Happy Friday. This is The Shake 🤝 : the weekly newsletter that hits you with interesting takes and humor - a winning combo like shake n bake.

Here’s what we're dishing up this week:

• Girls HOA Gone Wild 🎉 

• Philly’s Quirky Building Code History 🏙️ 

• Weekly Giveaway 🎰 

MARKET RADAR

GIRLS HOA GONE WILD 🎉 

Imagine making it through college without getting any STDs to eventually get one when you’re 55+ in a retirement community. Who would’ve guessed that Karens like to get freaky after bingo night?

Communities like The Villages have made a name on rumored shenanigans like widespread STDs, black market viagra, and a thriving swinger scene. Stretching across three zip codes, it’s the largest gated retirement community in the US with ~125k residents.

Rumored as one of the highest rates of STDs in the country, residents are speaking out against “the haters”:

Turns out there’s a 10-to-1 ratio of women to men in the community. That leaves a lot of meat on the bone for geezers looking to have a self-induced heart attack 👨‍🦳 

Now I'm all for debunking myths, but something tells me there’s more evidence to dig up before framing an opinion.

A recent Tiktok exposed a rumored ‘code’ for swinger types using loofahs to express their sexual style.

Then someone on Reddit apparently snitched on the code 👇️ 

I’m sure the head honchos will be trying to sniff out the bad apple 🕵️ 

To combat this, we found a claim of another reason for the loofahs:

Compelling… but still sounds like something an exposed swinger would say. Since this whole story is based on what-ifs - what if old gran had the same car AND color loofah as someone else?

A big reason for the wild rumors is that Florida STDs among 55+ rose after the 90s - right around when The Villages started gaining traction.

This chart separates the general population from The Villages, helping unpack what is really true.

Stats can’t lie, right?

Would you live in The Villages when you reach that age? *There are 12 championship golf courses.

Reply back with your response! Lastly, I visualize the HOA board meetings adjourning in this manner:

Philly’s Quirky Building Code History

You may or may not have heard of William Penn before. He was the Quaker who founded the city of Philadelphia in 1682. No, not the guy on the cover of the Quaker Oats logo.

He also happens to be the man who designed the street grid system that is still used in the city today 🏙️ 

What started as a far-fetched bet quickly became a utopian urban ideal that not only guided the construction of Philly but now resonates in cities and towns across America (and arguably the world) shaping millions of lives.

It was the first grid that had the adaptability to meet commercial and residential needs while being infinitely extendible.

That’s what you call a work of art 🎨 

When the city started to grow rapidly in the early 20th century, there was concern that the skyline would become too crowded and chaotic.

So, the city decided to honor William Penn by making him the unofficial "tallest building" in Philadelphia.

Philadelphia City Hall was never the tallest building in the world, but it was the tallest habitable building in the world at the time of its completion in 1901.

It was not until the installation of the statue of William Penn atop the tower that the building became the tallest structure in the world, standing at 548 feet 7 inches. We’re guessing that’s when the phrase “icing on the cake” dropped.

From then on, the William Penn statue reigned supreme as the highest point in Philadelphia. But as the city continued to grow and modernize, there was concern that the tradition would hinder development and economic growth.

Following the construction of the One Liberty Place skyscraper in March 1987, which exceeded the height of the William Penn statue atop Philadelphia City Hall, a popular urban legend known as the Curse of Billy Penn (1987-2008) emerged. 

This legend was used to explain the failure of major professional sports teams based in Philadelphia to win championships.

Prior to the construction of One Liberty Place, a gentlemen's agreement 🤝 had been in place for decades, ensuring that no building in Philadelphia would be approved if it rose above the William Penn statue on City Hall.

Why the heck did they even bother with this tradition in the first place?

Well, for starters, it gave the city a unique and recognizable skyline. The William Penn statue was a symbol of the city's history and identity. Additionally, it kept the skyline from becoming too crowded and overwhelming, which is a concern that many other cities have faced.

But let's be real - the mandate also had its downsides 👎️ 

• It limited the city's ability to build up and potentially attract more businesses and residents

• It also led to some interesting architectural choices, as builders had to get creative with their designs in order to comply with the height restriction.

• And let's not forget the fact that One Liberty Place was seen by some as a betrayal of the city's traditions and identity.

In the end, the tradition of not building taller than William Penn was just that - a tradition.

It was a unique and quirky aspect of Philadelphia's history that helped shape the city's skyline and identity. But like all traditions, it eventually became outdated and was cast aside in favor of progress and growth.

So, while we may no longer have the unofficial tallest building in Philadelphia, we still have the statue of William Penn to remind us of the city's rich history, unique identity, and even more so an intriguing piece of real estate development folklore.

WEEKLY GIVEAWAY 🎰 

Together With Closing Packs

To end each edition, we will be sending one lucky subscriber a special item!

This week’s item is a Portable Bonfire Kit.

How do you win?

We are going to post a closed transaction with some high-level details and whoever can guess the right sale price, wins.

If nobody gets it right, the closest guess wins. If two people get it right (screw us right?!) we will hook you both up!

Let’s kick it off 👇️ 

This Victorian-style Philly home is almost 5k SF, has 6 beds / 5 baths, and boasts a massive gourmet kitchen to whip up cheesesteaks on a daily basis!

As The Migos would say… What The Price?

FIN 🤝 If you enjoyed this week's edition, don’t be selfish — share with a friend!

^{DISCLAIMER: None of this is financial advice. This newsletter is strictly educational and is not investment advice or a solicitation to buy or sell any assets or to make any financial decisions. Please be careful and do your own research.}