
 
Q  What makes the structure of the Hoover Dam unusual?
A  The Hoover Dam was built to last 2,000 years, and is constructed of concrete that will not be fully cured for another 500 years.
 
Q  In what 2003 comedy does a very large family move to a new house on Forest Avenue in Evenston, Illinois?
A  "Cheaper by the Dozen", starring Steve Martin, was actually filmed in a house in Los Angeles near the Farmer's Market.
 
Q  What recent hit movie features a field trip scene that supposedly takes place at Columbia University in New York?
A  The scene in the movie "Spider-Man", where Peter Parker shoots photos of Mary Jane and is bitten by the spider, was actually filmed in the Museum of Natural History in Los Angeles, California.
 
Q  Where was the famous final airport scene in the 1942 classic "Casablanca" filmed?
A  The scene where Humphrey Bogart says goodbye to Ingrid Bergman was actually shot on the east side of the Van Nuys Airport.
 
Q  What Kauai location was used to portray Never-Never Land in "Hook," the remake of Peter Pan by Steven Spielberg?
A  Kipukai beach
 
Q  What 6,500 seat American theater was the location for the scene where the original 1933 King Kong breaks his chains onstage?
A  The famous Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, built by the Shriners in 1906 to resemble an exotic Arabian mosque.
 
Q  What was the location for the classic silent movie scene where Harold LLoyd dangles from a huge clock high above the city?
A  That scene from "Safety Last"was filmed at the Brockman Building, one block south of the Biltmore Hotel in Los Angeles.
 
Q  What Elvis Presley film showcased Coco Palms in an outrigger canoe wedding scene?
A  Blue Hawaii (1961)
 
Q  What Pasadena, California house was the movie home of the eccentric "Doc" Brown in the 1989 film, "Back to the Future"?
A  The famous Gamble House, a landmark of Craftsman architecture, is now open to the public for tours.
 
Q  What 1982 thriller featured a house that was supposedly haunted because it had been built on the site of an ancient burial ground?
A  Steven Spielberg's "Poltergeist"was filmed in an actual home on Roxbury Street in a normal residential suburb in California's Simi Valley.
 
Q  In what movie did a cute extra-terrestrial take refuge in a California home on a cul-de-sac with a mountain peak towering behind it?
A  Steven Spielberg's 1982 classic "E.T." was filmed in a real house on Lonzo Street, Tujunga, northeast of the San Fernando Valley.
 
Q  Where was the actual location of the fictional Genovian Consulate in the 2001 Disney comedy, "The Princess Diaries"?
A  The historic Doheny mansion, located on the campus of Mount St. Mary's College, near downtown Los Angeles.
 
Q  What classic 1932 movie scene was filmed between 923 and 935 Vendome Street in the Silver Lake district of Los Angeles?
A  Laurel and Hardy tried to lug a heavy piano up a really long outdoor stairway in "The Music Box."
 
Q  Where is the world's largest industrial building located?
A  The single largest industrial structure is the container freight station of Asia Terminals Ltd in Hong Kong. It is 359 feet high, with 15 levels.
 
Q  What is the oldest U.S. capitol in which a state legislature still meets in its original chambers?
A  New Hampshire's State House
 
Q  What place is known as "America's Stonehenge"?
A  A 4,000 year-old stone constructed megalithic site located on Mystery Hill in Salem, Massachusetts.
 
Q  What famous American Lady has an arm length of 42 feet?
A  The Statue of Liberty
 
Q  What two streets near the Los Angeles Beverly Center were named for a famous husband and wife comedy team?
A  George Burns Drive and Gracie Allen Way
 
Q  What Oscar-winning 1999 Best Picture about two neighboring American families was filmed in the interior of two actual homes located 12 miles apart?
A  "American Beauty," starring Kevin Spacey and Annette Bening.
 
Q  In what U.S. home can you find the world's largest refrigerator magnet collection?
A  Louise Greenfarb of Las Vegas, Nevada has 35,000 unique fridge magnets that she has been collecting since the 1970's.
 
Q  What island in the St. Lawrence River was given away on a television game show in 1964?
A  Price is Right Island was given away by Bill Cullen on "The Price is Right."
 
Q  What vast and beautiful territory is named with an Indian word meaning "Big Village"?
A  Canada
 
Q  Over what famous building is aircraft forbidden to fly at any time?
A  No aircraft is permitted to fly over the Taj Mahal in India.
 
Q  Where is the world's largest bridge located?
A  Lake Pontchartrain Causeway at New Orleans, Louisiana is the world's largest bridge. It is almost 24 miles long.
 
Q  Exactly how many islands are included in the group called the 1000 Islands?
A  There are actually 1,864 islands in the 80-mile stretch in the St. Lawrence River, between Ontario, Canada and New York State.
 
Q  What is the world's longest frontier?
A  At 3,987 kilometers (3,987 miles), the border between Canada and the U.S. is the longest in the world.
 
Q  What famous American sign was originally erected as a real estate ad?
A  The Hollywood sign, built in 1923, was conceived as a real estate ad that originally read, "Hollywoodland."
 
Q  The smallest of Canada's 1000 Islands shares a name with a fairy tale hero. What is it?
A  Tom Thumb
 
Q  Where are church services held in the water each Sunday during July and August?
A  At Half-Moon Bay, Ontario, worshippers gather in boats facing the natural stone pulpit, and hymnals are passed to the floating congregation by ushers in canoes.
 
Q  What famous person said this? "Real Estate is the best investment in the world because it is the only thing they're not making anymore!"
A  Will Rogers, who began his career as a rope-throwing cowboy and later became a famous stage and film star.
 
Q  What is the world's largest palace?
A  The Imperial Palace (Gugong) in the center of Beijing, China covers over 178 acres and dates back to the early 1400s.
 
Q  Where are the highest median price homes in the United States currently located?
A  According to the NAR, the highest median price in the second quarter of 2005 was $726,900 for homes in California's San Francisco Bay area.
 
Q  What group of settlers introduced the log cabin to the New World?
A  The Swedish settlers of Delaware brought their own timber for building log cabins, a style that originated in Finland.
 
Q  What area in the United States has the highest per capita income?
A  The New York/New Jersey/Long Island area has a per capita income of over $750,000, according to the most current available U.S. census data.
 
Q  What island was sold to Peter Minuit by the Indians for goods valued at 60 guilders ($24)?
A  Peter Minuit arrived with a group of Dutch settlers in 1626 and purchased what is now known as Manhattan.
 
Q  What is the most common name for a city in the United States?
A  Fairview is the most common city name, according to the 1996 Top Ten of Everything Book.
 
Q  What is the world's tallest monument?
A  The stainless steel Gateway Arch in St. Louis, MO, designed by architect Eero Saarinen and costing $29 million to build, is 630 feet high.
 
Q  Where is the world's oldest pyramid?
A  The oldest pyramid is the Third Pyramid of Mycerinus is at El Gizeh, Egypt; it has the largest single block weighing 320 tons.
 
Q  What was considered the world's tallest building one hundred years ago?
A  The Eiffel Tower in Paris, France, completed in 1889 and standing 984 feet tall, is still considered one of the world's greatest structures.
 
Q  What house is thought to be the first one designed by Frank Lloyd Wright?
A  Charnley House in Chicago, Illinois, is considered to be the first home designed by Wright while at Adler & Sullivan.
 
Q  What is the most common street name in the US?
A  Second Street ranks as the most common street name. First Street is not #1 because many "First" streets are called "Main" Street.
 
Q  What unique contribution did the town of Flushing, New York make to the American home?
A  The flush toilet was invented in Flushing.
 
Q  Which famous skilled mason laid the cornerstone of the Capitol Building in Washington, D.C. in 1793?
A  George Washington, the first President of the United States.
 
Q  Which home is #1 on the Top 10 list for most-visited Historic Home in the United States?
A  Graceland, the palatial home of Elvis Presley in Memphis, TN, attracts 600,000 visitors a year.
 
Q  What is considered the world's tallest building?
A  The 185-story CN Tower in Toronto, Canada is the world's tallest free-standing building, rising to 1,815 feet.
 
Q  Where is the world's oldest castle located?
A  The castle at Gomdan, Yemon, dating from before A.D. 100, is considered the oldest castle; it originally had 20 stories.
 
Q  What is the busiest airport in the world?
A  According to the Airports Council International, the Hartsfield International Airport in Atlanta, Georgia is currently the busiest airport in the world, serving 76.87 million passengers per year.
 
Q  What is the average price for a home in the United States?
A  According to recent data published by the NAR, the national median price for existing single-family homes is now $230,000.
 
Q  What is the longest construction time for a private residence?
A  The Winchester House in San Jose, CA, was under construction for over 38 years.
 
Q  What structure is regarded as the best surviving example of Pennsylvania Dutch architecture?
A  The Georg Muller House in Milbach, PA, built in 1752.
 
Q  What is the world's most valuable piece of furniture?
A  The 18th century Italian Badmiton Cabinet owned by the Duke of Beaufort sold in 1990 at Christie's, London for $15.1 million dollars.
 
Q  What are the financial benefits of having a home near a body of water?
A  The mere presence of water within 300 feet increases a home's value by 22 percent.
 
Q  Which house over 100 years old still holds the title as the largest house in the U.S.?
A  The 250-room Biltmore House in Asheville, NC, built 1890-1895 at a cost of $4.4 million, is the largest house in the US.
 
Q  Where can you find the world's largest residential palace?
A  The Istana Nurul Iman, palace of the Sultan of Brunei, includes 2,152,782 square feet, 1,788 rooms, 257 bathrooms and a 110-car garage.
 
Q  What home is the best example of colonial architecture in homes designed to "grow" as the family grew?
A  The House of the Seven Gables in Salem, MA, that was the model for Nathaniel Hawthorne's novel of the same name.
 
Q  What does the term Curb Appeal mean?
A  This term describes how homes look from the street; this first impression is very important to prospective homebuyers.
 
Q  Which famous home designed by Thomas Jefferson showed forms of Greek and Roman architecture?
A  Monticello, begun in 1769, was later enlarged in keeping with its classical forms.
 
Q  What is a VA home loan?
A  The Office of Veterans Affairs guarantees small or no-down payment mortgage loans made by lenders to U.S. veterans.
 
Q  What is the earliest residential building that remains in Manhattan?
A  Fraunces Tavern, built in 1719, is where George Washington delivered his Farewell Address to his officers in 1783.
 
Q  What time of year is considered the busiest for homebuyers and sellers?
A  Real estate is a year-round business, but spring is still considered the best time of year to showcase a home.
 
Q  What is one of the most common ways for making the interior of a home more appealing to buyers?
A  Repainting walls with light, neutral colors makes it easier for a buyer to visualize how the home will look with their possessions.
 
Q  What is the role of the U.S. Housing Authority?
A  Created in 1937 by FDR, the U.S. Housing Authority provides construction loans to small communities and states.
 
Q  What are the three most common environmental toxins for which homes are tested?
A  Mold, asbestos, and lead are tested by specialized inspectors as a regular part of many real estate contracts.
 
Q  Which islands are considered the largest islands in the US?
A  The Hawaiian Islands with 10,456 square miles are followed by Kodiak Island in Alaska at 9,510 square miles.
 
Q  What is the most populous state in the United States?
A  California, with 35.9 million people.
 
Q  What four states in the Southwest are noted for having boundaries that touch.
A  New Mexico, Arizona, Utah and Colorado, referred to as the "Four Corners", have adjoining boundaries.
 
Q  What Las Vegas hotel is famous for its casinos and is the largest hotel in the US.?
A  With 5,012 rooms, the MGM Grand Casino is considered the largest hotel in the US.
 
Q  Where will you find the world's most unusual golf course?
A  The only golf course on the island of Tonga has 15 holes, and no penalty against the golfer whose golf ball is stolen by a monkey.
 
Q  Which city in the U.S. has the longest formal name, but the shortest abbreviated name?
A  El Pueblo de Nuestra Senora la Reina de los Angeles de la Porciuncula is the full name for Los Angeles, known as "LA".
 
Q  What is the fastest-growing state in the U.S.?
A  Nevada, for the 19th consecutive year, according to 2005 Census Bureau statistics.
 
Q  What is the world's longest wall?
A  The Great Wall of China, at a length of 2,150 miles, nearly three times the length of Britain.
 
Q  What architectural detail made its way into the design of many suburban homes built in the 1950s, 60s and 70s?
A  The picture window was a signature of the suburban American neighborhood.
 
Q  What is considered one of the key elements of the American dream?
A  Home ownership is considered to a key to the American dream; more than 2 million first-time buyers bought property last year.
 
Q  To what process do the terms closing, escrow, settlement and passing papers refer?
A  These terms, which vary in different parts of the country, describe the conclusion of a real estate sale.
 
Q  What does the term ARM stand for?
A  An ARM is an Adjustable Rate Mortgage, a loan where the interest rate is tied to an economic index that fluctuates with the market.
 
Q  What is encroachment, and how might it affect a property owner?
A  Encroachment, refers to the unauthorized intrusion of a building or improvement onto another person's property; it often requires a surveyor's report to support the claim.
 
Q  What is the most unusual maintenance project done once each year in the United States?
A  The Niagara Falls is shut down for maintenance every year in the fall by diverting the flow of water for 24 hours using a massive series of pipes constructed in 1837.
 
Q  What does the common acronym FSBO (pronounced fizzbo) stand for?
A  For Sale By Owner. (Between 85 to 95% of existing homes are sold with a Realtor's help.)
 
Q  Nearly every state has a mandate for seller disclosure. What must a seller disclose?
A  The seller must disclose any existing problems, defects or conditions that could affect the value of the house.
 
Q  What building has the largest windows in the world?
A  The Palace of Industry and Technology in Paris, France has three matching windows, each 715 feet high and 164 feet wide and comprised of multiple panes of glass.
 
Q  What is one of the most unusually shaped buildings in the world?
A  The all-suite Arabian Tower hotel near Dubai is 1,052 feet tall, built on a man-made island and shaped like a boat sail.
 
Q  What is the most expensive piece of property ever recorded?
A  In October 1988, the Mediya Building in central Tokyo was quoted at 358.5 million yen ($248,000) per square foot.
 
Q  Who is the world's largest landowner?
A  The United States government, with holdings of 728.8 million acres of land.
 
Q  What private residence is considered the most expensive house ever built?
A  The William Randolph Hearst Ranch in San Simeon, California cost over $30 million, equivalent today to $276,883,320. Bill Gates recently built a home for over $40 million.
 
Q  What is considered to be one of the soundest long-term investments?
A  Real estate has a long-term record of strong investment return and is a driving force of the national economy.
 
Q  What took over 30,000 workmen to construct and is considered the second largest palace in the world?
A  The Palace of Versailles, 14 miles southwest of Paris and completed in 1682, is famous for its size and its beauty.
 
Q  What house is considered to be the first house with running water in America?
A  John Headly's home built in Newport, RI in 1723, was equipped with an underground pipe from the nearby spring.
 
Q  What characteristics must a home have to be considered a prestigious property?
A  Unique architectural design; Highly desirable location; celebrity status--owned by a well-known person.
 
Q  Where was the first hotel built in the US?
A  The Union Hotel (1802) Saratoga Springs, NY, is the first hotel emphasizing lodging and services, in addition to food and drink.
 
Q  On what famous American street can you find the most expensive retail space for rent anywhere in the world?
A  Fifth Avenue, New York City, U.S.A. offers retail space for rent at the rate of $580 per square foot.
 
Q  What was the first territorial acquisition made by the U.S. Government?
A  The Louisiana Purchase from France in 1803 for $15,000,000 increased U.S. national territory by 140%.
 
Q  What was the first land designated by the US government as a National Park?
A  Yellowstone was established "as a public park or pleasuring ground for the benefit and enjoyment of people" in March 1872.
 
Q  What area in the U.S. is known for its pre-civil war mansions?
A  Natchez, Mississippi boasts over 500 pre-civil war-style mansions; many are open to the public as museums.
 
Q  What criteria determines the hottest real estate markets?
A  Job/personal income growth; population/household growth; housing affordability/appreciation; and current inventory of homes for sale.
 
Q  Legend has it that when Brigham Young first saw this city in 1847, he exclaimed: "This is the place!"
A  Salt Lake City, Utah.
 
Q  What price range is considered upscale or high-end in residential real estate?
A  The price range varies depending on the local market, but upscale homes are in the top 10% of an MLS area's annual home sales.
 
Q  What is the average age of a first-time homebuyer in the United States today?
A  The average age of a first-time U.S. home buyer is 32 years.
 
Q  What famous writer's home is Rowan Oak?
A  Rowan Oak in Oxford, Mississippi, was the home of William Faulkner from 1930 until his death in 1962.
 
Q  What is considered one of the greatest U.S. construction projects that was also of great strategic importance to the U.S.?
A  The Panama Canal, begun in 1904 and completed in August, 1914, which cost $366,650,000.
 
Q  What famous example of post-colonial architecture is modeled after the palace of the Duke of Leinster in Ireland?
A  The White House in Washington, D.C., begun in 1792 and burned by the British in 1814, was rebuilt in 1818 and restored in 1951.
 
Q  During what great land boom (1919) did investors pay up to $25,000 for lots that had not yet been dredged up from the ocean?
A  The Florida Land Boom--Carl Fisher founded Miami Beach that year and brought hundreds of investors to the state.
 
Q  What is the mysterious American island whose private owners are intent on preserving the ways of early island life?
A  The Robinson Family, owners of Niihau, Hawaii, have done everything in their power to preserve traditional ways.
 
Q  Where is the world's tallest apartment block?
A  The 100-story John Hancock Center in Chicago, Illinois is 1,127 feet high; floors 44 through 92 are residential.
 
Q  What was the greatest land grant ever given to an English subject?
A  William Penn arrived in October, 1682, to take over his enormous grant that later became Pennsylvania and Delaware.
 
Q  What land did the U.S. Government buy for $7.2 million?
A  The U.S. bought all of Russian America (Alaska) from the Russian Czar in March 1867.
 
Q  What is the highest altitude hotel in the world?
A  The Hotel Everest View sits at the record altitude of 13,000 ft (3,964 m) above sea level, in the rarified atmosphere of Namche, Nepal, the village closest to the Mount Everest base camp.
 
Q  What acclaimed house built of stone, concrete, and glass is built over a waterfall?
A  Fallingwater in Mill Run, PA, built by architect Frank Lloyd Wright, is one of the most-visited homes in the U.S.
 
Q  What celebrity home sold recently for a reported $5.5 million, despite its yellow-and-rust striped paint job?
A  This Hollywood Hills residence was the former home of the popular singer, Madonna.
 
Q  Whose mansion sold for about $2 million after just one day on the market?
A  Soon after the death of George Burns his home was put on the market; the home sold in 24 hours.
 
Q  What high-profile rental property rents for $13,500 a month although the star hasn't lived there for over 20 years?
A  Shirley MacLaine's name is still used to promote her Encino, CA, estate even though she hasn't lived there in years.
 
Q  How much does a celebrity's name boost the price of a property?
A  Typically no more than 5 percent, but there are exceptions--the greater the fame, the higher the price!
 
Q  What area in the U.S. has been referred to as the "American Riviera"?
A  Miami Beach in Biscayne Bay is Florida's pre-eminent place for "people watching" and a hot spot for celebrities.
 
Q  Where in the United States will you find the largest concentration of million-dollar homes?
A  There are almost 314,000 million-dollar homes in the United States, and 41% of these are located in California.
 
Q  Who is the world's richest living person?
A  William H. Gates, III, Chairman of Microsoft Corporation, whose wealth was estimated at $46.6 billion in 2004.
 
Q  Why is the Terra Amata site in Nice, France famous?
A  Remains of 21 huts found in 1965 are thought to be the oldest known habitation from the Acheulian culture 400,000 years ago.
 
Q  What is the world's oldest wooden structure?
A  The oldest wooden buildings are the Pagoda, Chumanar Gate and Temple of Horyu in Nara, Japan, dating from A.D. 670.
 
Q  Which nation, fueled by an oil and manufacturing boom, claims the world's longest building?
A  The "Linear City" of Malasia is currently the longest.
 
Q  What famous Art Deco skyscraper is decorated with eagle hood ornaments, hubcaps and abstract images of cars?
A  New York's Chrysler Building, designed by architect William Van Alen in 1930, was one of the first buildings composed of stainless steel over a large surface area.
 
Q  Which U.S. hotel has more fountains than any other hotel in the world?
A  The Bellagio Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada has more than 1,000 fountains embellishing an 11+ acre artificial lake.
 
Q  What amenity do 48% of all homes in the new housing market have?
A  48% of all newly-constructed homes now have 2 1/2 baths or more, up from 1985 when only 29% had more than 2 baths.
 
Q  What is currently the most technologically advanced way to vacuum your home?
A  The self-propelling Dyson DC06 scans and maps a room with sensors and is controlled by built-in computers that prevent it from falling downstairs.
 
Q  Which hazardous substance is contained in sixty-four million houses and apartments?
A  HUD estimates that 64 million homes and apartments built before 1978 contain lead-based paint.
 
Q  What do 84% of homebuyers who use the Internet to search for homes have in common?
A  They use a real estate agent to purchase their home.
 
Q  What is considered the oldest surviving non-native building in the U.S.?
A  The governor's palace in Sante Fe, New Mexico, built in 1609, was constructed with materials and methods adapted from the native Indians.
 
Q  Which home is considered the ultimate in California craftsman-style architecture?
A  Located in Pasadena, the Gamble House, built in 1908 by Charles and Henry Greene, is a National Historic Home open to visitors.
 
Q  What is a Balloon Mortgage?
A  A balloon is a short-term mortgage which requires the entire balance of the loan to be re-paid at the end of the loan term.
 
Q  What is a Buyer Broker?
A  A buyer broker represents buyers, helping them to find the best property and negotiate the best purchase price and terms.
 
Q  From 1974 to 1996, what was the world's tallest habitable building?
A  The Sears Towers, headquarters for Sears, Roebuck & Co., with 110 stories and 1,454 feet high.
 
Q  What famous $40+ million home has a 60-foot pool with underwater music and a 20-car garage?
A  The home of Bill Gates, co-founder of Microsoft, features the latest futuristic computer technology.
 
Q  What city boasts eight of the world's ten biggest hotels?
A  Las Vegas has eight of the largest resort hotels; the latest and most extravagant is the $2.7 billion, 2,716-room Wynn Las Vegas.
 
Q  What country of the world has the highest percentage of private housing?
A  Mongolia, where 100% of all properties are owner-occupied.
 
Q  Where is the world's largest wine cellar, and how big is it?
A  A company in the center of the wine-growing district of South Africa has a cellar that covers an area of 54 acres and has a capacity of 27 million gallons.
 
Q  What kind of home construction is considered to be the safest in seismic areas?
A  Straw-bale homes in seismic zones have proven resilient enough to withstand the shock of earthquakes.
 
Q  What building has been named the 21st Century Townhouse project?
A  4 townhouse in Bowie, MD made of giant foam/board panels, concrete/styrofoam block frames, steel, and aerated concrete.
 
Q  What has a tremendous impact on the U.S. economy, comprising between $10-$15 trillion of the nation's wealth?
A  Real Estate--it goes through cycles, but still has a long-term record of strong investment return.
 
Q  What is the world's most capacious building?
A  The Boeing Company's main aircraft assembly plant in Everett, Washington, has been expanded to a capacity of 13.4 million cubic meters, or 473 million cubic feet.
 
Q  What are the world's most valuable chairs?
A  A pair of Chippendale chairs designed by Robert Adam sold in 1997 at Christie's, London to an anonymous buyer for $2,762,330.
 
Q  Where would you go if you wished to stay in the world's most expensive hotel room?
A  The Imperial Suite at the President Wilson Hotel in Geneva, Switzerland, which can be reserved for $33,000 per night.
 
Q  Where is the world's oldest hotel?
A  The Hotel Ryokan in the village of Awazu, Japan dates back to AD 717, when an inn was built near a hot spring reported to have miraculous healing properties.
 
Q  What is the largest city square in the world?
A  Located in Beijing, China, Tianamen Square, called the "Gate of Heavenly Peace", covers 98 acres.
 
Q  Where would you go to visit the largest ancient castle in the world?
A  You would travel to Prague, Czech Republic, to see the Prague Castle, built in the 9th century, with a total surface area of 18 acres.
 
Q  Upon completion this year, what will be the tallest residential building south of New York and east of Chicago?
A  Located in Biscayne Bay, Florida, the $120 million, 51-floor luxury condominium will be called The Santa Maria.
 
Q  Which estate has two pools--one on the east side for the morning sun and one on the west for afternoon enjoyment?
A  The former estate of John Lennon in Palm Beach has two pools plus guest quarters.
 
Q  Which metropolitan area in America currently offers the most affordable market in which to buy new homes?
A  The housing market in Youngstown, Warren and Boardman, Ohio is currently the most affordable metro area in the U.S.
 
Q  What is the least affordable metropolitan housing market in the United States?
A  California's Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale is currently rated as the most expensive metro area in the nation.
 
Q  What was a sure way to accumulate wealth through the 1970s and early 1980s?
A  Many people made their fortunes in real estate during this period.
 
Q  What is the highest skyscraper hotel in the world?
A  The Grand Hyatt Shanhai in Pudong, Shanhai, China occupies the top 35 floors of the 88-story Jin Mao Tower, which at 1,378 feet is the tallest building in China and the third tallest building in the world.
 
Q  What is a "jumbo mortgage"?
A  The term "jumbo mortgage" currently refers to a mortgage loan in excess of $359,650, although the threshold amount may change as the market fluctuates.
 
Q  What real estate board game became the best-selling game in America just one year after it was created?
A  Charles B. Darrow invented Monopoly in 1934, to cheer himself up while unemployed during the Great Depression. Monopoly is now the most popular board game in the world and has sold over 200 million copies.
 
Q  What famous American building was originally built in 1792, burned and rebuilt 1814-1818 and restored in 1952?
A  The White House in Washington, D.C., modeled after an Irish palace, is a sumptuous example of post-colonial architecture.
 
Q  What is the world's most expensive Monopoly set?
A  San Francisco jeweler Sidney Mobell created an exclusive $2 million Monopoly set, with solid 23 carat gold houses, chimneys made of rubies and sapphires and dice with 42 full cut diamonds for spots.
 
Q  What famous antebellum mansion was known as the "Queen of Tennessee Plantations"?
A  Belle Meade Plantation was a prosperous 5,400-acre thoroughbred horse farm in the mid 1800's. The Civil War Battle of Nashville was fought in its front yard.
 
Q  What holds the title as the tallest reinforced concrete building in the U.S.?
A  311 South Wacker Drive in Chicago was completed in 1990 and is 65 stories high.
 
Q  What real estate term was first used in the 19th century and means "a high-flying flag on a ship"?
A  Skyscraper was first used in the 1880s when office buildings of 10 stories or more were built in Chicago and New York.
 
Q  What is the largest home in Hollywood?
A  The largest home in Hollywood is currently "The Manor" at 36,500 square feet, built by T.V. producer Aaron Spelling for $37 million.
 
Q  Into what category do forty-four percent of home buying households fall?
A  Forty-four percent of home-buying households are made up of married couples with dependents.
 
Q  Where would you go to enjoy a soak in the world's largest bathtub?
A  The Spa Resort Hawaiians in Fukushima, Japan, offers an outdoor soaking tub that occupies a total area of 10,760 square feet and can accommodate 1,500 persons at one time.
 
Q  Where will you find the world's largest indoor waterfall?
A  The lobby of the International Center in Detroit, Michigan has a waterfall of 114 feet, backed by 9,000 square feet of marble.
 
Q  What Newport, Rhode Island mansion was built as a birthday present and incorporates 500,000 cubic feet of white marble?
A  The Vanderbilt Marble House was constructed by railroad baron William K. Vanderbilt for his wife Alva, who later divorced him, remarried and moved into a mansion down the street.
 
Q  In what area of the United States did the price of existing homes increase most dramatically in 2005?
A  Phoenix, Arizona real estate recorded a 55.2 percent increase in home prices during 2005.
 
Q  What 70-room East Coast mansion was built as a summer home and is known as a "Gilded Age cottage"?
A  Cornelius Vanderbilt's "Breakers" Mansion in Newport, Rhode Island, named for the waves crashing along the cliff that separates the property from the ocean.
 
Q  Where is the world's largest dome?
A  The Louisiana Superdome, with a diameter of 680 feet, is located in New Orleans, Louisiana.
 
Q  What are three of the best indicators of real estate market trends?
A  Existing home sales, new home building and mortgage interest rates.
 
Q  What was the world's highest viewing platform before the opening of the Empire State Building in 1939?
A  The Eiffel Tower, built between 1887-1889, was for 42 years the highest viewing platform in a man-made structure.
 
Q  What site discovered in 1965 is considered the world's oldest known habitation?
A  The Terra Amata site in Nice, France has the remains of 21 huts belonging to the Acheulian culture from 400,000 years ago.
 
Q  What is currently the most sought-after amenity in the majority of upscale homes?
A  Technology that "enables" a home with features such as structured integrated wiring and broadband Internet access is the current amenity of choice.
 
Q  Where is the world's longest spiral staircase?
A  The White County Coal Mine in Carmi, Illinois has a spiral staircase that measures 1,103 feet and has 1,520 steps.
 
Q  What tropical haven is back in vogue, attracting celebrities like Cher, Madonna, and Sylvester Stallone, who have homes here?
A  Made up of 17 islands in Biscayne Bay, Miami Beach is the "American Riviera" and famous for its tropical beauty.
 
Q  What home product makes lawn mowing easier than ever?
A  The Robomow, a robot lawn mower manufactured in the UK by Friendly Machines, can cut 6,000 square yards of lawn all by itself.
 
Q  What is considered one of the few remaining tax shelters in the 1990s?
A  Homeownership--property taxes on a residence or vacation home are deductible up to $1 million.
 
Q  What trendy and highly unusual hotel must be totally rebuilt every year?
A  Sweden's popular Ice Hotel, which has 60 double rooms, 25 suites and an interior temperature of 20 degrees, starts melting to the ground in May and is rebuilt every winter.
 
Q  What three things are necessary in order to purchase a home?
A  Some cash, a dependable income and good credit. If you fall short, don't despair--homeownership may still be possible.
 
Q  What are the characteristics of classic Queen Anne architecture?
A  Queen Anne homes are the most elaborate, romantic and feminine of all Victorian Homes.
 
Q  During what months of the year do most people move from one home to another?
A  Most moves occur between the months of May and September.
 
Q  What little-known folk remedy is said to help keep bats away from your home?
A  According to some rural homeowners, if you tar and feather a two-by-four board and place it in your yard, it will ward off bats!
 
Q  What weighs 320 tons and is considered the largest single block building?
A  Pyramid of Mycerinus (Third Pyramid) at El Gizeh, Egypt is the largest single block building and the world's oldest pyramid.
 
Q  What is the only land in the world that has not been walked on by human feet?
A  A small 200 square-mile section of Antarctica is the only terrain on Earth that not one person has stepped foot on.
 
Q  What 45,000 sq.ft. home on 5-acres on Lake Washington is described as an 'adventurous house' by its owner?
A  The home of Microsoft's Bill Gates ($40+ million) has a wall of 24 video monitors featuring art and film and a 60-foot pool.
 
Q  The upper walls of what famous holy temple are lined with gold?
A  The Golden Temple in Amritsar, India is the most sacred temple and spiritual center of the Sikhs.
 
Q  According to Feng Shui, the art of home placement, what five elements are needed in a harmonious environment?
A  Wood, fire, earth, metal and water must be balanced to create a happy, prosperous home.
 
Q  What unique type of home is making news as an affordable, environmentally-friendly housing alternative?
A  Straw bale homes may well become the non-toxic, affordable home of choice in the future.
 
Q  1992 marked the first year since before the Civil War that there were fewer than 2 million ________ in the United States?
A  There are fewer than 2 million farms, and agricultural land is still being carved up for residential and commercial uses.