Author: Fast Newsletters

FRONT PORCH NEWS

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Happy Valentine’s Day!
Do you need to get your sweetheart something special for Valentine’s Day? Let’s go find your dream home!
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Plan Your Love for the Entire Year
A husband went viral recently for sharing something unexpectedly romantic: instead of winging Valentine’s Day, he and his wife planned their entire year together in one sitting. Not just the big things like vacations and anniversaries, but the small stuff too — quiet dinners, lazy Sundays, and those “we should really do that sometime” ideas.
Social media fell in love with the idea. It was two people saying, 'You matter enough to schedule.' So, this Valentine’s Day, buy the card and chocolate. But also spend a cozy day of planning dates and protect them like they matter. Because they do.

How to Make a Room Feel Bigger with Illusion
Have you ever walked into a home and thought, 'This feels huge,' only to realize the square footage isn’t that impressive? You’re not imagining things. Or maybe you are.
Optical Illusion — Psychologists have long studied a quirk of the brain called the Müller-Lyer illusion, where shapes can trick us into misjudging size. In the image here, the three lines are the same length. But the arrows at the ends fool our brains into making a snap judgment. Even animals have been shown to be fooled by this trick.
In real estate, certain design choices naturally “stretch” our perception in similar ways, nudging the brain to read a room as larger than it really is.
● Using furniture with legs can show more of the floor, creating a feeling of expansive space. ● Using mirrors across from a natural light source can make a room feel larger, while taller mirrors draw the eye upward. ● Changing the direction of a table or floor rug can trick the eye into seeing a longer space. ● Strategically placed lighting can create an airy feel. ● Sometimes angling the furniture can make a space feel larger.
To Keep in Mind — For buyers, this is a useful reminder to trust the listed square footage, not just the feeling. For sellers, you don’t always need more square footage to create impact.

What To Do When Your House Didn’t Sell
The reason homes don't sell is that they were mismatched to the market in some way. Read this to learn what you can do next. Or text me for a copy.

The Psychology of “Fresh Starts”
That surge of motivation you feel when you start a new project or feel right after the New Year? It’s not just in your head — well, it is, but in a measurable way.
Psychologists call it the “fresh start effect” (really), a term popularized by researchers at the University of Pennsylvania. In multiple studies, people were more likely to begin new habits (like exercising, saving money, or studying) right after time boundaries such as birthdays, new weeks, new months, and new years.
These time markers create what researchers call “temporal landmarks.” They mentally separate your past self from your current self. That distance makes mistakes feel smaller and change feel more achievable. You’re not fixing an old story — you’re starting a new one.
Versions of this effect show up across cultures, even in societies without formal calendars. Humans everywhere use natural cycles — seasons, harvests, lunar phases — as psychological reset points.
We can even create artificial time boundaries that cause a “before” and “after” effect. In practical terms, think about things like rearranging a room, starting a new notebook, changing your morning routine.
Of course, like New Year's resolutions, the "after" part can soon become routine and stop fulfilling the role of momentum-giver. It's then that your fresh start needs to become your everyday habit.

You are trying to get out of a room alive. There are 3 exit doors. Behind door one is a lake of boiling lava. Behind the second are zombies who eat brains. Behind the third are huge lions who have not eaten for a year. Which door do you take?

February Quiz Question

“Move-In Ready” Is Beating “Great Potential”
HGTV has lost its grip on reality. With renovation costs being at an all-time high and contractors hard to book, most buyers want a house they can live in on day one.
At high prices, they expect fresh paint, a solid roof, and a functional kitchen already.
Gone are the days when an old home with "great bones” was a dream, where buyers would gladly put their own stamp on it.
Fixer-uppers aren’t dead, especially if they're selling at a discount. But in many cases, they're only desirable if the actual cost of fixing is priced in, including the hidden cost of having to manage the project.

Sky Spectacle: Annular Solar Eclipse Lights Up February
On February 17, 2026, the Moon will pass directly in front of the Sun, creating an annular or “ring of fire” eclipse. Unlike a total eclipse, the Sun’s outer rim stays visible, forming a glowing halo in the sky.
The full ring will only be visible from remote parts of Antarctica — yet plenty of people will still make the journey.
That’s because there’s a passionate global community of travelers who chase eclipses wherever they occur. Known as umbraphiles (“shadow lovers”), they treat these celestial events as once-in-a-lifetime milestones, planning trips years in advance and turning each eclipse into a bucket-list adventure.

January 2026 Your Name | 555-555-5555

I’m Grateful!
Thank you to all of you who you have been part of my business world. A special shout-out this month to…
Thank you name 1
Thank you name 2
Thank you name 3

Quiz Contest- Win a FREE Coffee Card
Email me the answer to the question on page 2. Put the word QUIZ in the subject line. email@emailadddress.com
Last month's Q&A: An archeologist finds a coin inscribed with the date 50BC. She immediately knows it’s fake. How did she know? Back then, the concept of BC didn't exist.
Congratulations to last month’s winner!

Winter Wonderland Word Search

Digital Detox Vacations Are Selling Out
Resorts that take your phone at check-in are booked months ahead. No screens. No Wi-Fi. No excuses. Guests report sleeping better, reading actual books, and feeling oddly nervous for the first day, then relieved.
Apparently, “doing nothing” now requires reservations.
For those of you without the luxury of a phone-free holiday, you can also try things like using the grayscale feature to remove all color from your phone, uninstalling all distracting apps, and of course, turning it off for hours at a time.

Your Winter Games Schedule!
The 2026 Olympics run February 6–22 in Italy, with 116 events set against Europe’s most spectacular alpine backdrops. The Opening Ceremony kicks off on February 6. The games will be split between two cities: Milan for ice events like hockey & skating, and Cortina d’Ampezzo for skiing & bobsled in the heart of the Dolomites. Use this schedule to plan your viewing parties! olympics.com/en/ milano-cortina-2026/schedule/overview

More Homes Being Built for One
Not families. Not roommates. One person. Developers are increasingly putting up tiny homes, small condos, and compact rentals designed for solo living. Partly it's commerce, as they can put more units into a smaller footprint.
Partly it's responding to lifestyle changes, like later marriages and people choosing not to have children—which is ironic, since the downsizing of families is partially due to the unaffordability of houses. It’s a new way to look at starter homes and still offers a leg up on the property market as a steppingstone to something larger, if that’s the goal.

FRONT PORCH NEWS

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The lifetime value of investing in real estate
The three pillars of a stable future plan are strong investments, a paid-off home, and good health.
I can’t advise you on your workout routine or how to fund your retirement accounts, but I can help with the real estate side. My mantra is simple: get into the market as soon as possible, using a strategy that fits your stage of life. That might mean buying your forever home now, so it’s paid off in 30 years, or investing in practical “buy and hold” properties that grow in value and offer tax benefits.
Condos can be a great entry point—lower price, smaller down payment, and easier maintenance. Rents often cover the mortgage and condo fees and owning one or two could eventually provide the down payment for your ideal retirement home. I’m also a fan of multi-unit properties where, if you’re flexible, you can live in one unit and let tenants help pay down your mortgage. For some, house hacking makes sense too. And don’t overlook commercial properties; in some areas, they can be surprisingly affordable if leases cover the costs.
If you’d like help sorting through your options and creating a smart real estate plan, set up a consultation with me. We’ll review your priorities, talk through the numbers, and find the path that fits your goals.

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This newsletter is for entertainment purposes only. Images are sourced from Canva.com. This information is solely for entertainment, and should not be substituted for medical, legal, financial or tax advice. Do not hold us responsible for actions you take without proper medical, financial, legal or tax advice. This is not intended as a solicitation of listed property.