#how to find the best real estate attorney

[foxymoxynoona]

Over the Falls (Part 1: Ch 1)

Sexy Banner & bar by @borabae-gx

Summary: Jungkook sees a lot of things as a pool tech. It’s…  fine. It pays the bills between mornings on the water and evenings  rocking out with his garage-band. His favorite thing to see on the job has been Grace Birch –older but a hottie, wealthy but nice, and  unfortunately very married. At least until Grace learns what her husband  has been up to behind her back. Now that she’s free, Jungkook finds  himself wondering: what does it take for a guy like him to catch the eye of a woman like that?

Genre: Poolboy Jungkook x Rich Divorcee OC

Tags: Age gap (older woman), socioeconomic gap, Surferboy JK, drummer/guitarist/vocalist JK, Wealthy divorcee OC, househusband

CW: Mature/Explicit,  Infidelity (not between JKxOC), language, alcohol, recreational drugs, lots of explicit sex, ageist/racist/classist remarks down the road, outdoor sex, beach sex

Masterlist | Chapter Two

“But you said it was fine for this year,” Grace sighed. Belatedly she remembered the sigh would send her husband. He hated when she sighed, even though it was unintentional. It was just… just breathing. She held so much tension in her shoulders and her lungs and periodically it had to ease out or she’d just die or something. 

“Well I didn’t know the board meeting would get pulled up, did I?” Tim didn’t even bother looking at her as he draped his suit bag across the back of the couch and set his rollerboard behind it. “So now I have a week to close this deal before I have to stand in a room in front of the men paying our bills and tell them that I failed. I fucked up.”

“But you didn’t fuck up,” she argued. “You’ve been busting your ass to make this partnership happen–”

“After the last one got yanked out from under my feet. Only a fuckup loses a deal that close to closing.”

“That’s not true,” she said and stepped in front of him. She pressed her hands to his chest. He paused and looked at her for a moment, truly looked at her. She saw in his face the long hours, the hard work, the tight deadlines and high stakes. She saw the years of constant travel, of rushed pitches, of last minute victories that secured first one, then another, then another acquisition. Tim was good at what he did. He was building an empire –an empire for Bang Si-hyuk rather than himself, but being the right-hand man paid well. Very well. 

Not that Tim had really needed the money. His father had been very good at this as well and built his own empire. Tim had wanted to make a point of not taking handouts from his father, but secretly Grace knew how much of their home and cars and lavish vacations had been her father-in-law’s gift until Tim got his feet under him. Their elaborate wedding had been her parents’ contribution, though. Nothing but the best for their angel daughter.

But in general her parents didn’t offer as much. Her family were investors and attorneys intermarried with prestige –old money, not the new, bubbly, flashy money that Tim and his parents needed to flaunt. They hadn’t offered her anything except a raised eyebrow when she’d decided to marry Timothy Birch. Was it necessary? Was she pregnant? Did she need money after all? Because if things were really bad–

It wasn’t any of those things. It was love. Grace had seen in Tim a fire, a desire to change the world, a strong moral center, and a safe, comfortable future. And love paid off! They’d been married for ten years now, paid off that first modest home Tim’s dad had co-signed for and traded it for a much bigger Colonial, and Grace worked her high-paying real estate job because she genuinely enjoyed it. No matter how many times Tim or her closest friends and most certainly her parents had suggested that maybe she’d be happier at home. You know. With kids.

But how were she and Tim supposed to start a family if he couldn’t even be home to celebrate this important date?

Tim stepped away and her hands were left hovering in the air as he sighed, “I’m sorry, Grace. But I can’t tell the board members I failed to close the deal because my wife needed me at home for a dinner.”

“Not just a dinner. Our anniversary dinner.”

“So we’ll eat our anniversary dinner next week,” he insisted. “The day isn’t important.”

“I know it’s not, we are. But you already had me cancel the week we were supposed to be in the Bahamas. You already had me cancel the luncheon I was going to throw–”

“That was stupid anyway.”

“Your mother demanded it! And I had to be the one to tell her we weren’t doing it –and I’d already put a lot of work into it! And now you won’t even be home to be with me.”

“You’re being unreasonable.”

“You’re gone too much,” she tried one more time, grabbing his arm. 

“It’s my career, Grace. You know it’s important to me.”

“I know that but… but I thought it was supposed to slow down at this point. You said it would.”

“Do you know what happens to a fighter jet if its propellers slow down?”

She sighed. He glared. She nodded.

“It crashes,” she answered. She’d never forget the day he’d made that demonstration while they were up in his hobby plan. Two years ago? He’d finally earned his license and taken her out for a joy ride even though she hated that fucking plane. She’d made the mistake of asking if he’d be home more now, because between work and golf and flying, she saw more of him at dinner parties than at home. 

His response had been to demonstrate a drop. 

She hadn’t been back in the plane with him since. 

Another of her mounting failures.

“Hey. I love you,” he said, suddenly taking her hand. “I’m really sorry I’m missing everything. I promise I’ll make it up to you, ok? The deal should only take me a couple days to close and then… it’ll be belated, but maybe you and I can take a long weekend somewhere.”

“Where?”

“Wherever you like.”

“Galapagos Islands,” she said, because she wanted to see the turtles. “Iceland,” for the Northern Lights. “Oh, what about that ship that takes people to Antarctica–”

“I was thinking more like Cabo,” he laughed. He patted her cheek and kissed her forehead. “I love that you still dream like a little girl. Don’t ever lose that, sweetheart. See you in a week, I hope!”

He grabbed his bags and headed out. 

It hadn’t been a bad fight, all things considered. Neither of them had gone for the jugular because there wasn’t really a point, since he had a flight to catch and this trip was an immovable object. Grace was disappointed about it all but not even a little surprised, so she hadn’t wasted her energy getting worked up over something that she couldn’t change.

The house was quiet without Tim; even though he worked a lot, there was still a marked difference around the place when he was in town or out. She’d obviously done all the designing and decorating, but he had such particular taste about things, and the combination always just seemed so loud when he wasn’t here to balance out the echo of her voice. He had so many things to mark his presence here even though he spent half of each month traveling. 

Movement in the backyard drew Grace’s attention and she leaned against the sliding door with a sigh. The pool boy was here again. He must have let himself in. Usually he knocked on the backdoor and waved to let her know he was there –a routine begun after once scaring the shit out of her when she’d come up from the gym to see a figure lurking in the backyard. Her scream had been mortifying, though he’d been kind and apologetic.

He hadn’t knocked today, but he might have picked up that she and Tim were fighting and steered clear. He seemed to have a knack for coming over when they were fighting, or maybe it was just because they fought so much. Every little thing seemed to blow up these days, from her not putting the laundry away quickly enough to him leaving whiskers around the bathroom sink after he shaved. Yes, they had housecleaners, but it was trashy to leave a mess for someone else to clean up. “New money,” Grace’s mother had mumbled when she’d complained about it, looking for sympathy or reassurance that men just are like that or something.

She was mortified if the pool boy had actually seen them fighting and felt that staunch Arison pride take over. If someone saw something that might look poorly on you –like fighting with your husband– you needed to immediately do damage control. Hired help talked. Rumors of domestic unrest were like blood in a swamp; nothing drew the gossiping mosquitos faster. 

Grace didn’t know how long he’d been working but decided it didn’t matter. She always offered him a drink and a snack anyway. Pink Lemonade or Sprite, he preferred those to anything else. And he always accepted a bag of chips “for the road,” which had amused her the first time he’d said it. As if he just drove from pool to pool in that garishly painted company truck, tossing back kale chips or spooning tuna salad onto crackers. After a few weeks of her offering the foods she kept on hand, he’d once asked if she had any Flamin’ Hot Cheetos. It had taken all her etiquette training not to laugh –definitely not something they kept stocked! But he looked so sweetly sheepish about making a request, and the whole point of offering was to actually show gratitude to the other person. He kept their pool looking so nice! So she tried to keep a box of chips tucked in the back of the pantry where Tim didn’t go anywhere.

She carried a sweaty Sprite and a bag of chips out with her now. He looked up from spooning something out of the pool with his net at the sound of the sliding door.

“Good afternoon!” she called as she slid her feet into a pair of sandals. 

“Hello, Mrs. Birch,” he called back. He had on a pair of dark sunglasses and a big floppy white bucket hat and a tank top with long arm holes that gave him a real beach bum vibe. She carried the tray over to the table beside the pool house where it could rest in the shade.

“I brought you a snack. I hope you aren’t too hot out here!”

“Ah, it’s pretty warm,” he said. She thought she might be annoying him because he turned his back to her and lifted the net out of the pool. 

“Ok, well, I’ll leave you to–”

“I’m sorry, Mrs. Birch. Wait a moment. Just a moment…” He shuffled along the side of the pool and emptied the net into a trashcan, before setting it on the side of the pool and coming to her. “I’m sorry about that.”

“That’s ok! I know you’re working. I don’t mean to slow you down.”

“I just didn’t want to bother you with that…”

“With… what?” 

He swept his hat off and pushed his sunglasses up, revealing hair spiky with sweat along his hairline and a pressure mark on his tanned nose. 

“Ah, um… a mouse,” he mumbled. She stared. “It’s ok. I took care of it.”

“There was a mouse in the pool?!”

“Well… a rat…”

“I’m so glad you told me! If we have rats I need to call pest control! I promise we don’t usually have rats–”

His face opened up in a laugh as he assured her, “No, Mrs. Birch. I shouldn’t have said that. It wasn’t a rat…”

Now she was absolutely confused and demanded, “JK, what was dead in my pool?” 

He smiled like this was all very funny. He wiped at his forehead with the back of his hand and lifted the Sprite from the tray, opening it with a quick twist of his hand. 

“I didn’t want to scare you, it was a squirrel.”

“I’m not scared of a squirrel…”

“A dead squirrel? Ok,” he shrugged and smiled again. “Sorry, Mrs. Birch. Sometimes the ladies are…” He gave her a sheepish look now. Her heart slowed down with the threat of a rat infestation gone. Why in the world had he not just said that from the beginning? It was kind if he’d been trying to spare her but honestly, she was made of sterner stuff than that!

“Well not this one,” she told him, “but thank you for trying to spare me. Is there sanitation that needs to be done in the–”

“Yes, I’ll definitely take care of it, Mrs. Birch.”

She gave him an apologetic smile, “I know you will, sorry, I didn’t mean to sound like I doubted your professionalism. It’s just been a day…” She turned her head to the side but glanced at him out of the corner of her eye, testing to see if he’d seen or heard anything. Maybe he had knocked on the door and she just hadn’t heard it?

“Well it’s beautiful outside,” he said. “Nothing a little sun can’t solve, right? I’ll have your pool nice again in no time or you can just…” He gestured to the lounge chairs at the far end, then dropped his face to put his mouth around the lip of the Sprite bottle. He tossed his head back and took a big sip with a sigh at the end, eyes red and watering. He sniffled. “It’s good, thanks.”

Grace grinned. “I’m glad. You know, I honestly don’t remember the last time I laid out by the pool.”

“Don’t you like to?”

“Oh yeah, when we first bought this house, I was out here every day with a Bloody Mary and a good thriller. Take a dip to cool off afterwards and–” She broke off, realizing she was waxing poetic about the happy earlier days of her privileged marriage to the fucking pool guy. Not to mention the rudeness. She was never totally sure what sounded like bragging, but suspected Bloody Marys by the pool on a weekday morning were not a part of JK’s routine.

“Won’t bother me if you give it a go while I’m working,” he shrugged. He set the Sprite down. “I just mean, don’t miss the sun on my account. Supposed to rain tomorrow.”

As tempting as the thought was, she didn’t want to make JK uncomfortable while he was working. She knew plenty of women who leered at their pool boys, who were just young men trying to do an honest job. She didn’t know a great deal about JK, but she knew he worked as a pool boy and a lifeguard and taught swim lessons, surfed in his free time, and that his favorite place he’d ever traveled was a summer he spent in Costa Rica, although he’d also gotten really sick there. Bad diarrhea. He hadn’t said that but insinuated it heavily and then looked embarrassed and Grace had thought that was pretty endearing. He was a nice guy, and he worked hard and did a good job. 

He was also rather good looking, so safe to assume he dealt with plenty of lecherous old women. Grace refused to be one of them! She was happily married and also not a predator, thanks!

“I appreciate the thought,” she thanked him now. “But I have some things I have to finish up inside and I need to–” Actually she no longer needed to pick up the dry cleaning with any sense of urgency, because she wouldn’t be wearing that blue dress that Tim liked so much to their anniversary dinner after all. “Finish some things up,” she clumsily finished. “So I’ll stay out of your way. If I’m gone when you finish just please be sure to lock up.”

“Yes, Mrs. Birch,” he nodded. “Thank you for the Sprite and chips.”

He was always so polite. She tried to treat all their household staff with kindness and respect but found it returned in various degrees. JK the pool boy was a good one though.

With nothing further to say or do, she bid him good day and returned inside. The conditioned air made her shiver at the contrast. It was going to be an incredibly hot summer if it was already like this in May. Global warming and all that. Thank god for the pool. She glanced over her shoulder one last time to see that JK was back to fishing things out of the pool, then went to cancel the dinner reservation with a sigh.

*

Mrs. Birch was not like the other women Jungkook cleaned pools for, that was the first thing he could tell you about her.

Agewise, he thought she was somewhere in the middle of the pack –those rich old dudes were always marrying women half their age, but sometimes they had old cutthroat wives who stuck around. He didn’t know how old Mrs. Birch was but he guessed somewhere in the middle of the range, maybe mid-30s or something? Late 30s? Could be 40s with a great surgeon or whatever, but usually you could tell when a white woman had a lot of work done trying to cling to her youth. Mrs. Birch had laugh lines and slight crinkles beside her eyes and a crease between her eyebrows but she had a youthful vibe and a girlish laugh, so fuck if he had any real clue about her age. 

She was definitely younger than her husband, Mr. Birch, who sucked donkey balls. Dude deserved a juvenile nickname but what the fuck could you do with the name Timothy Birch? Dickothy? Jungkook was a professional and tried not to spy or anything but he’d seen Mr. Birch obviously being a dick to Mrs. Birch too many times. Even if he couldn’t hear their arguments, it was always easy to tell who was being a bag of shit and who was on the verge of tears, having done nothing wrong.

Who gave a fuck about Mr. Birch, that overbaked piece of toast?

Mrs. Birch was kinder than the women at any of the other mansions Jungkook cleaned pools for. Some of them came out to say hello. Some of them brought food or drinks. Lots of them asked questions about who he was or how old he was or if he had a girlfriend or if he worked out. It came with the territory, and he’d learned how to handle the bolder ones in a way that didn’t cost him his job and usually got him glowing reviews and an occasional awkward tip. They always guessed that he surfed and giggled when they were right. Sometimes they even guessed he played guitar in a band and there were more giggles at how neatly he fit into this fantasy they were brazenly concocting about him. He actually played the drums. Maybe they’d ask when he was playing or if he gave surf lessons and he’d dodge the questions because he didn’t want these women stepping into those corners of his life. 

Mrs. Birch only asked the kind of questions he didn’t mind answering. She was the only one who, when he said he surfed, wanted to know what his favorite beach was. He’d gotten so flustered when she listened intently to his impulsive raving about the beaches in Costa Rica that he’d wound up telling her about getting the traveler runs. He’d left the job that day swearing he could never face her again.

But he had, and he didn’t regret it, because Mrs. Birch never made him feel weird or watched or like he was a piece of dog shit stuck to her designer heels. The ones who didn’t flirt often treated him like that. He’d been called Mexican too many times to count, which was racist in so many directions at once. There were ones who didn’t pay their bill and yelled at him when his boss told him to bring it up. There were ones who left disgusting shit –sometimes literally shit– in their pools for him to deal with. Or dangerous stuff; he’d sliced his foot open on broken glass once after someone’s rager, and when he’d calmly explained it was not his job to clean up the yard around the pool, they’d started chucking all the trash and broken glass into the pool. Thank fuck Jungkook’s boss had been happy to drop that client, but usually you had to just do whatever to get the job done.

Mrs. Birch would never do something shitty like that. Her husband was kind of intimidating, a real entitled rich asshole, but not Mrs. Birch. She never hovered but always said hello. She had told him before she sold houses and seemed really passionate about her job which was cool. She also clearly wasn’t from California, with her sweet little hint of Southern accent –he’d heard from some of the other guys she came from money too. Oil money in Tennessee or something. But she wasn’t a rich asshole at all, she was really nice, and remembered whatever stupid things he blurted out about himself whenever she asked. 

Because ok, the other thing was that aside from being really nice, Mrs. Birch was fucking hot. Not in the skinny plastic tanned way most of the other women were. She wore makeup and dressed nice and all that, and she was thin and athletic, but there was a naturalness to her. She carried some weight in her thighs and hips that was sexy. She did dye her hair blonde and he kind of wished she’d just let it be whatever the regular brown color was, but it looked nice on her. She had a really bright, sweet smile even without the lip fillers that seemed so popular, and cute dimples, and she had a really nice ass, if he was going to list the things he liked to notice about her. When she opened the sliding door, she never pulled hard enough and had to bump it with her hip; he always looked over the second he heard the door slide so he could see the way she popped that hip out. Her calves were shapely and he was pretty sure her thighs were too, though she was always wearing too much clothing to really get a detailed view of her body. Tits looked real though, a nice size, not so big he suspected they were fake, and they matched her ass. 

Well. Well there was one time he’d seen her wearing slightly less than her regular clothes. He’d only been working at their house a couple months –this was a couple years ago now– and she had clearly been working out in their home gym. The back of the house had tons of windows, windows everywhere, so he could see right into the living room and kitchen and dining room and even a bathroom that connected to the outside with an outdoor shower. So he’d seen her walk past all those windows just wearing a sports bra and tight little workout pants. He’d scared the shit out of her; the way she’d screamed had scared the shit out of him too! And sadly, he’d been so flustered by her rocking bod, he had failed to adequately commit her to memory, a regret he had to live with every day. But he had seen, he was certain he’d seen the dark blur of a tattoo on her lower back. He was sure of it! So that dark blur would also haunt him every day because Mrs. Birch was not someone you expected to have a lower back tattoo and he had questions…

Questions he would never get answers to. Because even if her husband was an asshole, he was just a run of the mill rich asshole, and women like Mrs. Birch never left their husbands. And while there were other women who might have not let that stop them –women who were eager to flirt and Jungkook didn’t know how far they’d take it if he didn’t sidestep their attentions– Mrs. Birch wasn’t one of them. He knew that and respected that a lot. Even if he did secretly wish she could hover a little bit.

Like why couldn’t she just get some sun on one of the lounge chairs while he cleaned the water? She could sit out with a bikini and a Bloody Mary and a book and he wouldn’t mind. It was against company rules to work shirtless, but if she enjoyed the view, he wouldn’t mind risking it for her. He could enjoy the view too, her in a bikini. Was she a black bikini woman? Or a flirty polka dot number? He hoped she wasn’t an animal print bikini person, it didn’t match her style at all, but he didn’t think she was. He could see her as a white bikini woman… damn, those always got a little see-through… Anyway, just looking wasn’t a crime…

But Mrs. Birch was one of those women who loved their husbands even when he didn’t deserve it. She had never shown even the slightest sexual interest in Jungkook. She only had eyes for her shitty, unappreciative, scumbag husband. Maybe Jungokok didn’t really know much about Mr. Birch or their relationship, but he definitely saw them unhappy way more than he ever saw them happy and that was enough for him to feel sure about it. He thought the way Mr. Birch kissed her on the forehead instead of the mouth when he said goodbye was stupid. Mrs. Birch seemed like a woman with untapped passion. She needed someone to really grab her and kiss her, not out of duty but out of need–

Maybe he was paying a little too much attention to Mrs. Birch. But nothing was happening, so he cared? He sure wasn’t going to start anything. Way too fucking shy and way too interested in keeping his job and again, Mrs. Birch wasn’t like that, even towards a pool boy. So it was all just in his head, and he didn’t let it go far in his head or anything. The fantasies. Maybe he thought about it sometimes, if she wasn’t home while he was working so there was no risk of getting caught red-faced and guilty-brained. Maybe he thought about her turning around and sliding her skirt down so he could see exactly what was going on with that maybe-tattoo… or sliding her skirt up so he could see what was going on with those thighs… but he hadn’t let it go further than that. The tease and denial was part of the fun after all. 

It was just that seeing Mrs. Birch was one of the best parts of his job, and he just wished she’d ogle him a little bit… The other women thought he was hot but, sadly, Mrs. Birch wasn’t like the other women…

It was a bad day. Long. Annoying. He’d spent the morning fighting with the owners of his first pool who insisted that the pool had been over chlorinated even though he showed them the readout proving the chemicals were on the lower end of normal ranges. They wanted a saltwater pool now because someone else had a saltwater pool, and when he tried to walk them through what the changes would entail, they spoke to him like he was stupid. They couldn’t believe he knew anything about pools. “He just cleans them. I’ll call the manager and talk to him about the work involved to switch it over…” 

Seething, Jungkook had left to find a missed call from his sister asking if he could babysit for her on Friday morning because she had a job interview. He understood that was more important than his morning surf time so of course he’d do it, and he loved his nephew, but it was still disappointing.

So he’d opened his messages to see if maybe– but no, he couldn’t make plans with Corri for Friday night to still have something to look forward to because she’d told him it was better if they just stayed friends. There were other girls he could try to message but he kind of didn’t see the point because they kept ghosting him. Did he really want to message Vic, who had once asked him how long he planned to keep cleaning pools? Or Deeda who said she didn’t think they had anything to talk about anymore just because she was in grad school now? Or Mara, who thought he spent too much time with his family and should “cut the umbilical cord already”? Teona disagreed, she thought Jungkook ought to spend more time thinking in the family way; time to grow up already because who still lived with their friends after college? Um, people without family inheritances funding their surfer influencer lifestyle maybe? At least Jungkook didn’t live at home anymore, right? That had certainly cost him a lot of dates before he moved out, like girls who didn’t even want to give him a chance just because he was an economic king? Fuck that! But he did move out, and now he still got shit about having roommates and his parents didn’t get the bonus rent he had paid whenever he could.

Dating sucked. Women his own age didn’t like him. Older women liked him too much. His friends had suggested he just go for it more than once. What’s wrong with a sugar mama? Jimin always asked, hitting his arm. Doesn’t that mean everyone’s happy?

Everyone except Jungkook! He wanted more than that in the grand scheme of things, so what? More than just to be some boytoy for ogling and flirting with when their husbands’ backs were turned… More than just a drunk fuck on the weekend, skin salty from a day on the waves… More than a hopeful second or even third date with a pretty woman he met on an app, only for her to suddenly decide it was going nowhere because he was going nowhere… Where was he supposed to go? He was happy! Except for the lack of girlfriend part.

He pulled into the Birch’s pool house driveway already cranky. At least this was the next house. He saw Mrs. Birch’s car in the open garage, though that didn’t guarantee she was home. If she’d bring him out the usual lemonade and chips, at least it would be one little bright spot on his otherwise miserable day. 

Not knowing when she might come out or if she could see him, he tried to look less like an angry asshole than he felt as he dragged the things he needed out of his truck and from their pool house. The sun was bright today; his skin glistened with sweat before he even started. He pulled on his wide-brimmed hat to keep the sun off his face and neck as he grabbed the net to start fishing out the leaves that had fallen in and evaded their filter. Mr. Birch refused to have one of the automatic pool cleaner robots because the cord annoyed him, but it meant weekly or sometimes twice-weekly visits from Jungkook so whatever, not his money.

He’d reached the deep end of the pool to scoop out a cluster of leaves huddled under the diving board as if they’d been seeking shade when he saw her. Mrs. Birch in the kitchen. Crying. 

She leaned against the counter looking at something in her hand and clearly didn’t realize he had arrived. Only strange coincidence had them look at each other at the same time and he could tell by her expression she hadn’t expected him to be there. Because he hadn’t knocked like he usually did, fuck. 

Quickly Jungkook dropped his gaze and concentrated as hard as he possibly could on the pool. Pool guys were definitely not supposed to be looking into the windows of a house; they were supposed to be unseen, unheard, unremarked upon staff. But Mrs. Birch had definitely just seen him looking into her kitchen, watching her cry against the counterlike a fucking creep.

Shit.

Shit, not so much because he’d been caught –while it wouldn’t have been the first time a nice-seeming client turned asshole the second something went wrong, or even the first time a woman turned on him because a vulnerability got exposed, he wanted to believe Mrs. Birch was better than that.

But shit because something had made Mrs. Birch cry. Obviously he had no actual idea what it was. Maybe her childhood dog had died. Maybe her favorite salad place had closed down. Maybe her favorite character had finally left whatever daytime soap was popular among older women right now. Maybe it was that time of month and a really emotional Coca Cola commercial had played –that always got his mom going.

Jungkook’s money though was on Mr. Birch being a dick. Once again. Mr. Birch was a rich asshole. Rude, impatient. Apparently he was a really talented businessman, which Jungkook assumed meant incapable of kindness, softness, or passion  –all of which of course a nice woman like Mrs. Birch would need and deserve. Besides, Jungkook did know they fought sometimes, and he couldn’t imagine Mrs. Birch actually doing anything wrong. Mr. Birch was the obvious culprit. He’d put his money on it.

The fantasy came into his head without permission: Jungkook, striding through the sliding door into her house, opening his arms and calling, “Hey, pretty girl, what did that asshole do this time?” She’d fall into his arms sobbing but he’d hear her out and talk her down and ask if she wanted him to beat down the prick husband. Which he would and could, obviously. Something about calling an older woman “pretty girl” just seemed nice, like for a moment he could just erase the age difference with her or something and be the strong, mature caretaker. Mrs. Birch needing him not only sexually but emotionally too seemed pretty bitchin’. Obviously she’d need him sexually, but to look up to him and admire him and rely on him too? Yeah, sweet…

Aside from the obvious reality checks (Mrs. Birch was married and had never expressed any interest in him sexually or otherwise), he realized Mrs. Birch might find it hella offensive for Jungkook to call her “pretty girl.” That might not actually be something older women liked. Women his own age were divided on it, based on his personal research. And when it didn’t land well, it really didn’t land well. 

He would have liked a raunchier fantasy to play out but none immediately came to call. Fuck his bad day, it was making his mind-dick limp too? He stabbed at the water and tried to dredge up filth but instead he thought of sitting down beside Mrs. Birch and laying his head in her lap and feeling those tits press against the side of his head as she leaned over to comfort him… ok, that was something, he could just turn his face a little, maybe catch a nipple with his teeth–

Fuck it. 

He was having a shit day and could use some ogling. Mrs. Birch was having a bad day and deserved some eye candy. He was eye candy, other women clearly thought that! Maybe just this once Mrs. Birch would notice.

He doubled back to strip off his shirt. He tossed his hat aside too and took a moment to apply sunscreen –for safety, obviously, but also so his skin would have that shiny glow to it. He looked himself over, just to make sure everything was oiled and in place. Without the hem of his shirt to cover it, his boardshorts hung low, showing off the shallow cliff of his v-line and the ridges of his abs. He wished he was a bit taller and bulkier but his chest and shoulders and back were fire, so whatever. His muscles came from surfing more than pressing iron and he didn’t exactly have the time for body-building but he was fit and toned. Who the fuck could afford a personal trainer anyway? 

Shit, why was he second guessing his own looks? No! Fuck it! Older women thought he was hot. They liked the combo of his baby face and washboard abs –their words, not his. Ah, too bad the board shorts hid his thighs, his thighs and ass got him compliments from those blessed enough to see him naked… He was hot! Women said so! 

He reached into the pool to wet his hands and splashed water onto his hair so he could push it back. Maybe she’d be inspired by his shoulder tattoo to show off her own…

He’d never felt so naked at someone’s house before, but he did his best to look sexy as he worked. Actually the cool water looked sexier on this hot day than anything he could do. It was a nice big pool, rectangular and deep with lane-markers in the tile, so one of them must have been a swimmer. Wider than a lap pool though and there was a fountain on one side. If he had a pool like this, he’d be out in it every morning for a dip. 

He kept trying to look in the window without it being obvious he was looking in the window. Having his shirt off… it didn’t look desperate, right? It was just a thing pool guy’s did. Yes it was against the rules but he knew plenty of guys did it anyway in the hopes of a bigger end of season tip or, even riskier, cougar bait. 

He paused on the edge of the pool with the test strip. Was he… cougar baiting? But it wasn’t going to go anywhere. He wasn’t doing anything. There was nothing wrong with looking, if Mrs. Birch wanted to look at him. That’s why he’d taken his shirt off! Nothing was going to happen!

Unless… unless what if it did? What if this was a signal for action he hadn’t meant to send? What if Mrs. Birch had simply been polite but he’d now set a train rolling that wouldn’t be stopped… they were both in a weak place today. She might seek comfort and... And obviously he couldn’t go through with that, she was married for fuck’s sake, and he could lose his job, and honestly he didn’t put it past Mr. Birch to fucking shoot him or ruin his life or something… and there was the emotional part too that he didn’t really want to be the other guy, he wanted to be the guy for someone–

The door slid open behind him. He spun, definitely not looking as cool and casual as he had hoped.

“Hello,” Mrs. Birch greeted, carrying the tray of chips and a cold pitcher of lemonade over to the glass-top table. “The lemonade is fresh and I added extra ice. If it’s too miserable out here, you can turn those cabana fans on. It’s a real scorcher today, isn’t it?”

He walked over, trying not to overthink his saunter.

“Ah, yeah, it’s brutal today,” he agreed, reaching for the glass. She’d… she’d noticed he was shirtless, right? That’s why she was talking about how hot it was? Did she mean him? If not,  she wasn’t reacting at all. “I’ll have your pool nice so you can enjoy it later; perfect day for it.”

“Thank you so much,” she smiled at him. “I have to run out to meet a client soon but I look forward to it later today. I really appreciate all your hard work keeping it nice out here.”

Not sure how to respond to her kindness when he’d been trying so hard to be ogled, he awkwardly pointed out, “That’s what you pay me for.” Wait, did that sound too dismissive or too flirty? Was he trying to flirt? Not really but… but if she wanted to flirt, he’d flirt! If it would cheer her up! She didn’t look like she was crying anymore so maybe it had worked? Quickly he added, “But I try to keep this pool particularly nice.”

“It’s beautiful, isn’t it? Well I appreciate your hard work and… thanks. Just please make sure to close the gate on your way out.”

“I always do.” 

She didn’t say anything else, just gave him a watery smile and retreated back into the house. Usually they talked for at least a couple minutes, so that had been remarkably short. She had said she had errands to run, but she wound up not leaving the house for a long time yet. And he already knew she was having a bad day, but he saw her in the kitchen and she didn’t seem to cry again. 

Or… had she been nervous talking to him when he didn’t have a shirt on? Could that be true, had he left her too flustered for smalltalk? Could Mrs. Birch be shy? 

He whistled to himself as he left.

**

Why was the pool guy shirtless?! Was it really so hot out there? She felt bad if he was that miserable –they had fans with misters that could help! He knew that, didn’t he? But honestly it wasn’t that bad out there… but he was probably running around working by pools all day while she was inside her crisply air conditioned home, crying her eyes out because of that stupid argument with Tim–

Whatever. It wasn’t a good time for the pool guy to be shirtless. Did he have to look like that?! Sure, she already knew his arms and shoulders were toned, and likely the rest of his body as well from all the surfing. His shoulders and cheeks were always sunkissed. But she wasn’t in the business of objectifying people going about their day, so she’d noticed without noticing. He had such a charming smile, that’s what she had always let remain fixed in her mind, but now she couldn’t unknow. She knew too much! She had seen way too low down his happy trail, like his board shorts were going to slip off at any second and leave nothing left for the imagination.

Not that she was imagining! Just… noticing. Was it wrong to notice the muscular curve of his shoulders, and how toned his back was and how his chest actually pillowed as he dragged the net through the water? Probably! But she was married, not dead. How could she not notice? Jungkook was a hunk and he was probably only going to get even more handsome as he aged. Lucky woman who got to–

No, no, stupid line of thought. Just because she was cranky about her own marital troubles didn’t mean she should go down that salty path. The grass was always greener. Hopefully he did have a happy life going on outside of tending to rich peoples’ pools. And anyway, wasn’t she lucky to have Tim? Handsome, successful, enamored(ish) with her…

She took out snacks to try and be normal but found herself a bit tongue-tied talking to him. God, men like him had never paid her much attention when she was younger unless they were after her family money. Suddenly she was fourteen at summer camp again, enamored by the cool surfer boy lifeguard who only ever looked right through her… Except Jungkook didn’t look through her, he kept grinning like he knew he was fucking with her head. Were reviews coming up or something? Was he working shirtless this week, hoping everyone would put in a good word? She refused to be worked! 

She fabricated a meeting with a client as an excuse to keep their chat short. The crooked grin and dimples beneath the dark shades were bad enough but then he slid his sunglasses up to rest in his mop of dark curls and arched his eyebrow –she wasn’t even sure what they were talking about, the weather?-- and she thought for sure he was about to quip my eyes are up here, Mrs. Birch. His skin looked warm, like molded sunlight, like summer vacation in the form of a man. Damn, he had the kind of natural glow and ageless beauty she knew plenty of people spent top dollar trying to emulate. 

It was good she kept the conversation short. A bad day was not the right time to harass the poor pool guy just here to do his job! She fled quickly inside, but forgot to follow through on leaving for her non-existent errand at first, until she realized she needed to go by her office anyway. Maybe she dragged her feet… just looking wasn’t a crime, right? Maybe? If he didn’t want someone looking, why had he taken off his shirt?! 

No. No no she didn’t want to be this kind of woman! This wasn’t who her parents had raised her to be. She shouldn’t be crude about a real person just because she was having a bad day and it didn’t make her feel better anyway, it made her feel worse. Was Tim right about her? One fight with her husband and she slid right into being a lecherous old cougar…

So she grabbed her purse and keys and fled her own house.

Mr. and Mrs. Birch weren’t always fighting when Jungkook came over. 

In general it wasn’t unheard of to be working on a pool and accidentally notice things going on inside the house even when you really didn’t want to. To people with money, the staff was invisible until you fucked something up. And some people just had no shame about what the help saw. He’d gotten an unwanted eyeful plenty of times, or turned on music to drown out the fucking floating out of an open window. Lucky bastards, fucking in the middle of the day like that while some people had to work…

Such was the case when Jungkook came over to clean the pool one Wednesday afternoon. 

Usually he came by at the same time each week so he could maximize the likelihood of running into Mrs. Birch and minimize the likelihood of running into Mr. Birch. That day when he pulled up though, he could see every spot in the garage filled with a car. Four cars. Mr. Birch had two old ones that were pretty fucking cool, the kind of cars old rich men bought to drive on the weekends up the coast. The kind of car his dad would have loved to drive but had never been anywhere close to. God, he would have loved to buy his dad a convertible for his fiftieth birthday a few years ago but that definitely wasn’t happening on a pool guy’s salary and neither of them knew the first thing about fixing up an old junker.

Jungkook was already brittle with jealousy about the cars as he began his work and then gradually realized that the distant sounds of sex were maybe not so distant. His face jerked towards the source, an upstairs window of the Birch’s house. Honestly, he’d never heard a man that loud during sex before, grunting like an old lawnmower that wouldn’t start. A repetitive lighter gasp, like an alarm no one was bothering to tend to, sat on top of the grunts, so consistent that he didn’t even register it first.

Jungkook’s ears went red. Shit. 

Look, Jungkook had fucked around plenty. It wasn’t like he hadn’t been around other people fucking. For fuck’s sake, he lived with two other guys, so he’d had his morning cornflakes to the annoying sound of an early-risen roommate. 

But the second he realized he was overhearing Mr. and Mrs. Birch fucking, mortification consumed him. Maybe it was because he had that funny kind of crush on Mrs. Birch. Maybe it was because he thought Mr. Birch was so vile. Maybe it was because the idea of that shriveled old guys’ raw dick being anywhere near the nice and pretty Mrs. Birch was just a bridge too far and now it was confirmed. Ok, sure, they were married, they’d probably had lots of sex in their lives together. Maybe? But he’d never seen or heard it before, and since he saw them fighting, he’d sort of assumed they didn’t do that. Obviously Mr. Birch couldn’t be good. He was selfish and way too old for Mrs. Birch. He looked all wrong next to her, there was no way he looked better on her.

This dose of reality was an unwelcome one: Mr. and Mrs. Birch were married and had sex and Jungkook’s happy fantasy that they were miserable and on the cusp of divorce and she’d turn to him for comfort was slapped in the face by reality. He didn’t actually know anything about them. For all he knew, they were wildly in love and he, as the pool boy, just wasn’t privy to the realities of their marriage. For all he knew, he just managed to always see them at the wrong time for the two and a half seasons he’d cleaned their pool. Or maybe he misunderstood the emotional charge in those moments; maybe something else was upsetting Mrs. Birch and Mr. Birch was her champion. Maybe Mr. Birch was somehow a great husband! She sure seemed to be, um, enjoying that… maybe? That wasn’t how he’d imagined she sounded when he sometimes– look, it wasn’t personal, but she was hot and his mind went to a desperate, embarrassing place when he was jacking off

At least they finished up quickly. He must have arrived at the very end of it, thank fuck. Or maybe Mr. Birch couldn’t last long. He was old, after all. But that didn’t put Jungkook in any better of a mood when Mr. Birch wandered into the kitchen not long after, pouring two glasses of ice water. Mrs. Birch wasn’t far behind, but while he had only a robe on, she had pulled on leggings and a t shirt, like she’d just been working out or watching TV or something casual…

But Jungkook knew what they had just been doing. Usually he didn’t give a shit but now he felt weird and unhappy to be here. It was confirmation of an obvious thing: Mr. Birch fucked Mrs. Birch. Wow, alert the media. A husband fucks his wife! So what that Jungkook didn’t like that? Now he knew they fucked in the middle of the day sometimes. Cool. He could have died happy without knowing that but ok.

He sulked as he cleaned the pool. He contemplated taking his shirt off again, because it was a hot day, and maybe in the hopes Mrs. Birch would notice and think about what Mr. Birch didn’t look like, could never look like… but he didn’t. 

That was for the best, since when Mrs. Birch came out to bring Jungkook ice water and a bag of chips, Mr. Birch came with her. It was less than she usually offered, and Jungkook thought she looked apologetic about it, but maybe he just imagined that.

“We’re having people over this weekend,” Mr. Birch said, walking along the side of the pool with his hands in the pockets of his robe. He curled his toes in a weird way when he walked, and Jungkook wondered if the concrete was too hot on his little wealthy feet. 

They weren’t little actually. They were big, ugly and wrinkly and Jungkook wondered if maybe Mr. Birch was actually an honest-to-god gremlin.  

“Make sure the pool is perfect,” Mr. Birch said because he was still talking. “None of the leaves in the bottom like last time.”

Mrs. Birch looked uncomfortable as she said, “Those happened after he was here last week because the O’Connor’s cleaned their yard and blew all their leaves our direction–”

“Those fuckers need to fix that shitty fence or I’m going to start throwing shit right back,” Mr. Birch grumbled.

“Tim…” Mrs. Birch gave him a look that must have been fond. Jungkook could not for the life of him figure out how someone like Mrs. Birch could be fond of Mr. Birch. It ruined his brief high that Mrs. Birch had defended him. 

Jungkook was still holding the net and trying not to look at Mr. Birch in the hopes he’d fuck off, but he didn’t miss the nod in his direction that Mrs. Birch gave her husband, like he was saying something he shouldn’t. Now Jungkook didn’t think she looked fond –she was embarrassed, he realized. Of course she was. Mrs. Birch was a saint and wouldn’t shit talk her neighbors like that, she’d just been stating a fact about the O’Connor’s and defending Jungkook’s work. He smiled at her before he could stop himself, then hurried to cover it with,

“Mr. Birch, if you’re concerned about debris in between cleanings, I could install a pool cleaner robot for–”

“No, that’s what we pay you for,” Mr. Birch interrupted. “You’re the pool boy. Don’t farm out your own job,” he scoffed. It took great self control from cleaning rich peoples’ pools for years to not snap back and point out that the robot wouldn’t remove dead squirrels or check the chemical levels, it would just slurp up the pine needles in between his thorough care.

“A pool technician manages many things to keep your pool nice,” he suggested evenly. “If you don’t want the robot, I could come out twice a week, or you could always call if you need a cleaning ahead of an event–”

Mr. Birch actually laughed and pointed, saying to Mrs. Birch, “Yep, there’s that upsell!” Jungkook felt hatred deep in his belly for this asshole. He was doing his job. 

It was clear Mr. Birch sailed through life because he had a woman like Mrs. Birch to clean up the shit he stepped in and tracked everywhere.

“He’s a professional, of course he knows the answers,” she laughed gracefully. “I can run the net around if I need to before everyone comes over on Saturday, Tim,” she added. Jungkook wanted to box Tim’s ears that’s your job, fucker, don’t make her do it! At least let me do it! She continued, “Anything more than that, you’ve lost me. Chemistry was not my best subject in high school…”

Without missing a beat, Mr. Birch laughed, “Well you didn’t need chemistry after all anyway, huh? No science to selling houses.”

“Economic science,” Jungkook suggested, unable to help himself. He wasn’t even sure that was a thing but he blurted it out because it sounded like Mr. Birch was disparaging Mrs. Birch, who worked hard (probably) at her job even though she (probably) didn’t even need to and could just sit at home on her ass spending his money like a lot of the other wives (probably) did. 

Unfortunately Mr. Birch just laughed.

Mrs. Birch smiled too, like she appreciated his effort, and suggested, “We’ll leave you to it but call if you need something, as always.” She gestured to the snacks on the table with one hand and nudged Mr. Birch back into the house with the other. 

Jungkook waited until Mr. Birch had stepped inside ahead of her to call after, “Hey, if it’s bad before your party, the O’Connor’s clean their yard again or whatever, just call and I can come clean up as a one-off. S’not a problem.”

“Thank you, JK. I’m sure we’ll be fine though. Saturday is surf time, isn’t it?”

The fact she remembered that he liked to go surfing Saturday mornings flustered him into saying nothing in response. He just dropped his gaze and stared at the pool. Sure, that was a low fucking bar for people but still! How could a woman who so kindly remembered he spent his Saturday mornings surfing be married to that limp-dicked troll? She deserved so much better than that. Someone like him, right? Someone who thought her real estate work was cool and impressive and wanted to spend lazy evenings swimming together in this nice pool and who understood how to really take care of that body of hers. No way had Mr. Birch been good to her upstairs. She was faking it, he was sure of it. She’d never need to fake it with him, he’d fuck her so good–

Fuck, he wished Mr. Birch would just drown in this pool. He’d just do a full cleanse after and the pool would look great and Mrs. Birch’s problems would be solved.

Grace carried the two glasses of rosé to join Megan in the living room. Usually Megan was wandering along the gallery wall, admiring the art or peppering Grace with questions about the framed photographs of holidays and events tucked in among the paintings and prints Grace had collected over the years. She only ever bought small paintings because Tim thought big paintings were tacky and they cost too much to convince him otherwise, though she did have one large one her grandparents had gifted her currently hanging in the dining room. She wanted it in the bedroom but it wasn’t worth the fight.

Tim also didn’t like rosé –he considered it a bastardized wine– but Tim wasn’t here right now, so she took great delight in handing Megan the glass and lifting her own to her lip.

“Hey, does your pool guy always work shirtless?”

Grace swallowed some wine down the wrong pipe and had to pound on her chest to free it. Once able to breathe again, she could see that JK was in fact shirtless by the side of the pool, sunlight shiny on his tanned arms and shoulders and back.

Holy hell, not again.

“No, not usually,” she said, sounding cool and calm.

“Damn. My poolboy doesn’t look like that… what service are you using again?”

“Oh, I don’t know the name, I think it’s printed on his truck,” she lied, waving her hand. He’d crouched over to adjust something with the net and his board shorts hugged his frame tight, so low she suspected she might see ass if she looked closely. There was so little to his torso! Maybe she had noticed before how narrow his waist was compared to his shoulders, but from the side she was scandalized by the reminder that his pecs had actual volume to them and his stomach, in fact, did not. 

“God, I’d be out there sunbathing if my poolboy looked like that,” Megan continued. “That’s a young man in his prime. Look at that tan, it’s real! And those muscles… I bet he’s insane in the sack…”

“Megan!”

“What! I’m lonely and horny. Adam’s been on site for a month now… Oh don’t look scandalized, I’m not actually banging the help. A girl can dream, can’t she? No harm in looking. I adore Adam… but he’s definitely not outperforming someone like that in bed.”

Grace sighed and insisted, “You can’t tell how someone performs in bed just by looking at them.”

“Maybe you can’t…”

“Stop,” she laughed. “Stop gawking at my pool technician. If he looks over and sees us– Megan!”

He had, in fact, looked over. He waved at them, so there was no hoping he hadn’t seen them peering out the window at him. Grace was good at smoothing over awkward situations but couldn’t see an easy way out of this one except to wave back and grab Megan’s arm and drag her away from the window. She’d already taken his snacks out earlier before Megan got here. He’d been wearing a shirt then… 

“Does Tim know you have a hot stud like that around here every week?”

“Oh please,” Grace laughed. “Like he has anything to worry about.”

“I know, I’m just teasing. Good-girl Grace, definitely the last person anyone expects to fool around with the poolboy. Which means…” Megan wiggled her eyebrows.

Grace just rolled her eyes, “Yes, the last person. He’s very young and definitely not looking to be harassed by a couple of old married women while he’s just doing his job.”

“If he didn’t want us to admire him, he wouldn’t have his shirt off.”

“Meg! That’s crass victim blaming, even from you–”

“He’s not a victim, is what I’m saying! Poor boy is probably desperate for you to notice him every week. He’s rubbing one out every night wishing you’d march out there one day and mount him on the lounge chair–”

“MEGAN FERRERO!”

“Ugggh I’m reading too many romances lately,” Megan sighed. “I’m going to tell Adam he can’t ever leave me alone this long again. I can’t be trusted.”

Grace didn’t want her friend to see how flustered that little scenario had left her. Not because she was thinking about that sort of thing with JK. But just because it was suggested and– honestly, he was just a guy doing his job! 

“That’s right, you can’t be trusted!” Grace teased to cover herself. “From now on I’ll have to schedule your visits when I have no staff around the house–”

“Oh god do you only hire really attractive people? See, this is why it helps to be friends with people who like art. You have an appreciation for beauty!”

“I do but that did not get utilized when choosing a pool cleaning service…”

“No wonder you wound up with a handsome man like Tim. You have a good eye.”

“Hm, I suppose so…” Grace smiled. Things with Tim seemed… off lately. Which wasn’t saying much because they’d always had their highs and lows, and this wasn’t even really low compared to previous lows. He just seemed strange lately, bouncing between standoffish and more ardent than she’d seen him in years. He was closing in on a big deal. He was traveling less but to more interesting places. He’d even suggested she could go on the trip to St. Bart with him next month, maybe they could make a longer stay of it. That would be nice, right at the end of the season, once the Europeans were done with their obscenely long summer holidays. Probably the place would be rife with people they knew, as close to the “trip to the sea” holidays that showed up so often in the old English novels Grace liked to read on a rainy day.

“Or more like Tim has a good eye,” Megan corrected, nudging her with her toe.

Quickly Grace slid decorum back into place and nodded with an arched eyebrow, “Yes, we both made quite the acquisition.” It made Megan laugh and Grace suppressed the sigh of relief. If there was anything her parents had taught her, it was never to show your belly, even to your friends. Especially to your friend who seemed to accumulate any bit of gossipy trivia about everyone. With any luck, the pool business JK worked for was going to see a surge in business soon, right at the end of the summer pool season, with probably particular requests for JK… But dear lord, how would Megan figure that out? Grace hadn’t said his name. How would Megan describe him– oh, she realized, probably as “the young man who cleans the Birch’s pools.” Probably the requests would be good for JK career-wise, though she hoped no one bothered him actually. Was it ok to ogle your handsome staff? Grace really didn’t think so. And so she didn’t!

“Now I didn’t bring you over here to prey on my pool guy, we’re supposed to be talking about what we want to pitch for the benefit to the committee–”

“Before those skanky hoes Trish and Nancy scoop us again,” Megan instantly sulked. 

“Adam will be back before the vote, right? It’s ultimately the men on the board who decide–”

“Oh I’ll make sure he’s back, and you keep Tim here too. Just because we aren’t blowing the rest of them doesn’t mean we can’t find other ways to sabotage–”

“Or we could just have the best idea.”

“Oh Grace,” Megan laughed. “Sometimes I forget you’re so much younger than me. You’re not even forty yet! A fresh babe.”

“You’re only forty-three.”

“Yes, and so worldly. Trust me. This is important. This is about establishing ourselves! Those old bitches need to roll over and die, it’s our turn to take over, the younger generation. She doesn’t look a day over sixty but Nancy is definitely in her seventies. Might just take one good jump-scare…”

“You are incorrigible,” Grace laughed, shaking her head. Megan was new money, lavish, ostentatious, a gossip, overly blunt –literally everything Grace had been raised not to be. It was shocking! And yet, despite the dent it likely caused on her impeccable social card, Grace found herself seeking out Megan’s company time and time again. In a sea of masks, Megan let hers slip sometimes. Usually when she was throwing it off because someone had pissed her off…

“But you love it. Ok. So I’m thinking… exotic dancers–”

“Meg!”

“Sorry! Your poolboy inspired me! Fine, I forgot, that’s only what the men do on their own, we’re supposed to pretend not to know. What about… Old Hollywood?”

“Does it seem out of touch? It’s to benefit starving children…” Grace tactfully reminded her.

“All right, let’s refill our wine glasses to think, I need more rosé.”

Mr. Birch had complained to the pool company about his pool. He’d felt there were too many leaves in it within days of cleaning. Fortunately Jungkook’s boss Bob understood these kinds of complaints and had said all the right things and then carried forward zero of the reprimands. When asked if he wanted a different pool technician, Mr. Birch had said he “didn’t give a fuck, I just want it done right.”

But Mrs. Birch had also called, Bob explained further, to apologize for her husband and insist that Jungkook did a fantastic job taking care of their pool and there was no need to replace him unless he was uncomfortable working at their house, which she would understand. Mrs. Birch was a class act. His boss told him the calls happened close together, and Mrs. Birch’s voice sounded like she was upset, so he suspected there was a fight. Probably the pool wasn’t the important thing they were fighting about and Mr. Birch’s anger just got passed down the little guy, that’s how these things went.

Jungkook thought it was possible Bob told him all this to make sure he wasn’t getting into something he shouldn’t, because Bob stopped laughing and had that look on his face. Jungkook would not be the first guy to get fired for fucking someone’s wife on the side. Jungkook easily and honestly reassured him that was not an issue here. He was not involved with anything but cleaning the pool.

How could he be when Mr. and Mrs. Birch were suddenly so busy fucking like rabbits on the afternoons he came by? The sex noises were even louder this time and it was so fucking obnoxious he almost just turned around and left. Was Mr. Birch trying to prove a point or something? Fuck that guy. Mrs. Birch shouldn’t be married to that piece of shit and either it was a money thing or a magical tongue thing but Mr. Birch didn’t seem like the kind of guy who’d eat pussy so probably it was a money thing. Well… Jungkook couldn’t offer anything when it came to money but his tongue was a different story and which really led to a happier life?

Ok honestly probably the money…

He decided to stay, in the hopes it would grate on Mr. Birch’s nerves to see him still working there after his complaint. At first it was fine, he just put his headphones on. But eventually the noise got too loud to be drowned out, and it was pissing him off to hear, “Oh Tim! Oh Tim!” chanted through music he loved.

He ripped the headphones out just as the woman gave an actual scream of pleasure. The mixture of anger and embarrassment that Mrs. Birch could sound like that froze him in place for a moment. That had apparently been the end of it because sudden silence followed. Thank fuck.

His blood was still boiling though, a nauseating mixture of horny and angry. What the fuck? He always came on Wednesdays. This didn’t have to happen on a Wednesday afternoon with the windows wide open. Didn’t they have any fucking decency for the neighborhood?!

Also what the fuck had Mr. Birch done to make Mrs. Birch cum so hard? Jungkook had found some comfort over time in convincing himself that sadly Mrs. Birch’s sexlife was a pleasureless one and he could be so much better for her. But he’d never made a woman scream like that… not that he didn’t work hard to satisfy anyone he landed in bed with but that scream was unreal. In fact, it had to be literally unreal, right? It had to be fake. It had to be! He thought he’d be able to tell as soon as Mrs. Birch came down and remembered he was here and brought him his usual snacks. Maybe she’d just been in a hurry to get Mr. Birch to stop poking at her with his skinny hot dog dick.

Nonetheless, his ego was threatened. It was the one area he’d felt superior. It was bullshit if this pimpled-asshole got to be rich, lazy, married to someone like Mrs. Birch and actually had good dick game. It wasn’t fucking fair. Assholes always got ahead in life and meanwhile decently-ok guys like Jungkook were stuck cleaning their pools and fantasizing about their wives bent over the side of the pool when they jacked off in the shower because another girl had ghosted after only a couple of dates. Not to mention living to paycheck to paycheck and arguing with the landlord about whether they were in their right to install a basketball hoop over the garage or not. Probably he wouldn’t have even noticed if it hadn’t ripped the gutter down the first time Jungkook hit the backboard…

He texted the loudest woman he’d ever fucked who he was also still on friendly terms with to see if she’d be willing to chill this weekend. Fine. Mrs. Birch wanted to get fucked so hard by her husband? He could fuck a woman even harder! One who wanted to be fucked by him! He didn’t care if he was being crazy right now!

But when he realized there was movement in the kitchen and that he was standing here on his phone, he nearly dropped it in his panic. Mr. Birch already wanted him fired, it wouldn’t help him if they saw him on the side of the pool on his phone. He hurried to shove it into his back pocket while also glancing at the window to make sure no one had seen him.

They had not. Because in fact they were fucking again. The woman was sitting on the kitchen counter wearing a silky robe spread open while Mr. Birch clearly tried to guide his dick into her, staring down as if he wasn’t sure how to work his own junk. He had a robe on too, thank fuck, but that wasn’t the important part.

The important part was that that was not Mrs. Birch.

Without even thinking about it, Jungkook raised his phone without moving any other muscle of his body, like they couldn’t see him if he didn’t move. He took several photos.

Illegal? Yes. Immoral? Probably. Likely to get him fired? Definitely. But he wasn’t thinking about that right now. His brain was too busy rocketing around his skull because A.) if Mr. Birch realized Jungkook was here, he was definitely going to get him unjustly fired and B.) Mrs. Birch deserved so so so much better than this fucking piece of shit limp dick who had his head so far up his own ass he’d have an affair while the pool guy was here. 

Where was Mrs. Birch? She was usually here at this time! Why wasn’t she? Why was Mr. Birch here instead? 

Jungkook ducked down beneath the window and ran as fast as he could out of the backyard, leaving supplies scattered. He’d go to the next house and come back later. Right now, everything in his gut told him not to be at this house a minute longer. He’d say there had been an emergency and he had needed to go, if Mr. Birch even noticed the half-done job outside. He didn’t seem interested at the moment in noticing anything except that woman who was not his wife with her lips wrapped around his dick.

Heart pounding, Jungkook peeled out of there like a bat out of hell.

Masterlist | Chapter Two

[iahmed197027]

How To Buy Real-Estate Using No Money Only Contracts

How To Buy Real Estate Using No Money, Only Contracts

Investing in real estate without upfront cash might sound too good to be true, but it’s possible through strategies like creative financing, contract assignments, and lease options. These methods have been used by savvy investors to acquire properties without needing significant capital or credit. In this post, we’ll walk you through step-by-step methods for buying real estate with no money, only contracts.

1. Understand Contract-Based Real Estate Investing

Contracts play a vital role in real estate transactions. When used creatively, they allow you to control property and generate profits without owning it outright. Here are a few strategies to buy real estate using contracts alone:

• Wholesaling

• Lease Option (Rent-to-Own) Agreements

• Subject-To Financing

• Seller Financing

2. Wholesaling Real Estate: Assigning Contracts for Profit

In wholesaling, you find distressed properties under market value, secure them with a purchase agreement, and assign that contract to an end buyer for a fee. The key here is control—without ever buying the property yourself.

How it works:

1. Identify a motivated seller and negotiate a low purchase price.

2. Sign a contract with the seller to buy the property.

3. Find an investor willing to buy at a higher price.

4. Assign the contract to the investor, collecting a fee (your profit) at closing.

This method requires excellent networking and negotiation skills but no large upfront cash investments.

3. Lease Options: Control the Property Now, Buy Later

A lease option allows you to lease a property with the option to buy it later. This strategy is popular because you control the property without committing to a mortgage right away.

How it works:

1. Sign a lease agreement with the seller, including an option-to-purchase clause.

2. Pay a small “option fee” (sometimes negotiated to zero).

3. Rent the property, with part of the rent going towards the purchase price.

4. Buy the property later at an agreed-upon price if you choose.

This approach gives you control over the property and time to save for the final purchase or find other financing.

4. Subject-To Financing: Take Over the Seller’s Loan

In a subject-to deal, you take over the existing mortgage payments from the seller without formally assuming the loan. The property title transfers to you, but the original loan remains in the seller’s name.

How it works:

1. Negotiate a “subject-to” deal with a motivated seller.

2. Sign a purchase contract and take control of the property.

3. Continue making mortgage payments to the lender on the seller’s behalf.

This strategy works best with sellers facing foreclosure or those wanting to move quickly.

5. Seller Financing: Skip the Bank, Deal Directly with the Seller

Seller financing eliminates banks from the equation. The seller agrees to act as the lender and finances the sale for you through a promissory note.

How it works:

1. Negotiate terms with the seller (interest rate, down payment, etc.).

2. Sign a purchase agreement and promissory note.

3. Make payments directly to the seller according to agreed terms.

With this method, credit checks are usually less strict, and down payments are often negotiable.

6. Important Tips for Success

1. Build a Network: Success in real estate depends heavily on networking with agents, investors, and motivated sellers.

2. Learn the Laws: Different states have different rules around real estate contracts—be sure to understand local regulations.

3. Negotiate Wisely: In these strategies, your negotiation skills will determine your profit margins.

4. Use an Attorney: To protect yourself, have an attorney review contracts before signing.

5. Start Small: Test these strategies on smaller deals before jumping into larger properties.

7. Conclusion: You Can Buy Real Estate Without Cash

Buying real estate with no money down may sound unconventional, but these strategies prove it’s possible to succeed with the right contracts. Whether you use wholesaling, lease options, subject-to financing, or seller financing, these methods rely on creativity and negotiation rather than large sums of cash.

By understanding these contract-based strategies, you can unlock new opportunities in real estate and build a portfolio even without upfront capital. With time and experience, you can scale these strategies and generate significant profits.

Are you ready to dive into creative real estate investing? Let us know in the comments below if you’ve tried these methods or if you have any questions!

[contentment-of-cats]

Just give me the coffee, I will do the rest.

Loki is settling in. Mostly, he wants to eat and sleep. The few times I have let him out of the Borg Cube, he's been out for 10 minutes, gets overstimulated, and runs back to his Safe Place. Right now he is learning how to play with toys, and loves his scratching posts and pads. He's been through so much. I have asked that the ex get a visit from his karma.

Unpleasant Subject Ahead

Another thing that this whole thing has driven home is how important it is to get your affairs in order - even if you don't have cancer. Loki's mom was getting a divorce and fell so ill so fast that she was unable to make her own medical decisions within days of admission. Even if you are getting a divorce, even with an actual protective order, your spouse is still the legal default person to make decisions for you. They are your legal heir. If you don't have a legal spouse (marriage certificate), it's your adult children, if you have no kids then your parents make those decisions even if you're a legal adult. If you have no immediate family, then your extended family gets called in.

Power of attorney legal and medical

Will for personal property

Living trust for investments and real estate

Medical orders (supersede those of the POA) such as Do Not Resuscitate

A health care directive like this one.

It's hard to think about, but when your surviving extended family is a mess (like mine) you want these things in order. Hell, have them notarized so that a judge can look at the plaintiff and say, "What the hell is the matter with you?"

Golden Treadmill

I'm strapping myself in with another 'write to spec' contract. Yep, it's more porn. I negotiated for one every six weeks from February to November. I need to visit Amazon and stock up on barf bags and brain bleach. I did say that I won't write noncon or (yes, this is a thing) racist tropes. It's hard for me to write hardcore body horror. I might be writing horrible porn in order to pay off my medical bills that makes my pussy slam shut like an angry clam, but I have standards. That being said, the editor delivered the advance to my freelance bank account and the outline to my inbox.

Whoo boy.

In my defense, I did not know that 'monster fucking' was commercially viable.

Cat in the Kitchen

Rediscovering food has been a wonder. As promised, my rearranged innards make it trial and error, but the errors seem to be self-correcting. Gut flora does come back, but I have not been brave enough to venture into my spicy Indian, Chinese, and Mexican foods.

I've been making casseroles/hotdish because they freeze well and sometimes the fatigue renders me incapable of anything other than pushing a button.

For casseroles/hotdish you need:

Vegetables: Frozen works fine. Canned is saltier, so if you go canned use 'less salt' brands. If you are using mushrooms, frozen, fresh or dried is best. I find canned mushrooms have a very weird metallic taste.

Starch: Potatoes, rice, pasta/noodles, bread. Yes, tater tots count.

Protein: Can be vegetable protein, beans, canned tuna or salmon, or meat. Smoked salmon is delicious in casseroles and soup, so I go to my local deli on Friday to get lox ends and trimmings.

Sauce: Canned soups (cream of ____), jarred or canned pasta sauce, or packaged cooking sauces and gravies.

Topping: Cornflakes, tater tots, cheese, potato chips, stuffing, etc.

Flavor: Dried herbs, onion and celery, garlic, spices.

Slowcooker meals are great, too, and follow the same rules as casseroles/hotdish. But my favorite caserole dish is my Gran's Lancashire hotpot - lamb neck chops, potatoes, onions, and more sliced potatoes on top for a crispy lid.

Back to work.

[steelbluehome]

"Stan does a remarkably subtle job of capturing Trump’s mannerism and facial tics . . . while keeping the character appropriately life-sized"

ScreenDaily

‘The Apprentice’: Cannes Review (click for article)

BY TIM GRIERSON, SENIOR US CRITIC 20 MAY 2024

Sebastian Stan and Jeremy Strong impress in Ali Abbasi’s otherwise lacklustre Donald Trump origin story

Dir: Ali Abbasi. Canada/Denmark/Ireland. 2024. 120mins

What turned Donald Trump into such a polarising figure? The question drives The Apprentice, which charts the rise of the real estate mogul in the 1970s and ‘80s, searching for the seeds of his callousness and megalomania without much success. One cannot fault Sebastian Stan, who plays the insecure entrepreneur during a pivotal period, or Jeremy Strong as Trump’s ruthless lawyer and mentor Roy Cohn. But, despite its welcome restraint, director Ali Abbasi’s English-language debut never has a decisive take on the man whose greed and ambition eventually took him all the way to the White House.

Abbasi’s fourth feature is his third in a row to screen in Cannes. (Border won the top prize in Un Certain Regard in 2018, while 2022’s Holy Spider earned Zar Amir Ebrahimi Best Actress.) Returning to Competition, Abbasi has delivered a suitably sour drama that is certainly timely — Trump will be mounting a campaign to regain the presidency this autumn — and the star power of Stan and Strong (supported by Oscar-nominee Maria Bakalova) will draw curiosity. But what is less clear is how much appetite there will be for a film devoted to a controversial man who will dominate headlines (especially in the US) over the next several months; the film has sold to several territories, with StudioCanal taking the UK/Ireland, but a US deal is yet to be done.

When we first meet Donald Trump (Stan) in the mid-1970s, he is an aspiring mover-and-shaker in New York’s real estate world and is introduced to feared, amoral attorney Roy Cohn (Strong). The blunt ballbreaker takes the admiring Trump under his wing, teaching him the secrets to being a winner. (In short: relentlessly attack your adversaries, always claim victory and never confess to anything.) With Cohn’s guidance, Trump quickly grows his business empire while claiming alluring socialite Ivana Zelnickova (Bakalova) as his bride.

Written by journalist Gabriel Sherman, The Apprentice gets its title from the NBC reality series that restored Trump’s lustre in the 21st century although, in the case of this film, Trump is the one learning the ropes. Initially, Trump and Cohn’s rapport — that of eager disciple and malevolent teacher — sparks what is, in essence, Trump’s supervillain origin story. Cinematographer Kasper Tuxen films in faded, gritty tones, capturing a seedy New York during an era of economic downturn which eventually led to the ‘80s boom.

Abbasi resists humanising his main character, although he and Stan avoid glib caricature. Stan does a remarkably subtle job of capturing Trump’s mannerism and facial tics — the pursed lips, the jerky hand gestures, the cocked head meant to convey toughness — while keeping the character appropriately life-sized. There are nods to how Trump’s unloving father Fred (played with muted chiliness by Martin Donovan) belittled him into becoming a lethal businessman, but The Apprentice argues that it was Cohn’s unapologetically unscrupulous behaviour that inspired Trump to lie, scam and bully his way to success. Not that the picture has any illusions that Trump was an innocent soul corrupted by external forces; he always had a killer instinct.

But despite the film’s appealing textures — production designer Aleksandra Marinkovich and costume designer Laura Montgomery do sharp period work — Abbasi struggles to find a compelling arc in Trump’s ascension. There is some grim fascination to watching an irredeemable egomaniac knock down every obstacle blocking his path. But Trump’s heedless quest never lends itself to deeper revelations about the mogul, nor does it suggest how he symbolises the dark side of so-called American exceptionalism. By striving for realism, The Apprentice ends up dramatically flat, the recitation of Trump’s most infamous incidents — including Ivana Trump’s charge her husband raped her (an accusation she later disavowed) — playing out perfunctorily.

As the ferocious Cohn, Strong is menacingly stripped-down, but once Cohn develops AIDS in the ‘80s he recedes from the narrative, robbing the film of one-half of its most dynamic power couple. (Sadly, Bakalova’s scrappy Ivana is quickly sidelined.) The Apprentice proposes that Cohn, who many considered equally as monstrous, eventually realised to his horror what he had wrought by unleashing his pupil on the world. But that tepid assertion is hard to buy — just a strained attempt at a dramatic crescendo in a film that presents us with The Donald, but fails to put its stamp on him.

Production companies: Scythia Films, Profile Pictures, Tailored Films

International sales: Rocket Science, jls@rocket-science.net

Producers: Daniel Bekerman, Jacob Jarek, Ruth Treacy and Julianne Forde, Louis Tisne, Ali Abbasi

Screenplay: Gabriel Sherman

Cinematography: Kasper Tuxen

Production design: Aleksandra Marinkovich

Editing: Olivia Neergaard-Holm & Olivier Bugge Coutte

Music: David Holmes & Brian Irvine, Martin Dirkov

Main cast: Sebastian Stan, Jeremy Strong, Martin Donovan, Maria Bakalova

[deathonsunnysnow]

my take on the modern kuro kids and parents au <3

• Ciel and his twin Astre were adopted by Sebastian and Mey-rin Michaelis after they were orphaned at age 8

• The parents put the twins in therapy to help manage the ptsd from losing their parents in a traumatic manner and suffering abuse from a previous foster family

• At their first group therapy session, the twins befriend Alois who had been placed in the therapy service by his own parents, Claude and Hannah, whom Sebastian was coincidentally friends with in college.

• At school, the twins met and befriended Soma, Elizabeth, Finnian, Sieglinde, and Doll

• Sebastian owns and runs a tattoo parlor whilst Mey-rin works at a local shooting range. Claude and Hannah work at a bar across the street from Sebastian’s tattoo parlor, Sieglinde’s father owns a real-estate company, Elizabeth’s family are all military employees, Soma’s single dad Agni owns a catering company, and Doll lives with her older sister Mary, affectionately called ‘Beast’, who helps run a pet store with their brother. Finnian lives with his dad, Baldroy, who cooks at the bar Claude and Hannah work at.

• When the twins were 13 the couple split, but still keep up a healthy co-parenting relationship.

• Sebastian and Beast are best friends, as her and Doll live right across the street from his house, and the two have frequent wine nights where they bitch about their mutual hatred for Francis Midford, the PTO President.

• Mey-rin constantly embarrasses the twins by always showing up first to every school event and hugging them persistently when they’re at her house

• Mey-rin started dating her coworker Ran-Mao a year after her and Sebastian split. He fully supports the couple and helped them move into the townhouse they share.

• Alois is constantly at the Michaelis residence when the twins are at Sebastian’s because he has a pretty up and down relationship with Claude, and Sebastian doesn’t mind one bit because he knows how his college friends used to fight when they first got together and can’t imagine it’s gotten any better

• When Grell Suttcliffe, a young attorney, moves in the house next door, she is immediately smitten by Sebastian, but he pretends he finds her annoying and hides his own feelings at first because he’s scared to let her into the twin’s life. Alois and the twins however, persistently make attempts to get them in situations where they have to interact to push the relationship further.

• Sieglinde and Lizzie are ride or die best friends, Lizzie filling the role as passenger princess in Sieglinde’s car as the Midfords won’t buy her another one after she hit a mailbox.

• Astre constantly complains about Alois’s driving but still rides with him to school everyday

• Agni and Sebastian made the entire gang get a life360 circle with them solely because of Ciel and Soma.

• Sebastian hosts a weekly dinner party with Beast and Doll, Claude, Hannah, and their two sons, and Agni and Soma.

• Astre has crushed on Finnian for years but against the pressures of Lizzie and Sieglinde, will never make a move

• Ciel and Lizzie are the lovably annoying ‘on again off again’ couple of the gang

• Alois and Astre were each other’s first kiss, none of the gang ever found out because the two immediately knew they were better off as best friends.

• The gang have an infamous groupchat, properly dubbed, ‘Insanity at its finest’

[nancysimpsonecclesccr]

The Real Estate Agent's Guide: Unlocking Your Dream Home

Are you ready to embark on the exciting journey of finding your dream home? The world of real estate may seem daunting, but fear not! A real estate agent is your trusted ally in this adventure. Like a captain steering a ship through uncharted waters, a skilled agent will navigate the complexities of the market, negotiate on your behalf, and ensure you land the keys to your perfect property. In this article, we'll delve into the many reasons why a real estate agent is an invaluable partner in your quest for the ideal home.

The Expertise of Real Estate Agents: Real estate agents are more than just individuals with a keen eye for property. They are experienced professionals who possess in-depth knowledge of the local market, trends, and property values. Think of them as your personal treasure hunters, equipped with a wealth of information about the neighborhoods, schools, amenities, and future development plans. Their expertise ensures that your home search is focused and tailored to your needs, saving you from wasting time on properties that don't align with your vision.

Unearthing the Hidden Gems: Ever heard the saying "diamonds in the rough"? Real estate agents have a knack for spotting those hidden gems—the undervalued properties with untapped potential. They can identify properties that may have been overlooked by others, allowing you to explore options you might not have considered. With their guidance, you may find yourself falling in love with a home that exceeds your expectations.

Navigating the Market with Finesse: The real estate market can be a wild rollercoaster ride, with prices fluctuating, competition rising, and inventory constantly changing. This is where the expertise of a real estate agent truly shines. They have their fingers on the pulse of the market, keeping a close watch on new listings, price reductions, and emerging trends. With their guidance, you'll be able to make informed decisions and stay one step ahead in this fast-paced arena.

Negotiating like a Pro: When it comes to negotiating the best deal, real estate agents are your champions. Armed with their exceptional negotiation skills, they act as your advocate, working tirelessly to secure favorable terms and pricing. Whether it's convincing the seller to lower the price or including additional contingencies in the contract, their expertise ensures that your interests are well-represented throughout the negotiation process.

Simplifying the Legalities: The legal aspects of buying a home can be overwhelming, with a multitude of contracts, disclosures, and paperwork to navigate. Real estate agents are well-versed in the intricacies of these documents, ensuring that you understand every line and protecting you from potential pitfalls. They work closely with attorneys, inspectors, and other professionals to ensure a smooth transaction and minimize any legal complications.

Saving You Time and Energy: Imagine the time and energy you would spend sifting through countless online listings, attending open houses, and scheduling property viewings. A real estate agent takes on the legwork, narrowing down your options and curating a personalized selection of homes that meet your criteria. They streamline the process, accompanying you on property tours and providing valuable insights along the way.

FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How do I choose the right real estate agent? A: When selecting a real estate agent, consider their experience, reputation, and knowledge of the local market. Ask for recommendations from friends and family, read online reviews, and interview multiple agents to find someone who understands your needs and communicates effectively.

Q: How do real estate agents get paid? A: Real estate agents typically work on a commission basis. They earn a percentage of the final sale price of the property they help you buy or sell. This motivates them to work diligently and negotiate the best deal for you.

Q: Can a real estate agent help with selling my current home? A: Absolutely! Real estate agents provide comprehensive services for both buyers and sellers. They will assist you in pricing your home competitively, marketing it effectively, and navigating the negotiation process to ensure a successful sale.

Q: What if I have specific requirements for my dream home? A: Real estate agents are skilled at understanding your specific needs and preferences. Whether you're looking for a certain number of bedrooms, a backyard, or proximity to amenities, they will tailor their search to find properties that meet your criteria.

Q: Are real estate agents only helpful for residential properties? A: While real estate agents commonly deal with residential properties, many are also well-versed in commercial real estate. If you're looking to purchase or lease commercial space for your business, a knowledgeable agent can guide you through that process as well.

When it comes to finding your dream home, a real estate agent is an indispensable partner. With their expertise, they simplify the complex process of buying or selling property, saving you time, energy, and potential headaches. From unearthing hidden gems to negotiating the best deal and navigating legalities, a skilled agent is your guide through the ever-changing real estate landscape. So, take the first step towards your dream home and enlist the services of a trusted real estate agent. Your journey to homeownership begins today!

Remember, finding the right real estate agent is crucial. Take the time to research and interview multiple agents to ensure you find someone who understands your needs and has the experience to guide you through this exciting journey.

[nurealtyadvisors]

The Essential Role of Commercial Real Estate Brokers

Commercial real estate transactions can be a complex process involving a myriad of legal, financial, and logistical challenges. Whether you are a buyer or a seller, navigating the intricacies of the commercial real estate market can be overwhelming. This is where a commercial real estate broker comes in - a licensed professional who can assist you throughout the entire transaction process. In this blog post, you will find out the essential role of a commercial real estate broker in commercial real estate transactions and how they can assist you.

Market Knowledge and Research

One of the most significant advantages of working with a commercial real estate broker is their extensive knowledge and understanding of the local market. They can provide you with detailed information on market trends, property values, and other relevant data that can help you make informed decisions. They can also conduct thorough research on properties of interest, including their zoning and legal requirements, environmental issues, and other potential obstacles that could impact your transaction.

Assistance with Negotiation and Documentation

Best Real Estate Brokers in Westchester can also help you with the negotiation process, ensuring that you receive the best deal possible. They can also assist with preparing and reviewing all necessary documents, including purchase agreements, lease agreements, and other legal documents.

Connections to Industry Professionals

Commercial real estate brokers often have established relationships with other industry professionals, such as attorneys, bankers, appraisers, and property inspectors. This can be especially beneficial when it comes to obtaining financing, obtaining necessary permits, and navigating complex legal issues.

Managing the Transaction Process

A commercial real estate transaction involves a range of activities, including property inspections, appraisals, and due diligence. A commercial real estate broker can help manage these activities, ensuring that everything runs smoothly and on schedule. They can also help you avoid potential pitfalls that could delay or derail your transaction.

Saving Time and Money

Working with a commercial real estate broker can ultimately save you time and money. They can help you identify potential properties that fit your criteria, negotiate favorable terms, and navigate the complex transaction process. You can streamline the process and avoid costly mistakes by leveraging their expertise and knowledge.

In conclusion, a commercial real estate broker plays an essential role in commercial real estate transactions. If you are considering a commercial real estate transaction, it is highly recommended that you work with licensed and experienced commercial real estate companies in Westchester county NY to ensure a successful outcome.

[rent-to-own-dreams]

Rent to own homes

Rent to own homes, also known as lease-to-own homes or lease purchase homes, offer an alternative path to homeownership for individuals who may not have the financial means or credit score to qualify for a traditional mortgage.

In a Rent to own arrangement, the prospective homeowner rents the home for a predetermined period of time, with the option to purchase the home at the end of the lease term. The rent payments are typically higher than market rate, and a portion of each payment is applied to the eventual purchase price of the home.

Rent to own homes can be a good option for people who are working on improving their credit score or saving up for a down payment, as they provide the opportunity to build equity in a home while also working towards owning it outright.

However, it's important to carefully consider the terms of the Rent to own agreement before entering into it. Make sure you fully understand the purchase price of the home, the length of the lease term, and any fees or penalties associated with breaking the lease early or failing to purchase the home at the end of the term. It's also a good idea to seek the advice of a financial professional or real estate attorney to ensure that the agreement is fair and in your best interests.

Overall, Rent to own homes can be a viable option for those looking to eventually own a home, but it's important to do your due diligence and make sure you fully understand the terms of the agreement before committing to it.

How to Find Rent to Own Homes?

Check link bit.ly/houses-near-me

[necrocities]

highkey emancipation should be made more accessible... and known about.

to use an example I'm familiar with, I'll go through the process in Illinois.

gonna dissect this paragraph here:

Sec. 7. Petition. The petition for emancipation shall be verified and shall set forth: (1) the age of the minor; (2) that the minor is a resident of Illinois at the time of the filing of the petition, or owns real estate in Illinois, or has an interest or is a party in any case pending in Illinois; (3) the cause for which the minor seeks to obtain partial or complete emancipation; (4) the names of the minor's parents, and the address, if living; (5) the names and addresses of any guardians or custodians appointed for the minor; (6) that the minor is a mature minor who has demonstrated the ability and capacity to manage his own affairs and (7) that the minor has lived wholly or partially independent of his parents or guardian.

so to become emancipated, you have to be 16 or 17. you must be able to prove residence within illinois (note it says state, not any specific county).

for proof of residence, the easiest way to check that it's accurate to the time you're applying is to look up requirements for a driver's license or state ID. The current pdf is located here. look at group D.

back to requirements to become emancipated, you would also need to go over the reason you're seeking emancipation. this is something best gone over with with a lawyer. you will need insight as to what would be most effective and for that insight to be up to date. you may find lawyers who do free consults or represent pro bono. you want a family law attorney.

keep record of the names and addresses of the parents/guardians and whether they are alive for filing purposes. I mention this in case you've already moved out or would potentially not have contact for whatever reason.

the last two points have to do with finances. being able to prove you have the capacity to mange your own affairs. proof you've already been doing do. paying bills. then that you've lived partially or fully independent if your parent or guardian. genuinely the easiest possible way to do this is to move in with a trusted friend and their family or a different blood relative, then to write up some type on rental contract. a way to track that you've been able to pay rent and potentially also having a phone bill under your name so you can prove the capacity to pay your own bills. please do check age requirements on these because I can't recall for the life of me what it may be for a dependent (non-emancipated) minor.

no here's the biggest fucking issue with the financial proof. while you can work at young ages in many places in Illinois, some counties say 16, sometimes individual towns may even say 13... you typically need to be 18 to have an individual bank account. one not connected to your parents or guardian.

this is not easily accessible. and some banks will require them to also be physically present to cut ties regardless of age. word of advice from experience!! just close your account! go to a new bank! or better yet, a credit union! do not let them pressure you if you've already cut contact or if there's any chance they will not approve the change. for the love of fuck, don't let them pressure you.

if anyone is aware of legal changes that have made this easier, or has knowledge on how this would work elsewhere, please add it on!

I originally looked into this back in 2012 when I was 13, but I HAVE gone back over it to verify that it's still accurate to the best of my ability.

okay, you know what? Running away shouldn’t be a crime. It shouldn’t be dangerous, either. Any kid should be able to leave their parents if they want, for any reason. No I’m not kidding.

“But Rue, where will these kids stay? Do you want them on the streets?”

of course not. In an ideal world, a kids would have multiple adults other than their parents they could look to for care, but I recognize that that will never be a reality for every single child. So: youth shelters, if they have nowhere else to go. There should be clean, warm shelters where anyone under 18 can stay for as long as they need, no questions asked. (And of course shelters that aren’t just for kids, but we’re talking about youth rights right now)

“But Rue,” I hear you say, “what if some moody teenager runs away after an argument?”

First of all, I’d rather a thousand moody teenagers run away than one abused child be trapped. Second, so what if one does? A kid needs time away from their parents, so they leave. The vast majority of them will get some time to cool down and then go back home, and if they don’t want to go back, period? Then nine times out of ten, they have a good reason. (Because yes, as hard as it is for you to believe, kids are humans who have common sense.)

“Okay, but what about the one time out of ten the kid doesn’t have a good reason?”

Then the kid doesn’t have a good reason. It doesn’t change anything. If someone wants to break up with their partner because of something stupid, you wouldn’t say they legally shouldn’t be able to. (And if you would, then you’re just a bad person.) No one should have to be in a relationship, romantic or otherwise, that they don’t want to be in.

[marriottsclubsonantem]

Buy Marriott Timeshare - Timeshare Ownership || Marriotts Club Son Antem

Understanding Timeshares

For the uninitiated, let’s break down what a timeshare is before outlining the steps involved in buying a Marriott timeshare. A timeshare is a form of fractional ownership of an item of real property whereby several parties hold an individual undivided interest in the property and are given stipulated periods of use in the year. The Marriott timeshares are generally purchased for a certain number of weeks where you buy the rights to use a luxury accommodation during a certain period.

Marriott Timeshares –The Allure

Marriott timeshares, particularly those at prestigious resorts like Marriott’s Club Son Antem, offer a host of benefits that make them an attractive investment:

Luxurious Accommodations: Marriott timeshares allow you to stay in quality-built accommodations that may include spacious villas with swimming pools and amazing views.

Prime Locations: Arenas and approximations of Marriott resorts ensure global points of interest so that you can immerse yourself in new cultures and dramatic topographies.

World-Class Amenities: Delight in fine dining, luxurious spa options, full-service restaurants, championship golf courses, and health clubs with the latest equipment.

Flexible Vacation Planning: That is why when you own Marriott timeshares you have the freedom to decide when and where you wish to go on your vacation or if you wish to wait until you come across a great deal.

Potential for Rental Income: If you have no time to occupy your timeshare week, you can always sell them and earn cash from them.

Resale Value: The situation on the secondary market is equally changeable yet the properly maintained Marriott timeshares are known to hold their value.

If you want to know more information on how to buy Marriott Timeshare, please visit our official website which is Marriott Timeshare Solutions.

1. Research and Planning:

Identify Your Ideal Resort: Find out which Marriott resort is right for your vacation and your purse. Some of the fitness of exclusion could be locality, features, or even the size of the unit.

Set a Budget: Set a practical financial plan when you are considering buying a timeshare. Consider the first cost of acquisition or initial outlay, recurring expenses refer to the yearly charges you will incur to maintain the equipment, and residual costs include disposal expenses for the equipment.

2. Explore Purchase Options:

Direct Purchase from Marriott: The best way to own a timeshare is to purchase it directly from Marriott. The also includes privileges and loan offers that may otherwise not be considered an ordinary customer.

Resale Market: Buy from an individual through a resale market. It can also be less expensive compared to booking directly from the Marriott company, though it is recommended to do proper research and investigation.

3. Financing Your Timeshare:

Cash Purchase: Pay for the timeshare outright.

Financing: Most lenders today provide loans for timeshares. However, the interest rates and the related fees have to be taken into account.

4. Understand Maintenance Fees:

Timeshare ownership comes with annual maintenance fees that cover the upkeep of the resort and its amenities. Some of these fees may rise over the years.

5. Legal and Financial Considerations:

Consult with a Real Estate Attorney: Find out from an attorney how the agreement reached at the point of purchase will legally work for all the parties involved.

Review the Public Offering Statement (POS): This paper elaborates on facts and figures relating to the financial condition and operational structure of the timeshare resort.

The various advantages of owning a Marriott timeshare Retirement, and More

Owning a Marriott timeshare can offer numerous benefits:

Guaranteed Vacations: The future vacation should be secured by the means of purchasing a timeshare.

Cost-Effective Vacations: Resorts could also get able to save cash in the long run, especially on expenses like accommodation and transport.

Investment Potential: Even though there is always an adverse risk in the timeshare market, some resorts, including Marriott’s Club Son Antem, are capable of appreciation.

Exclusive Perks and Privileges: Recreation is usually a key component of a Marriott timeshare because it comes with free-standing amenities, privileges, and discounts that are not publicized.

The Disadvantages of Owning Timeshare

It's important to be aware of the potential drawbacks of timeshare ownership:

Annual Maintenance Fees: These fees can escalate over time, raising your total cost of operations.

Limited Flexibility: Some travel consumer reporters feel that timeshare ownership limits your vacation choice to definite weeks or points.

Resale Challenges: Selling a timeshare on the other hand can be a very complicated process to go through; you will only manage to get the full cash of the purchase price sometimes.

Potential for Market Fluctuations: As we have realized the value of a timeshare is resized according to the market volatility and other pulls and pushes of the economy.

Conclusion

Buying Marriott timeshare can be very fruitful to those travelers who want to get quality treatment, relaxation, and even more in the future. This needs to be done with a certain number of precautions for and against, to draw an informed conclusion. If you want to get the most out of your Marriott timeshare experience, you should always embrace the knowledge of how it works, conduct your research on the subject, and consult with a professional.

[quantumresidency]

Find the Best EB-5 Immigration Lawyers for Your Path to U.S. Green Card

Introduction

Why You Need the Best EB-5 Immigration Lawyers

The EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program allows individuals to obtain a U.S. Green Card by investing in a business that creates jobs for U.S. workers. This program is a popular route for investors, but it requires expert legal assistance. Here’s why hiring the best EB-5 immigration lawyer is critical:

1. Expertise in EB-5 Visa Requirements

A qualified EB-5 immigration lawyer has in-depth knowledge of the EB-5 visa program and can help ensure that your investment meets all U.S. immigration requirements. From selecting an eligible investment project to preparing the necessary documentation, these lawyers guide you through every step of the process.

2. Assistance in Choosing the Right Investment

Selecting the right investment project is crucial for the success of your EB-5 visa application. An EB5 immigration attorney can help you evaluate various options such as regional centers and direct investments, ensuring that your choice aligns with the EB-5 program’s requirements.

3. Handling Legal Documentation

Your EB5 immigration lawyer will take care of all the legal paperwork involved in the application process. This includes preparing and filing the Form I-526 petition, ensuring that your documents are complete and meet all standards set by USCIS.

4. Reducing Risks and Delays

Without the proper legal guidance, your EB-5 application could face delays or even rejection. The best EB5 immigration lawyers will ensure your application is error-free, reducing the risk of issues that could delay your journey to obtaining a U.S. Green Card.

How to Choose the Best EB-5 Immigration Lawyers

When looking for an EB5 immigration attorney, it’s essential to consider their experience and specialization. Here are some key points to help you find the right professional:

1. Specialization in EB-5 Cases

The best EB-5 immigration lawyers specialize in immigrant investor visas. They understand the nuances of the EB-5 program and have the expertise to guide you through the complex legal procedures.

2. Reputation and Track Record

Before hiring an EB-5 immigration lawyer, research their reputation. Look for online reviews, testimonials from previous clients, and successful case results. A lawyer with a strong track record of handling EB-5 cases is likely to provide the best support.

3. Experience with Investment Projects

An EB5 immigration attorney should have substantial experience working with different types of investment projects, such as regional centers, real estate investments, or direct business ventures. Their knowledge of these projects is vital to making an informed investment decision.

4. Transparent Legal Fees

It’s essential to understand how your EB5 immigration lawyer charges for their services. Some charge flat fees, while others work on an hourly basis. Make sure there are no hidden costs and that the fees are clearly outlined before moving forward.

5. Personalized Advice

The best EB-5 immigration lawyers take the time to understand your specific needs and goals. They provide tailored advice to suit your individual situation, ensuring that the EB-5 visa process is smooth and efficient.

How an EB5 Attorney Near You Can Help

If you’re looking for an EB5 immigration lawyer near you, there are several advantages to hiring a local attorney. Here’s how a local EB5 immigration lawyer can help:

1. Convenience of In-Person Consultations

Working with an EB5 attorney near you allows for easier face-to-face meetings, which can help you better understand the process and ask questions directly. Personal interactions also create a stronger rapport with your lawyer.

2. Local Knowledge and Connections

A local EB5 immigration lawyer is likely to have connections with local investment opportunities, regional centers, and business ventures that are eligible for the EB-5 visa program. Their local insight can be valuable when deciding where to invest your money.

3. Easier Communication

Being located near you makes it easier to communicate with your EB-5 immigration lawyer. You can reach out quickly for updates, advice, and urgent matters.

Steps to Secure Your U.S. Green Card with EB-5 Investment

The path to obtaining a U.S. Green Card through the EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program involves several key steps, which your EB-5 immigration attorney will guide you through:

Research and Choose the Right EB-5 Attorney

Begin by finding an experienced EB5 immigration lawyer who specializes in EB-5 visa applications.

Select an Eligible Investment

Your EB-5 immigration lawyer will help you choose a qualified investment project that complies with the requirements of the EB-5 program.

File Your EB-5 Petition (Form I-526)

Your EB5 immigration lawyer will prepare and submit your petition to USCIS on your behalf. This includes all required documents and supporting evidence.

Receive Conditional Green Card

If your petition is approved, you will receive a conditional U.S. Green Card, valid for two years.

Apply for Removal of Conditions

After two years, you and your family can apply for the removal of conditions on your Green Card and gain permanent residency.

Apply for U.S. Citizenship

After five years of permanent residency, you and your family can apply for U.S. citizenship.

FAQs: EB-5 Immigration Lawyers and Attorneys

Q1: What does an EB5 immigration attorney do? An EB5 immigration attorney specializes in the EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program. They assist with selecting investment projects, preparing legal documents, filing petitions, and ensuring compliance with U.S. immigration law.

Q2: How much does it cost to hire an EB5 immigration lawyer? Legal fees for EB5 immigration lawyers vary, with costs typically ranging from $10,000 to $30,000 depending on the complexity of the case and the services offered.

Q3: Can I apply for the EB-5 visa without an attorney? While it is technically possible to apply without an attorney, it’s highly recommended to work with a skilled EB-5 immigration lawyer to ensure the process goes smoothly and to avoid costly mistakes.

Q4: Can my family join me under the EB-5 visa? Yes, your spouse and children under 21 can be included in your EB-5 petition and receive U.S. Green Cards.

Conclusion

Hiring the best EB-5 immigration lawyers is an essential step in securing your U.S. Green Card by investment. Whether you’re looking for an EB5 immigration lawyer to guide you through the complexities of the EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program or need help selecting the right investment, working with an experienced EB5 attorney can make all the difference. By partnering with the right legal expert, you ensure that your EB-5 petition is handled efficiently and that your path to U.S. residency and citizenship is secure. Start your journey today by consulting with a trusted EB5 immigration attorney near you, and take the first step toward obtaining your U.S. Green Card.

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How to Choose the Right Notary Service for Your Needs?

In today’s world, notarization plays a crucial role in verifying the authenticity of signatures, documents, and transactions. Whether you need to notarize a personal document or a legal business form, selecting the right notary service can make all the difference. In this guide, we’ll walk you through the essential steps to help you choose a notary service that fits your specific needs.

Why Do You Need a Notary Service?

A notary public is a certified individual who serves as an impartial witness to prevent fraud and ensure that documents are signed willingly and by the right individuals. They are especially necessary for legal documents such as real estate deeds, contracts, affidavits, and powers of attorney. By certifying these documents, a notary provides an additional layer of security and authenticity, ensuring compliance with legal requirements.

Factors to Consider When Choosing a Notary Service

Choosing the right notary service depends on several factors that should align with your needs. Here are the most important considerations:

1. Type of Notarization Needed

Not all notarization services are the same. Some documents require a jurat—a certification where the notary public confirms the identity of the signer and witnesses the signature. Other documents may need an acknowledgment, where the notary verifies that the signer appeared voluntarily. Understanding what type of notarization your document requires will help you determine the best notary service for the job.

2. Location and Accessibility

Convenience is key when choosing a notary service. Look for a service that is easily accessible, especially if you need a notary quickly. There are three main types of notary services you may encounter:

Traditional Notary Services: Typically located in banks, law offices, or specialized notary offices. Suitable for people who prefer face-to-face interactions.

Mobile Notary Services: A mobile notary travels to your location to notarize documents, offering great flexibility and convenience. This is ideal if you need a notary to come to your home, office, or even a hospital.

Online Notary Services (Remote Online Notarization): This option is relatively new and allows documents to be notarized virtually through video calls. Online notarization is ideal for people who need fast, remote service and are comfortable with technology.

3. Verification of Notary Credentials

Before hiring a notary, confirm that they have the necessary qualifications and credentials in your state. Each state has different requirements, including certifications and licenses, which ensure the notary is trained to handle notarization professionally and legally. Verify these details by checking their license number with your state’s notary commission.

4. Experience and Specialization

Some notaries have experience or specialize in specific types of notarization, such as real estate, legal documents, or international documents. If you’re handling a complex transaction, choosing a notary who specializes in your document type may save time and reduce the risk of errors.

5. Fees and Charges

Notary fees can vary depending on your location and the type of notary service required. It’s essential to compare fees among different notary services to find one that suits your budget. Mobile and online notary services typically charge higher fees than traditional in-person notaries, as they offer additional convenience. Always ask for a breakdown of fees before committing to a service.

6. Availability and Response Time

If you’re under a tight deadline, choosing a notary service with flexible hours and prompt response times is essential. Some notaries offer after-hours services, weekends, and even holidays. Mobile and online notaries generally provide faster, more flexible services, ideal for urgent documents.

7. Legal Compliance

Ensure that the notary you choose follows all applicable state laws and has appropriate training on recent legal requirements. In many states, notaries are required to maintain records of their notarizations and adhere to strict document security protocols.

Types of Documents That Require Notary Services

It’s helpful to know which documents typically need notarization so you can plan accordingly. Common examples include:

Real Estate Documents: Mortgage documents, property deeds, and title transfers.

Business Documents: Contracts, vendor agreements, and partnership agreements.

Legal Documents: Powers of attorney, wills, and affidavits.

Financial Documents: Loan agreements and financial affidavits.

Understanding Mobile Notary Services

If you are considering a mobile notary service, you’ll benefit from added flexibility, as the notary comes to your location. Mobile notaries are often used for real estate closings, medical affidavits, and situations where individuals cannot travel easily. Mobile notary services can be more expensive, but they save time and provide convenience that many clients find invaluable.

Benefits of Online Notary Services

Remote Online Notarization (RON) has become increasingly popular, especially during times when meeting in person isn’t feasible. RON services use video technology to notarize documents remotely, which offers numerous advantages:

Speed and Convenience: Documents can be notarized without leaving your home.

Secure Technology: Most online notary services use encrypted software to protect document privacy.

Availability Across States: Online notarization may allow cross-state notarizations, depending on state regulations.

However, note that not all states accept remote online notarization, so it’s essential to verify that this option is legally valid in your state.

How to Verify a Notary’s Credentials and Reputation

When entrusting important documents to a notary, it’s crucial to verify their credentials and reputation:

Check Licensing: Use your state’s notary commission website to confirm the notary’s license.

Read Reviews: Many online directories feature notary services along with user reviews and ratings. This feedback can give insight into their reliability and professionalism.

Ask for References: For larger transactions, ask the notary to provide references from past clients. Notaries specializing in real estate or legal documents are typically accustomed to providing references.

Making the Final Decision

After evaluating the different types of notary services, costs, and availability, make your choice based on the specific needs of your documents and how convenient you want the process to be. For instance, if you need frequent notarization services, establishing a relationship with a local notary might be beneficial. However, for quick, one-time needs, a mobile or online notary service could be more efficient.

Tips for a Smooth Notarization Process

Prepare Your Documents: Ensure all sections are completed before meeting with the notary. Blank spaces may lead to document rejection.

Verify Identification Requirements: Notaries typically require government-issued IDs. Make sure you bring an acceptable form of identification.

Avoid Common Mistakes: Double-check the spelling of names, dates, and other vital information before finalizing the document.

Be Aware of Fees: Confirm any additional fees for travel or rush services ahead of time.

Conclusion

Choosing the right notary service involves assessing your specific needs, from document type to urgency, while balancing costs and convenience. Whether you opt for a traditional, mobile, or online notary service, making an informed choice will help ensure a smooth notarization process.

[truewaysellmyhouse]

How do I sell my house privately in Florida?

Selling your house privately in Florida can be a great way to maximize your profit by avoiding agent commissions. This approach allows you to take control of the selling process, but it requires planning and preparation. Start by setting a competitive price for your home, which can be done with a professional appraisal or by researching comparable properties in your area. It’s also essential to create a well-crafted listing that highlights your home's best features and uses high-quality photos to attract buyers.

To get the word out, consider listing your property on popular real estate websites, social media, and local online marketplaces. Hosting open houses and setting up virtual tours are also effective ways to draw in potential buyers. Remember, selling privately requires you to manage the negotiation and closing process, so it’s wise to consult legal resources or hire a real estate attorney to ensure everything is handled correctly.

Miami Sell My House Fast By Trueway is here to support you in selling privately, whether you need advice on pricing, listing, or negotiation strategies. We offer resources and insights to make sure you feel confident and in control. Ready to sell your home privately? Contact us today and see how we can help you sell my house Miami with a seamless, personalized approach. Visit Our Website at https://truewaysellmyhousefastmiami.com/.

Find us on Google Maps: https://openmylink.in/r/miami-sell-my-house-fast-by-trueway

[probateexpertsnj]

How to Find a Top-Notch Real Estate Litigation Attorney: Your Essential Guide

Navigating real estate disputes can be a challenging and stressful experience. Whether you’re dealing with property boundaries, lease disputes, or issues involving ownership, the guidance of a qualified real estate litigation attorney is essential. These legal professionals specialize in resolving conflicts related to real estate and can be your strongest ally in protecting your property rights. But how do you find the right attorney to handle your specific case? In this guide, we will walk through the key steps and considerations to help you locate and hire a qualified real estate litigation attorney.

1. Identify Your Legal Needs

The first step in finding a qualified real estate litigation attorney is to clearly understand the nature of your legal issue. Real estate law is a broad field that encompasses various disputes, including:

Breach of contract for sale or purchase of real estate

Disputes over property boundaries or easements

Landlord-tenant conflicts

Mortgage foreclosure defense

Zoning and land-use challenges

Title disputes or ownership disagreements

Once you have a clear understanding of the specific nature of your dispute, you can begin searching for an attorney who specializes in that particular area of real estate litigation.

2. Research Local Real Estate Litigation Attorneys

Finding the right real estate litigation attorney often starts with conducting research online. Many legal professionals have websites detailing their areas of expertise, qualifications, and past successes. Start by searching for attorneys in your local area who specialize in real estate disputes. Websites like NJ Probate Experts provide an excellent resource for finding local professionals with specific expertise in estate-related real estate litigation.

You can also use online legal directories to identify attorneys who specialize in real estate law. Sites such as Avvo, Martindale-Hubbell, and FindLaw allow users to search by location and area of practice. Pay close attention to client reviews, ratings, and the attorney’s years of experience in real estate litigation.

3. Seek Recommendations from Trusted Sources

One of the best ways to find a qualified real estate litigation attorney is through personal recommendations. Speak with friends, family members, or colleagues who may have dealt with real estate disputes in the past. They can provide first-hand insight into their experiences with attorneys and recommend professionals they trust.

In addition to personal connections, consider reaching out to other professionals in the real estate industry, such as real estate agents, property managers, or mortgage brokers. These professionals often work closely with attorneys and may have valuable recommendations for attorneys experienced in real estate litigation.

4. Verify Credentials and Experience

Not all attorneys are created equal, and it’s essential to verify that any attorney you’re considering is truly qualified to handle your case. Start by checking their education, certifications, and memberships in professional organizations. For example, many states have specialized certifications for attorneys who focus on real estate law or litigation.

Additionally, it’s important to verify that the attorney has substantial experience in real estate litigation cases specifically. Some attorneys may focus on real estate law but handle more transactional work (such as drafting contracts) rather than litigation. Since litigation requires a different set of skills — including courtroom experience and negotiation tactics — you’ll want to ensure that your attorney has a proven track record in resolving real estate disputes through litigation.

At NJ Probate Experts, you can find attorneys with the right expertise in real estate litigation who are well-versed in handling a variety of property disputes.

5. Schedule Consultations with Multiple Attorneys

Before hiring a real estate litigation attorney, it’s crucial to meet with a few different candidates to determine who will be the best fit for your case. Most attorneys offer an initial consultation, which can be a great opportunity to ask questions, discuss your case, and assess their communication style.

During the consultation, ask the attorney about their experience with cases similar to yours. You can inquire about their approach to real estate litigation, how they would handle your specific issue, and the potential outcomes of your case. Pay attention to how they communicate — do they explain complex legal issues clearly? Do they listen to your concerns?

By meeting with several attorneys, you can compare their responses, strategies, and fees to ensure you’re hiring someone who aligns with your goals.

6. Evaluate Legal Fees and Costs

Real estate litigation can be costly, and understanding the fee structure of your attorney is critical. Attorneys generally charge either an hourly rate or a flat fee, depending on the complexity of the case. Make sure to discuss the estimated costs upfront and get a clear idea of how billing will be handled throughout the case.

Additionally, be aware that litigation can sometimes require additional costs, such as court filing fees, expert witness fees, or other expenses related to gathering evidence. Your attorney should provide a transparent breakdown of these potential costs.

While price is an important consideration, it should not be the sole factor in choosing your attorney. In real estate litigation, the stakes are often high, and hiring an experienced attorney can save you time, stress, and even money in the long run.

7. Check for Specialized Knowledge in Estate-Related Litigation

If your real estate dispute involves estate-related issues, such as inheritance disputes, probate property, or estate liquidation, you may need an attorney who has experience with estate law as well. In these cases, it’s important to hire a qualified estate litigation attorney who can navigate both real estate and estate legal matters.

For example, disputes over inherited property may require the expertise of a certified probate expert, who can offer insight into the probate process and ensure that the property is distributed fairly. NJ Probate Experts offers both real estate litigation and estate-related services, making them an ideal choice for complex cases involving inheritance or probate property.

8. Assess the Attorney’s Network and Resources

A good real estate litigation attorney should have access to a network of other professionals who can assist in building a strong case. This may include appraisers, surveyors, contractors, and real estate agents. For example, in cases where the value of the property is in dispute, your attorney may need to work closely with a property appraiser to obtain an accurate valuation. Learn more about property valuation services here.

Additionally, if estate liquidation is part of the case, you may require estate liquidation services to manage and sell assets in the most efficient way. Attorneys with strong professional connections will be able to refer you to trusted providers, such as those offering estate liquidation services.

9. Trust Your Instincts

Finally, after doing your research and meeting with several attorneys, it’s important to trust your instincts. You want an attorney who not only has the right qualifications but also makes you feel confident in their ability to handle your case. Choose someone who demonstrates a clear understanding of your legal needs and makes you feel comfortable throughout the process.

10. Conclusion

Finding a qualified real estate litigation attorney involves careful research, consultation, and evaluation of experience and credentials. By following these steps and working with a trusted legal professional, you can protect your interests and navigate your real estate dispute with confidence. Whether you’re dealing with complex estate litigation, probate property, or a boundary dispute, the right attorney can make all the difference. Learn more about how NJ Probate Experts can assist you with all your probate real estate needs.

[teamhilson]

The Importance of Choosing the Right Real Estate Broker in Milton – Team Hilson

When it comes to buying or selling property in Milton, choosing the right real estate broker is essential for a successful transaction. A knowledgeable broker can guide you through the complex process, whether you’re buying your first home, investing in rental properties, or selling a long-time family residence. Team Hilson prides itself on offering high-quality service and local expertise to help clients achieve their real estate goals seamlessly. Here’s why hiring a reliable real estate broker in Milton is a decision that makes a real difference in today’s competitive market.

The Benefits of Working with a Real Estate Broker

Navigating Milton’s real estate market can be challenging, especially with ever-changing property values, zoning regulations, and evolving market trends. A seasoned real estate broker like Team Hilson can handle these details so you can focus on making the right decision for your future. Here are some key benefits of working with a trusted real estate broker:

Local Market Knowledge

Real estate is local, and so is Team Hilson. We understand Milton’s neighborhoods, schools, amenities, and future developments, helping you find a property that perfectly suits your needs. Our insight into Milton’s housing market allows us to offer accurate pricing, neighborhood information, and investment potential to make informed decisions confidently.

Expert Negotiation Skills

Negotiating a home sale or purchase is often the most stressful part of the process. A skilled broker can mean the difference between a deal falling through and a successful, rewarding transaction. At Team Hilson, we’re well-versed in negotiation techniques, ensuring you get the best possible deal whether you’re buying or selling.

Access to Exclusive Listings

The best homes can often sell before they even hit the market. By working with Team Hilson, you gain access to exclusive listings, giving you a leg up on the competition. With a deep network and extensive connections, we can help you find properties that match your criteria, often before they’re available to the public.

Professional Marketing and Selling Strategies

Selling a property is more than just listing it on a website; it requires a strategic marketing approach to reach the right buyers. Our team uses advanced marketing strategies, including virtual tours, professional photography, and social media advertising, to attract qualified buyers to your property. We ensure maximum visibility for your listing to help you achieve the best sale price.

Guidance through Legalities and Paperwork

The legal aspects of real estate transactions are often complex. From contracts to disclosures, managing the paperwork can be overwhelming. Our expertise ensures all the paperwork is accurate and complete, saving you time and reducing the risk of costly mistakes.

Why Choose Team Hilson as Your Real Estate Broker in Milton?

As a dedicated real estate broker in Milton, Team Hilson is committed to helping our clients make sound, informed decisions. Here’s what sets us apart:

Professional Experience: With years of experience, we’ve handled countless transactions in the Milton area. Our expertise allows us to anticipate challenges and provide proactive solutions.

Local Connections: We have built strong relationships with local lenders, inspectors, attorneys, and contractors, giving you access to a trusted network of professionals.

Commitment to Transparency: We believe in open communication and transparency throughout the entire process. From pricing strategy to negotiation and closing, we keep you informed at every step.

Steps to Finding the Right Property with Team Hilson

Finding the right property in Milton can be exciting and stress-free with the right guidance. Here’s a quick overview of how we help clients at Team Hilson:

Initial Consultation: We start by meeting with you to discuss your goals, budget, and must-haves. This helps us narrow down the listings that meet your criteria.

Property Selection: We provide you with a curated list of properties based on your preferences and market availability, ensuring you’re only viewing homes that are right for you.

Offer and Negotiation: Once you’ve found the perfect property, we handle the offer and negotiation process, advocating for your best interests.

Closing Support: From inspections to paperwork, we’re with you every step of the way to ensure a smooth, successful closing.

Ready to Find Your Dream Home in Milton?

Whether you’re buying, selling, or investing in real estate, Team Hilson is here to provide expert support every step of the way. We’re passionate about helping clients achieve their real estate goals and take pride in being a top real estate broker in Milton. Contact us today to schedule a consultation and experience firsthand the dedicated, knowledgeable service that sets Team Hilson apart in Milton’s real estate market.