PLAN No. 582. HOW TO OBTAIN FULL INFORMATION OF PROPERTY FROM ADDRESS

The following plan netted better than $1,500 in 2¹⁄₂ hours. This would seem to be impossible but, like anything else when explained, is simple.

This man had moved from the country to live in the city, and having a large family it was important for him to obtain a house. He tried to find a place to rent but found that property was being purchased rapidly. Somewhat discouraged, he called upon his brother. One house in the most exclusive end of the city, appealed to him but this house the real estate man would not lease for less than $30 a month for a period of twelve months. The address of the property was 820, 25th st. They called the city engineer’s office by phone and requested the lot number, block and addition of the property. In possession of the legal description, they called the county assessor’s office where the following information was obtained:

	As- sessed		Real Value
Value of lot	$	250	$	500
Value of improvement	$	1400	$	2800
	$	1650	$	3300

House built in 1909. To build the house now would cost $3300. House consisted of 5 rooms 1st floor, 3 rooms 2nd floor. Fir finish. Plumbing. Stone foundation. ¹⁄₃ basement. Furnace. Brick fireplace. Oak floor, 5 rooms.

They next called on the county treasurer, who from the legal description gave the following information:

Taxes, 1917	$ 70.34
Taxes, 1918	77.55
	$147.89

Address given in 1916 of owner of property, Mary Jones, 2728, 16th Ave., San Francisco, Cal.

Next they called the abstract office and found the incumbrances against the property outside of the taxes and the following information was given:

Owner—	Mary Jones; husband, John Jones.
	No judgments against owner.
	One first mortgage of $1,000 against property.
	Second mortgage paid in 1918.
	First mortgage made Jan. 1915, runs for 3 years to 1918, bears int. at 8%, payable semi-annually and held by N. W. H. Bank.
	Property purchased by Mr. Smith, 1917, on contract.

The next step taken was to call up the N. W. H. Bank and here the most recent address of the owner was given as “Jones Apt., San Francisco, Cal. Interest on money paid. Company stated that even though principal is due, company is willing to continue the loan.” The company also stated that Mr. Smith, holder of the contract, had given up his contract which had been paid down to $2,900.

Now we have the following situation: Two years taxes back; house empty and run down; mortgage due but can be extended if property is taken care of, and owner living in San Francisco, California, and a party ready to move in.

The next step to be taken was to talk with the owner by long-distance phone at San Francisco, California. All the preceding information was obtained in thirty minutes. In less than two hours a messenger had brought the owner and purchaser together. The purchaser was willing to continue the contract of $2,900 and pay 1917 taxes of $70.34. and pay $30 per month, 7 per cent interest on deferred payments, and must act at once. Owner told purchaser to move in at once, that contract would be signed immediately and forwarded for purchaser’s signature.

All this was done in two and one-half hours. The purchaser was able to buy a house on a rent basis and made on the transaction more than $1,500, as the place, with an expenditure of $150 in paint and repair work, will easily bring $5,000.

Few people realize what information is open to them.

If you are in possession of the legal description of city property or farm land anywhere in the United States all you have to do is to call or write the county assessor’s office and they will gladly tell you all about it, thus saving you many dollars. The city engineer’s office can usually give you from a given address the legal description of the property.

Plan No. 583. Think of Saving as well as of Getting