Owning property is one of the basic desires of most Americans. For many of us, purchasing our first home was both an exciting and challenging experience. Now I have discovered that there are many more chances for people to own property.
Everyone can own property – On the Moon
Good evening Mr. Toastmaster, fellow toastmasters, guest and potential land owners.
Last Monday I read an article in the Winston-Salem Journal about Dennis Hope a former actor, ventriloquist, deli worker and mobile home salesman, now real estate agent with his own agency titled “Lunar Embassy”
Hope spoke passionately about his business when he said that he truly believes that the moon will soon be colonized by Earthlings. He says that the smart ones will arrive clutching deeds issues by his company.
He continued with the interview by saying, Quote – “I believe with every particle of my being that I’m selling property that belongs to me,” he says. “We believe what we’re doing is real.”
Hope believes that his venture is legal because of the 1967 United Nations Outer Space Treaty.
Because of this treaty, the UN has a division titled The Office for Outer Space Affairs where the Committee on Peaceful Uses of Outer Space is based.
According to the article – Drafted while the United States and the Soviet Union raced each other to the moon, the treaty decreed outer space the “province of all mankind.”
Article II of the treaty says Moons and planets are not subject to national appropriation. Hope interprets this to mean that individual appropriation is fair game.
Even if I have no desire today to own property outside of the continental US – I do applaud Hope for his capitalism, vision and passion and decided to see who else felt the same way about real estate opportunities beyond our great planet.
I did some web searches and found 8 advertisers on Google for real estate on not only the moon, but also Mars, Venus, Mercury and one of the Jupiter moons.
Listen to these enticing real estate ads:
MARS
The “Red Planet”. The Hubble Telescope took pictures of Mars showing frosty white water ice clouds and swirling orange dust storms above a vivid rusty landscape. One large storm system is churning high above the northern polar cap. Mars is extremely dry and cold, with a very thin air.
VENUS
At first glance, if Earth had a twin, it would be Venus. The two planets are similar in size, mass, composition and distance from the Sun. But that is where the similarities end. Venus has no oceans and is covered by thick, rapidly spinning clouds that trap surface heat with temperatures hot enough to melt lead.
JUPITER’S MOON IO
Io is a geologically active moon of the planet Jupiter. This moon is kept active through the tidal forces exerted by the largest planet in our Solar System. It is the most volcanic body known, with lava flows, lava lakes and giant calderas covering its sulfurous landscape.
I don’t know about you, but I’m sure I will not call my real estate agent about these communities.
If all of the information I read on the web is true and millions of people have purchased deeds for property on these planets, even if they do not support life as we know it today, there must be other reasons why the businesses exists.
I quickly figured out it was the greatest reason for just about anything – Price.
Hope claims to have sold over 1 million lunar deeds at a whopping $19.99 each. Most of Hope’s competitors are selling the same stuff for about $29.99. Why would anyone turn down any real estate at these prices?
Here are some examples of some of the web ads:
Buy land on the Moon. Only $24.95 per acre
http://www.LunarAcres.com
1 Acre on the Moon 29.99
http://www.LunarLandOwner.com
Buy An Acre on The Moon Gift Packages Starting At $39.95
http://www.LunarFederation.com
Acre of moon – $20.00
Product Code: 16085
Perfect Long Term Investment Option
http://www.gadgetshop.com
Now it’s clear. People will buy just about anything. Previously we had Chia Pets, dribble cups, Woopie Cushions, Mexican Jumping Beans, Umbrella Hats, Silly String, fake doggie doo, Stars, fake spilt milk, window stickers of a little guy urinating on just about anything, Pet Rocks, Moon Rocks and now Lunar property.
Who knows what an acre may be worth in the future?
In 1803 the United States bought Louisiana for $15Million or $0.03 per acre.
In 1868 the United States bought Alaska for $7.2Million or less than $0.02 per acre. Today, fewer than 200 years later, an acre in either of these states is worth $100 to $1 Million. That’s a real good long term investment.
However, buying an acre of land on the moon may become the newest fad or craze. There are well over 10 billion acres to sell. The biggest problem that I can not get past is the cost of the commute. Today a round trip ticket on a Space Shuttle costs well over $1 Million.
However, put aside the living conditions and the commuting costs, anyone can buy property on the moon.
I may not agree with the idea; however some may feel that this is just another way to fulfill the American Dream.
Let me know if you need my real estate agents number.
Teddy Burriss 