Brooks & Crowley - September 2021

Brooks & Crowley - September 2021

Review Brooks & Crowley

September 2021

781-251-0555

www.brooksandcrowley.com

439 Washington Street Dedham, MA 02026

*Services Throughout Massachusetts

WHY ADULTS NEED TO READ, TOO 54% of U.S. Adults Lack Proficiency in Literacy

In life, kids learn a lot of habits from their parents. One of the best ways to start teaching your kids a lifelong reading habit is to have one yourself. There’s no substitute for a book, even if you Google a piece of information or watch an entertaining movie, there’s nothing like reading a hardcover or softcover book and being lost in your mind’s images. Most people don’t always like to “think” at the end of the day, but there are many times in the day when mental stimulation away from work is welcome. Maybe it’s the morning, right before you have to drop the kids off at school, or maybe it’s while you’re waiting for dinner to be delivered, or you’ve finished cooking. As an attorney, I have to read a lot for business. But I love picking up a book, because there’s a lot more opportunity for a long narrative to pay off. When you’re watching a movie, the narrative simply isn’t always going to be as detailed or even intense as in a novel. It can’t compete. A novel can grip you in more ways because it has a lot more space to do so. You just have to give it that space. For example, in “Catch-22,” I remember being in awe of the author’s ability to show terrible dilemmas with no reasonable way out of them. As a novel with many stories woven together, it’s composed beautifully to depict the anti-war sentiment that was an integral part of the 1960s in America. When you read a description for a book like that, you might not expect it to grab you, but then you laugh at its gallows humor and how savagely hilarious it is, while simultaneously feeling sickened by the gore. It truly shows the absurdity of war and gives you a new lifelike memory and experience you hadn’t had before. Outside of “Catch-22,” plenty of books have made an impact on me, but in particular, I love Pat Conroy’s books. I could read anything he’s written even the cookbook he wrote a few years ago about Southern Charleston cooking called “Recipes and Stories of My Life.” Although I read mostly nonfiction books now, I still enjoy novels and find they’re best enjoyed firsthand. Let’s give CliffsNotes a well‑earned break once in a while.

When my youngest son started “Harry Potter,” he couldn’t put those books down. It reminded me of when I was in my 20s, and I started reading “Catch-22” by Joseph Heller. There’s a reason why we say things like, “This was a Catch-22 situation.” This book is the reason why, and maybe why I read it several times over the years. I started reflecting on this after I learned that International Literacy Day is on Sept. 8. Literacy is a crucial benchmark in a child’s development. As parents, we try very hard to teach our kids how to read, because we want them to learn, grow, and start to do it all independently. However, literacy at an early age is important. Even after people learn how to read, not everybody is fully proficient in literacy or continues to develop their reading skills, whether due to lack of practice or education. That has real impacts on their future. In 2020, the U.S. Department of Education reported that about 54% of U.S. adults between 16 to 74 years old (over 130 million people) lack proficiency in literacy, reading below the sixth-grade level. Poor literacy is correlated with several low outcomes in personal income, employment levels, health, and overall economic growth. That’s not good news for Americans, especially in our times of headline- driven news cycles. It’s easy to be swept away by flashy titles and intimidated by long articles — how do we combat that?

I think the answer isn’t just teaching our kids to read, but teaching them to read for life.

–Steve Brooks

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REMEMBERING THE HEROES AMID THE TRAGEDY The Everyday People Who Saved Countless Lives on 9/11

Passengers of Flight 93 While two planes hit the World Trade Center towers and one plane hit the Pentagon, another plane that headed for the White House never reached its destination. That’s because passengers aboard this flight, upon learning their plane had been hijacked, decided to rush the cockpit and overtake the terrorists. They caused the plane to crash in an empty field in Pennsylvania, saving the White House but killing everyone on board. Sad though their deaths may be, these heroic men and women continue to inspire people even 20 years later. We should never forget the tragedy of 9/11, but we should also remember these regular people who decided to take extraordinary lengths to save others.

attendants, used the crew phone to call their colleagues and give them information about their attackers, including what they looked like and what seats they had been sitting in. Both attendants perished, but the information they shared helped the FBI jump-start their investigation. Rick Rescorla A Vietnam veteran who had earned a silver star for his service, Rescorla was no stranger to stressful life and death situations. As the head of corporate security for Morgan Stanley in the South Tower, he defied orders from Port Authority to stay put and instead escorted 2,700 people out of the building before it collapsed. After that, he headed back in to look for stragglers. That was the last time anyone saw him.

As we approach its 20th anniversary, Sept. 11, 2001, remains one of the darkest days in American history. Almost 3,000 people lost their lives when terrorists flew passenger airplanes into the Twin Towers and the Pentagon. The infrastructural damage was severe, but the damage done to thousands of families across the country was even worse. While 9/11 remains a day of remembrance of these tragic events, it should also be a day to remember the brave men and women who sacrificed their lives to save others. These are just a few of their stories. Betty Ong and Amy Sweeney After five al-Qaida terrorists hijacked American Airlines Flight 11, Ong and Sweeney, two flight

Text Messages Can Be Legally Binding

the intervening decade, the use of email “has advanced immensely and become commonplace,” he noted. In the case before him, the judge said, the text was “a writing,” and similarly, when “read in the context of exchanges between the parties, it contains sufficient terms to state a binding contract.” The case is St. John’s Holdings, LLC v. Two Electronics, LLC .

A Massachusetts Land Court judge ruled in 2016 that a text message can satisfy the Statute of Frauds and seal a real estate transaction. As reported in Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly, the parties spent a month haggling over the sale of a Danvers office building. The seller believed it was free to accept another party’s offer and proceeded to enter a written purchase-and-sale agreement and set a tentative closing date. But the first purchaser thought they had a binding contract to acquire the property, based on a text message the seller’s agent had sent. The text message said that the buyer just needed to sign copies of a letter of intent and deliver a deposit check, which they did, only to learn that the seller later signed a purchase-and-sale agreement with another party. The first buyer filed a complaint with the Land Court seeking to enforce what they felt was a binding contract, along with a restraining order to block the other sale. The Land Court judge agreed and entered an indefinite restraining order blocking the subsequent sale. In deciding whether a text message could satisfy the longstanding Statute of Frauds requirement that a real property deal be memorialized in writing, the judge relied on precedent from cases involving email. In

The lesson for attorneys and real estate agents is to take great care when sending text messages and emails during negotiations. Where attorneys and agents can add written disclaimers to their email signatures stating that electronic communications will not create a binding contract until a formal offer is executed, this is not possible to do with simple text messages. So, especially where parties have been in negotiations for a time, and the material terms of the deal have been discussed, agents need to pay significant attention to this relatively informal means of communication, which may unwittingly seal the deal!

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Tips for Buying a Home In an Extreme Seller’s Market

Make Compelling Offers Beyond Just a Higher Bid Sometimes, the best offer on a house isn’t

For the past year and a half, America has been experiencing a housing crisis. There has been a shortage of inventory caused by a lack of new construction for the past few years, but the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated these trends, causing house prices to skyrocket in many American cities. If you’re trying to buy a home in this market, you might be wondering how to put your best foot forward in all the craziness and ensure you’ve got a place to live when the dust settles. Well, while nothing is guaranteed in the current market, you can do a few things to ensure you find a house that you (mostly) like and can afford. Get Preapproved for a Mortgage This lets sellers know a lender has verified your finances and credit history and can attest that in your current situation, you’re able to own a home. It will make you a much more favorable potential buyer. Search Under Your Budget While this is just a good money-saving tip in general, in a hot market, the likelihood of getting outbid by other potential buyers is high. If you start your offers low, it gives you more room to bid up on a house that you like if you have to. INJURED IN A CAR ACCIDENT?

always the higher offer. Depending on the seller’s priorities, they might choose to sell to the buyer who offered a higher

down payment or to close the sale earlier. Sellers might find an earlier closing especially compelling if the buyers also offer a rent-back so the sellers have time to find a new home themselves. Hire a Good Real Estate Agent Real estate agents are an essential element of any successful home purchase. Their industry knowledge, negotiation skills, and network connections make them more than worth hiring when you’re just starting out your search.

Even though the market seems crazy right now, don’t worry — with the right tools and a little patience, you’ll find a home you’ll love.

ONE-PAN APPLE CIDER CHICKEN Inspired by WellPlated.com

Bring the taste of fall into your kitchen with this sizzling skillet meal. Ingredients

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4 tsp olive oil, divided 3 sweet apples, cut into 1/2‑inch slices 2 tsp fresh rosemary, chopped, plus more for garnish

•

1 1/2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs

• • • •

1 tsp salt, divided

•

1/2 tsp black pepper, divided

1/2 cup apple cider 2 tsp Dijon mustard

directions

1. Sprinkle chicken with 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper. Set aside. 2. In a small bowl, combine apple cider and mustard. Set aside. 3. In a large skillet over medium heat, warm 2 tsp olive oil. When shimmering, add chicken thighs top-side down. Cook for 4 minutes, then flip and cook for 4 more minutes. Transfer to a plate and cover with foil. Wipe the skillet clean. 4. Heat the remaining oil in the skillet, then add sliced apples, remaining salt and pepper, and rosemary. Cook for 5 minutes. 5. Return the chicken to the skillet and add apple cider-mustard mixture. Cook for 5 minutes, then serve sprinkled with rosemary!

Get Neil Crowley’s comprehensive guide to Massachusetts car accident claims and expert advice you need to get your life back on track. Go to BrooksAndCrowley.com/reports to request your free copy!

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439 Washington St. • Dedham, MA 02026

Inside THIS ISSUE

1 Why Adults Need to Read, Too 2 Remembering the Heroes of 9/11

Are Text Messages Legally Binding?

3 Tips for Buying a Home in a Seller’s Market

One-Pan Apple Cider Chicken

4 September Events in Boston

Dance, Sing, and Laugh! What’s Going On, Boston?

Patton Oswalt Sept. 10, 7:30 p.m. Chevalier Theatre 30 Forest St., Medford ChevalierTheatre.com

Don’t let the hustle and bustle of the back-to-school season dominate your late summer and early fall fun — try to get out of the house this September with one of these fun, exciting events! Maroon 5 Sept. 12, 6 p.m. Fenway Park 4 Jersey St., Boston MLB.com Aerosmith Sept. 8, 8 p.m. Fenway Park 4 Jersey St., Boston MLB.com

Did you know that the voice for Remy in the movie “Ratatouille” is comedian Patton Oswalt? Famous for his award-winning appearances in “Parks and Recreation,” “A.P. Bio,” and stand-up comedy, Oswalt continues to find success in all areas of entertainment. He’s received several Grammy nominations for his comedy, and we think you’ll love seeing him live even more!

Boston’s beloved baseball stadium is hosting a concert series this summer, including the three-time Grammy-winning Maroon 5 with their special guest Blackbear! Known for their summer hit songs “Moves Like Jagger” and “Sugar,” you won’t want to miss their incredible live performances from this stunningly talented band that’s been in the industry since they formed in high school in 1994.

Enjoy your favorite Aerosmith songs live! As a band full of prolific performers, Aerosmith has also played shows in tandem with some of the biggest acts in music, including Slash, Living Colour, and Cheap Trick. Not only are they full of amazing hits, but they’re also America’s top-selling hard rock band with 150 million records sold worldwide.

We hope you enjoy the cooling weather while on an adventure this month! Have fun!

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