Dear Family, Friends, & Clients,
Defensive driving tactics are things many people learn when studying to get their first driver’s license. But they’re easy to forget (or disregard). In today’s Service For Life! ® Free consumer newsletter, you’ll learn why being a defensive driver is critical to staying safe on the road.
You’ll also learn to recognize some of the symptoms of a nutrient deficiency, a few DIY home security projects that can lower your home insurance premiums, and how to plan a family reunion without hating the whole process – plus fun facts, a trivia challenge, and lots more.
Finally, I want you to know that you may call me for any reason. And please let me know if a friend, family member or neighbor needs a caring, competent real estate professional to help in buying or selling.
I truly appreciate your friendship and referrals. Enjoy your issue!
Warmest regards,
Tim Tafoya
REALTOR®
Real Broker
(623) 755-7635
www.timtafoyahomes.com
P.S. When you notice people talking about real estate in the next few weeks, can you tell them about the free consumer information I provide?
They may be people thinking about buying an investment property. You’ll be their wise friend if you tell them about my Free Consumer Report: “8 Dumb Mistakes Even Smart Investors Make.” Don’t let them put in an offer before giving me a call for this report - (623) 755-7635.
Buying A Home Soon? Get my Free Consumer Guide, “8 Secrets For Saving Thousands When Buying Your Home.” Call me right now at
(623) 755-7635 for details …
September 2026
Tolleson, AZ
Tim Tafoya's...
Service For Life!
"Insider Tips For Healthy, Wealthy & Happy Living..."
Many of the techniques in the “defensive driving” category are things you learned in drivers’ education or learned in preparation for a driving test. But even if you know the basics, it never hurts to brush up on defensive driving skills to keep yourself—and those around you—safe on the road. Here are 6 key tips to remember:
1. Stay focused. Distracted driving accounts for an extremely high percentage of car accidents. Some ways to stay focused include not driving if you’re tired and avoiding eating or using your phone while driving. If your phone is your GPS tool, turn on the “do not disturb” feature so you aren’t tempted to read that text message you just got.
2. Check your mirrors occasionally, even if you’re not changing lanes. This gives you time to react to a potentially dangerous vehicle coming up behind you.
3. Keep a safe distance from other cars. You should be at least three seconds’ travel time away from the car in front of you to allow enough space for sudden braking. If someone is tailgating your car, change lanes if possible to avoid a potential rear-end collision.
4. Be mindful of blind spots. This means not only checking your own car’s blind spots before you change lanes, but also avoiding another vehicle’s blind spots as best you can.
5. Look both ways, even if you have a green light. You never know when someone will run a red light on a cross street. If you’re the first car through the intersection, check both directions before driving through it.
6. Adapt to changing driving conditions. What constitutes a “safe distance” from cars around you on a clear day, for instance, is not the same as it is during a rainstorm.
Being a good defensive driver means, essentially, that the correct response to any hazardous situation you might encounter when driving is instinctive. If you have to think about it for too long, it’s likely too late to react.
If you’re more of a hands-on learner, look for defensive driving schools in your area. Everyone can benefit from more practice!
www.timtafoyahomes.com
Learn How To Maximize The Value Of Your Home
Did you know there’s a free consumer report showing what to fix to net the most value for your home? It’s called “Make Your Home Show Like A Model Without Breaking The Bank” and it’s an essential guide to homeowner profits. You can get a free copy by calling me at…
(623) 755-7635
Word Of The Month…
Studies have shown your income and wealth are directly related to the size and depth of your vocabulary. Here is this month’s word, so you can impress your friends (and maybe even fatten your wallet!)…
sanguine (pronounced SANG-win) adjective
Meaning: cheerful; optimistic; upbeat
Sample Sentence: My brother always assumes there will be family arguments during holidays, but my sister is more sanguine about our ability to get along.
Leave The Leaves
Keeping fallen leaves on the ground instead of in the landfill is a good idea for several reasons. Decomposing leaves are an important food source and habitat for all kinds of wildlife, from toads to birds. They can also be an easy way to reduce weeds in your garden, as a layer of leaf material creates a natural sort of mulch–not to mention natural fertilizer for your garden.
Those reasons may be relatively common knowledge. Less known, perhaps, is that, without adequate oxygen, leaves that go into landfills can’t break down. Instead, they produce methane, a greenhouse gas. There are a few trees whose leaves you should not leave on the ground, as they can actually damage other plants.
Find out more details and reasons to leave the leaves on Epic Gardening: https://www.epicgardening.com/leave-fall-leaves/
Quotes To Live By...
“If you could kick the person in the pants responsible for most of your trouble, you wouldn't sit for a month.”
– Theodore Roosevelt, President
“True strength is delicate.”
– Louise Berliawsky Nevelson, Sculptor
“Barbecue may not be the road to world peace, but it’s a start.”
– Anthony Bourdain, Author/Chef
Vitamins and minerals are some of the essential nutrients that your body can’t make on its own. And, your body will let you know with signs and symptoms if you know what to watch for. Be sure to talk with a medical provider if you have concerns about any of these signs. Often supplements or dietary changes can help you get back to normal.
- Constant, unexplained fatigue can be a sign of an iron, magnesium, vitamin B6, B9, B12, C, or D deficiency.
- Numbness or a tingling sensation in your fingers, feet, or legs may indicate a calcium, vitamin E, B1, B6, or B12 deficiency.
- Overall muscle weakness may be a result of a potassium, vitamin D, E, B1, or B12 deficiency.
- Dry or brittle hair or nails, or dry skin, could signal an iron, vitamin A, B7, C, or D deficiency.
- An unexplained increase in hair loss may be caused by an iron, zinc, vitamins A, B3, B7, or D deficiency.
Replacing your house’s roof can certainly help lower your home insurance premiums, but here are also some DIY home security projects that might do the same thing. Check with your insurance company first.
-Smart Home Tech: Many smart home products are easy to install yourself, including motion detector cameras (like video doorbells) and outdoor lights, smart door locks, and smart lighting you can schedule or trigger remotely.
-Security Systems: Wired alarm systems require professional installation, but DIY smart options like SimpliSafe (https://simplisafe.com/) and Wyze (https://www.wyze.com/) come with window and door sensors, motion detector cameras for inside and outside the home, and even smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. Other security features you can install yourself are security doors and upgraded deadbolts.
-Upgraded Sensors: Another sensor worth considering is a water detection system, as well as an automatic shut-off valve to mitigate water damage from a leak or burst pipe.
www.timtafoyahomes.com
Free Consumer Help Is Just A Phone Call Away
Learn valuable secrets for saving thousands and avoiding costly mistakes when buying, selling or refinancing a home. Best of all, it’s FREE. Ask about my “Insider’s Free Resources” by calling me at:
(623) 755-7635
DID YOU KNOW…
Unlike most real estate agents, I DON’T spend my time pestering people with phone calls or bothersome interruptions to find good clients. Instead, I dedicate 110% of my time and energies to providing such outstanding service, people naturally think of me when a friend or family member needs help buying or selling a home. THANKS for your referrals!
Brain Teaser…
What makes you young?
(See page 4 for the answer.)
Real Estate Question?
Maybe you want to know how much your home is worth. Or maybe you just need a recommendation for a handyman, carpet cleaner or plumber…Either way, I love hearing from all of my good friends and clients. And I’m happy to help answer questions you might have about anything relating to real estate or home-ownership. If you have a question, tip or idea, call me at (623) 755-7635. I’m here to help!
A "Bloody" Good Mood
Now you know what “sanguine” means, but how does a word that shares Latin roots with the word “blood” come to mean “optimistic?” When humors like blood were believed to dictate well-being, reddish cheeks, supposedly caused by an abundance of blood, were thought to indicate confidence and happiness.
Stock Photo Websites
When you don’t have the budget for professional stock photos or photographers, there are dozens of sources for royalty-free stock photos to choose from–and they’re completely free to use.
https://www.pexels.com/ has gorgeous HD photos and videos available for personal and commercial use, no account needed. You can search for subjects or media types, like wallpapers or B-roll.
https://pixabay.com/ has a vast collection of HD photos and videos, plus illustrations, vectors, music, sound effects, and even animated GIFs. Canva, an online design program, owns Pixabay, so you can easily go from downloading to editing.
https://kaboompics.com/ stands out for the way the images are organized. When you find a photo you like, you can peruse the whole photoshoot. You can also search by color palette to match whatever you’re designing.
A family reunion can be a joyous event—and planning one can be a nightmare. There’s plenty of advice to be found in books and online, and even services you can buy to help facilitate the planning process. Here are a few expert tips to make planning a family reunion as stress-free as possible.
Plan ahead—way ahead. Most experts agree that you should begin the planning process at least 6–12 months in advance of the gathering, and some even recommend 18–24 months. If your family is large or geographically spread out, or if it’s your first time planning a reunion, err on the side of more time rather than less.
Nail down the basics. Two of the hardest things to establish are a date that works for a majority of attendees and a budget everyone is happy with. Using an online survey tool (like https://www.surveymonkey.com/ or https://docs.google.com/forms) can make finding a date easier and can even help with gauging how much people are willing to contribute—just be sure to account for holidays that could be both busier and more expensive.
Delegate, delegate, delegate. Sure, you might have volunteered to be at the helm of the planning process, but that doesn’t mean you should do everything yourself. Recruit other family members to help with specific tasks, like finding a venue, organizing the food, ordering souvenirs, or arranging activities and events.
Establish a communication platform. Many experts suggest building a family reunion website to keep everyone informed before the event and to share photos and memories afterwards. You can post everything from RSVPs to a schedule of events to a family tree. Free website options (all of which can be password-protected) include Wix, SITE123, and WordPress, or you can use an event planning-specific tool (for a fee) https://www.eventcreate.com or https://myevent.com.
Check out the Family Reunion Institute’s website for more resources: https://nationalfamilyreunioninstitute.net/family-reunion-planning-1
www.timtafoyahomes.com
Please Welcome New Friends And Family Into Our Real Estate Family...
I’d like to take a moment to personally introduce and welcome a few of my newest clients and good friends who have supported my business over the years. And special thanks to everyone who thought of me with your referrals!
Thalia S. - Josiah F. - Isaac F. - Melissa S.
Thanks For Thinking of Me!
Did you know I can help you or any of your friends or family save time and money when buying or selling a home? Thanks for keeping me in mind with your referrals…and spreading the word about my services.
Brain Teaser Answer:
Adding the letters “ng!”
Can You See Me Now?
Did you hear about the guy who drank invisible ink?
He’s still at the hospital, waiting to be seen.
Clean Camera Reminders
Every iOS update comes with new features. One of the clever features introduced with iOS 26 (only on iPhone 15 and newer) is that your phone will notify you if the camera lens needs cleaning.
In Settings, select Camera, then toggle “Lens Cleaning Hints” to the on position. You will then get an alert when the phone senses things like smudges or haze on the lens, so you can ensure all of your photos will be clear.
THANK YOU for reading my
Service For Life!® personal newsletter. I wanted to produce a newsletter that has great content and is fun and valuable to you. Your constructive feedback is always welcome.
AND…whether you’re thinking of buying, selling or financing real estate, or just want to stop by and say “Hi,” I’d love to hear from you…
Tim Tafoya
Real Broker
(623) 755-7635
Disclaimer: The information contained in this letter is intended for informational purposes. It should not substitute as legal, accounting, investment, medical or other professional services advice. Always seek a competent professional for answers to your specific questions. This letter is not intended to solicit real estate properties currently for sale.
Q: What should I remember when negotiating with a buyer?
A: Revealing too much information to buyers when you’re negotiating the sale of your home is a common, costly mistake. Here’s how to avoid it.
- Know what you want from the sale and try to determine what your buyers want, so you will make a deal that benefits you both. A professional REALTOR® knows the questions to ask potential buyers to determine their motivation for buying and what price they can afford.
- Don’t mention the “appraisal” value of your home at a showing to try to persuade a buyer to pay more for it.
- If you’re at a showing, don’t tell a buyer why you’re selling (especially if you need to sell it quickly). Just say your housing needs have changed.
You can learn about six more costly mistakes in my Free Consumer Report called “How To Avoid 7 Costly Mistakes When Selling Your Home.” Call me and I’ll send a copy right over to you.
Do you have a question you want answered related to real estate or home ownership? Feel free to call me at (623) 755-7635.
www.timtafoyahomes.com
$25 Chick-fil-A Gift Card?”
Guess who won last month’s Trivia Question? I’m pleased to announce the lucky winner of last month’s quiz. And the winner is…drum roll please: Jeremiah T.
A few national men’s soccer teams have won the UEFA European Championship and the World Cup consecutively, but which one raised a World Cup trophy between two European Championship victories?
a) France b) Italy c) Spain d) Germany
The answer is c) Spain’s men’s national team won back-to-back European Championships in 2008 and 2012 and claimed their first World Cup victory in 2010. So let’s move on to this month’s trivia question.
Which of these successful musical acts gets far more airplay for one specific song in China that people play at closing time for businesses?
a) Kenny G b) Three Dog Night c) Richard Marx d) Otis Redding
Call Me At (623) 755-7635 OR Email Me At [email protected] And You Could Be One Of My Next Winners!