Author: Fast Newsletters

FRONT PORCH NEWS

Your Name | 555-333-2222 | email@emailaddress.com | Your Website

Thank You for Your Referrals
I truly appreciate it when you refer your friends and family to me. I love real estate and I love helping people make real estate plans.
I love the strategy, the details, the problem-solving, and most of all, helping people get where they want to go.
If you know someone who could use thoughtful guidance and exceptional service, I’d be honored to help them. Please introduce us.
555-333-2222

Thanks, Dads...You're the Best Kind of Investment
This Father’s Day, we want to thank the dads who taught us that the greatest investments aren't found in market charts, but in the memories built within four walls. For many, Dad was our very first contractor—teaching us how to patch drywall, fix a leaky pipe, or mow a straight line. He didn't just maintain a house; he invested sweat equity into building a home and a solid foundation.

Are You a Real Estate Voyeur?
If So, You're Part of a Cultural Phenomenon
Have you ever scrolled through listings just for fun to imagine your life differently? You aren't alone. A staggering 40% of people browse home listings they have no intention of buying. Digital house hunting is one of our favorite late-night forms of voyeurism.
We are a nation of looky-loos, and I'm right there with you. It's one reason I fell in love with real estate. There is a distinct magic in stepping into someone else's house.
Experts call it "identity mapping." When we browse a stranger's living room, our brains run a simulation of an alternative life, allowing us to try on a new version of ourselves. It's a harmless form of escapism.
As an agent, I love when looky-loos show up at my open houses. A curious neighbor might share the home with a friend. Plus, looky-loos bring energy to an open house, creating interest from active buyers.
Never feel guilty for popping into an open house just to see the layout. You are participating in a time-honored tradition of human curiosity. (Feel free to confess your looky-loo status to the agent at the door.)
Interested in changing your "looky-loo-ness" into real house hunting? Call me anytime.

Buy land, build a house…here’s how
Have you ever seen a piece of land and thought, “I wonder if I could build there”? Scan the QR code to find out how you could do that.

Waiting for Rates to Drop Might Be a Bad Bet
If you are sitting on the sidelines of the housing market right now, your reasoning may be simple: you are waiting for interest rates to drop. It seems like a logical, safe financial play.
But in real estate, waiting for the "perfect" market condition often triggers an unintended trap. The moment interest rates drop significantly; a flood of sidelined buyers will rush back into the market all at once. That sudden wave of massive competition sparks intense bidding wars, pushes home prices higher, and completely strips buyers of negotiating power.
Here's an alternative philosophy: marry the house, date the rate.
When you buy a home in today's market, you hold the upper hand. With fewer buyers competing, you have the room to negotiate a lower purchase price, request seller concessions, or ask for repairs. You control the property asset itself. The purchase price is permanent, but your interest rate is temporary. When rates inevitably decrease, you can refinance your mortgage to capture those lower monthly payments.
It's much easier to refinance a loan than it is to claw back ten or fifteen thousand dollars you overpaid in a wild bidding war or lost in concessions. Let me know when you're ready to start house hunting.

Mary was born on December 25th, yet her birthday is always in the summer. How is this possible?

June Quiz Question

Actually, Houseplants Don't Clean the Air Much
You may have heard that keeping a few houseplants—like a snake plant or pothos—will naturally purify your indoor air. In fact, this myth stems from a 1989 NASA study conducted in small, airtight space chambers. In a real house with normal ventilation, plants work way too slowly.
Scientists calculate you would need roughly 10 to 1,000 plants per square meter to actually outpace your home's natural air exchange. But they're still calming to the spirit and add lovely natural color.

100 Years on the Mother Road
Planning a summer road trip? You might be hitting the Mother Road to celebrate Route 66’s centennial. Established in 1926, the 2,448-mile highway from Chicago to Santa Monica symbolized American freedom and sustained small towns before the Interstate replaced it in 1985. Today, it is a sporadic collection of isolated roads and retro stops. It remains a legendary road trip challenge, drawing travelers worldwide for a taste of Americana.

The Rise and Fall of Wall-to-Wall Carpeting
For centuries, wealthy homeowners warmed their floors with handmade rugs, but wall-to-wall carpeting didn’t become common until after WWII. With the rise of suburbia, builders loved it because it was cheaper than hardwood, installed quickly, hid imperfections, and made homes feel more luxurious. For a short time, some even carpeted bathrooms and kitchens. Wall-to-wall carpeting has fallen out of fashion in recent years due to concern about allergies and cleanliness, lower cost hard surfaces, pets, and minimalist aesthetics.

June 2026 Your Name | 555-555-5555

Thank you, friends!
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@emailaddress.com
Last month's Q&A: Which of these sequences does not with the others? 5646 - It's the only number where the second two digits are not a sequence after the first two digits.
Congratulations to last month’s winner!

Summer Bugs Word Search

The Return on Investment of Updated Curb Appeal
When preparing to sell, don't sink money into major kitchen remodels first. The highest return on investment often comes from the exterior.
Replacing an old garage door or upgrading to a steel front door consistently yields over a 100% return on your investment.
Repairing hardscape out front, improving the landscaping, and painting will do more than a $50,000 kitchen remodel.
Even if the rest of the house hasn't been updated, a modern upgraded front can suggest what the home could be like, helping buyers make up their minds to see inside.

‘Back of Napkin’ Real Estate Investment Math
While a detailed analysis is smart before buying a rental property, there are a couple of tricks you can use to quickly spot good (or bad) deals.
One is the 1% Rule to gauge revenue: a $200,000 home must rent for $2,000/mo.
Another trick is the 50% Rule to estimate expenses, assuming half ($1,000) vanishes into taxes, insurance, and maintenance. If the remaining $1,000 cannot comfortably cover your mortgage and yield a profit, walk away from the deal.

Ever Been Told to Sleep Tight? Where Did That Come From?
The phrase "sleep tight" originates from the 1800s, when "tight" meant "soundly" or "securely." Despite popular myth, it does not refer to tightening the ropes of old beds. Instead, it simply means to sleep safely and well.
The exact idiom first appeared in writing in 1866, long after rope beds became obsolete. Following the phrase "sleep tight," the warning "don't let the bedbugs bite" was added in the late 1800s. Unlike the bed-rope myth, this phrase was based on a very literal, itchy reality. So, "sleep tight, don't let the bed bugs bite" is actually a mixed message.

FRONT PORCH NEWS

Your Name Your Company Address Address Real Estate License#

Mailing Panel Instructions
1. You can use this area for mailing labels. See the image for the correct way to fold and tab your newsletters on Tabloid paper. Seal all the edges using tabs. (Printing Tutorial – Control + Click to view.)
2. You can use this area for content. If you don’t plan to mail the newsletters as self-mailers, then you can add your own content to this area instead of labels. First delete the back page title and return address.
To delete the yellow instruction boxes, click on an edge of the yellow box, then click DELETE on your keyboard.

Smart Sellers Use this Home Inspection Flex
Most sellers wait for a buyer to order a home inspection after they make an offer. Then the seller waits and hopes nothing major turns up during the inspection.
Often, they're surprised by the amount of work required, and end up in stressful and expensive repair negotiations in the middle of the escrow period.
That's why the smart flex is for sellers to get their own home inspection in advance. For a few hundred dollars, you can uncover issues early, make repairs on your own timeline, and avoid scrambling during escrow when emotions and deadlines are high.
A pre-inspection also helps you price the home more confidently and reduces the fear of unexpected discoveries late in the transaction. You can even leave the inspection report available for buyers to review during showings, which creates trust and reassures cautious buyers. It also helps negate potential over-the-top repair requests.
The result is often smoother negotiations, stronger offers, and a cleaner path to closing. Thinking about selling this year? Call anytime — I’d love to help.

To Insert Your Picture/Logo
Delete the placeholder image.
From the menu above, choose Insert.
Find and insert your image from your computer.
Resize and position your image using your mouse. (Use the Crop feature on the Shape Format menu to crop your image.)
See how to work with images inside text boxes in Word: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lKs8-1USlR4

Your Name
555-333-2222
email@emailaddress.com

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.