PIRATES STOLE OUR METRIC SYSTEM WHY AMERICA NEVER CHANGED TO KILOS AND GRAMS
Pirates, that’s right, pirates stopped America from changing to the metric system. While they can’t take all the blame, they steal a good chunk of it. There was a specific time in history when America did consider taking up the metric system. But pirates intercepted the standards, and America has refused to change its measuring system ever since. Way back when America was still a new country, there was no regulated measuring system throughout the states. Each territory was using some bizarre system that stayed only within state lines. For example, people were using Roman measurements, Dutch systems, and British systems dating back to King Henry VII. In 1789, Thomas Jefferson decided that some order needed to be in place. A lover of all things French, Jefferson admired the metric system’s logic and principle. He asked the French to help the U.S. transition to the metric system, and they were kind enough to send scientist Joseph Dombey. Dombey boarded a ship and set sail for America with two items pivotal to our measuring system change. The first gadget was a copper cylinder 3 inches in height and width, weighing precisely 1 kilogram. The second was another copper object, but this time a rod estimated
to be a meter in length. These simple trinkets would have eased us into the metric system. Except, we never received them. In fact, Dombey never set foot in America. Unfortunately, storm winds blew his ship off course and into the pirate-filled Caribbean. The pirates hijacked his boat and held him captive, hoping to use him
for ransom. In a tragic turn of events, Dombey died in that pirate prison before any ransom money could be sent. The
pirates then auctioned off everything Dombey had on his boat, metric measuring tools included.
So, you can thank the pirates for all the painstaking work we have to go through when using metric-based recipes. Why Americans never swapped systems after 1789 is still a mystery!
It’s Time to Close on Your Home! 3 Down Payment Myths to Look Out For
When you’re looking at purchasing a home, you must make a down payment. Unfortunately, there are several myths regarding down payments that many people fall for — and it can hinder or prevent people from making a purchase. Here are three misconceptions about down payments and the truth regarding these items. Myth No.1: You need to put 20% down. Most mortgages have smaller minimum down payment requirements. For example, if you were to look at a conventional loan, you would only need to make a 3% down payment. For FHA loans, a 3.5% down payment is required. If you are a veteran, you could get a VA or USDA loan that does not require a down payments. However, while the down payment requirement is low, a larger one may be beneficial. If you put down 20%, you won’t have to pay additional mortgage insurance (which varies depending
on your loan). It can also be used to lower your monthly payment overall. Myth No.2: You only need to bring your down payment to the closing table. While you only need a down payment to purchase a home, you must bring extra money to cover closing costs. Several fees may be associated with your purchase, such as inspection, origination, or appraisal fees. These additional expenses are typically split between the buyer and seller and add 1-2% of the property’s purchase price. Lenders also require you to have a certain amount of cash reserves at closing. Cash reserves represent the amount of money you need to have in your bank account at the time of closing. This allows lenders to see that you have money left over in the bank so you can make mortgage payments.
Myth No.3: Only first-time home buyers can have down payment assistance. If you’re not a first-time buyer, you can still get assistance because lenders will take your income, the location of the home you’re looking at, and the home’s purchase price into consideration. Furthermore, the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) considers anyone a first-time home buyer if you haven’t owned a home in the last three years. If you have questions about down payments or other factors that go into purchasing a home, allow Brooks & Crowley to assist you with all your real estate needs. Please give us a call today to get started!
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