A new year brings with it the opportunity for new experiences. If that resonates with you because you’re considering making a move, you’re likely juggling a mix of excitement over your next home and a sense of attachment to your current one.
A great way to ease some of those emotions and ensure you’re feeling confident in your decision is to keep these three best practices in mind.
1. Price Your Home Right
The housing market shifted in 2022 as mortgage rates rose, buyer demand eased, and the number of homes for sale grew. As a seller, you’ll want to recognize things are different now and price your house appropriately based on where the market is today. Greg McBride, Chief Financial Analyst at Bankrate, explains:
“Price your home realistically. This isn’t the housing market of April or May, so buyer traffic will be substantially slower, but appropriately priced homes are still selling quickly.”
If you price your house too high, you run the risk of deterring buyers. And if you go too low, you’re leaving money on the table. An experienced real estate agent can help determine what your ideal asking price should be.
2. Keep Your Emotions in Check
Today, homeowners are living in their houses longer. According to the National Association of Realtors (NAR), since 1985, the average time a homeowner has owned their home has increased from 5 to 10 years (see graph below):
This is several years longer than what used to be the historical norm. The side effect, however, is when you stay in one place for so long, you may get even more emotionally attached to your space. If it’s the first home you bought or the house where your loved ones grew up, it very likely means something extra special to you. Every room has memories, and it’s hard to detach from the sentimental value.
For some homeowners, that makes it even harder to negotiate and separate the emotional value of the house from fair market price. That’s why you need a real estate professional to help you with the negotiations along the way.
3. Stage Your Home Properly
While you may love your decor and how you’ve customized your home over the years, not all buyers will feel the same way about your design. That’s why it’s so important to make sure you focus on your home’s first impression so it appeals to as many buyers as possible. As NAR says:
“Staging is the art of preparing a home to appeal to the greatest number of potential buyers in your market. The right arrangements can move you into a higher price-point and help buyers fall in love the moment they walk through the door.”
Buyers want to envision themselves in the space so it truly feels like it could be their own. They need to see themselves inside with their furniture and keepsakes – not your pictures and decorations. A real estate professional can help you with tips to get your house ready to sell.
Bottom Line
If you’re considering selling your house, let’s connect so you have the help you need to navigate through the process while prioritizing these best practices.
Get ready to feast as Lunar New Year is coming! Following the lunisolar calendar, Lunar New Year officially starts on January 22 this year. This holiday is celebrated by many Asian countries such as Vietnam, Korea, China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore, and Malaysia, and is commonly known as Tet, Seollal, Chinese New Year, and Spring Festival. Within each, there is some variation in traditions. For instance, this year marks the Year of the Rabbit for those following the Chinese zodiac, but for Vietnamese, it is the Year of the Cat. The cuisine from each country differs slightly, but with one commonality; it’s always in abundance.
We’ve rounded up 10 dishes for you to try during this Lunar New Year celebration. Check out which local businesses are serving them in your area on Yelp!
Banh Tet or Banh Chung
A Vietnamese savory cake offered to the ancestors at Tet that is sticky rice filled with mung beans and then wrapped in leaves to boil to perfection. Banh tet and banh chung are distinguished by the South and North Vietnam with subtle differences such as their shape (cylindrical versus square) and the type of leaves they are wrapped in (banana versus la dong). This dish is known to be extremely versatile as you can sweeten the cake by adding sugar on top or pair it with pickled veggies and fish sauce for a more piquant taste.
Photo from Banh Mi Oven (San Jose, CA) by business
Tteokguk
This Korean rice cake soup is a staple among Seollal feasts. This bowl signifies becoming a year older, good health, and a bright year ahead. It’s filled with rice cakes (that resemble the old Korean coin currency), vegetables, eggs, and sometimes mandu (dumplings) mixed into a bone broth.
As the name suggests, longevity noodles are eaten during joyous celebrations to bring a long life and prosperity. These hand pulled noodles are commonly stir fried with other veggies and proteins.
Galbijjim, a braised beef short rib stew, is a hearty dish to share amongst friends and family around celebrations. The fall off the bone, tender ribs are commonly served with carrots, potatoes in a sweet and savory sauce, and served on a hot skillet to keep warm.
Photo from Sun Nong Dan (Los Angeles, CA) by Annie W
Whole Fish
Eating a whole fish on Lunar New Year signifies more abundance, prosperity, and surplus of fortune. The Chinese pronunciation for fish, Yu, is similar to that of abundance, hence the correlation. The dish is generally steamed and based with a light soy sauce blend, then topped with a tower of herbs.
Also called the treasure pot or Chinese casserole is filled to the brim with a number of ingredients—seafood, meat, and vegetables. Options may include pork belly, abalone, shrimp, turnip, taro, napa cabbage, and more. Originating from Hong Kong, this dish is of true abundance with a long preparation. The term directly translates to “basin vegetables.”
Also known as yusheng or lo hei is a common Singaporean/Malaysian dish. The dish is encompassed with a blend of colorful salad ingredients and raw fish, typically salmon. The ingredients are all nicely divided until you are ready to eat and commence the ‘prosperity toss.’ This dish symbolizes togetherness and the reunion of friends and family for celebration.
Photo from Kopitiam (New York, New York) by business
Jeon
AKA the Korean pancake is commonly eaten as a side dish or appetizer for Lunar New Year. A savory pancake-like dish filled with green onions and sometimes seafood or kimchi, then lightly fried until golden brown.
These sweet chewy balls in a sweet syrup are common in both Vietnamese and Chinese celebrations. Tangyuan are mini mochi balls in a brown sugar blend, while che troi nuoc are glutinous rice balls filled with mung bean paste and dunked in a ginger syrup. Toppings can vary to add extra creaminess or crunchiness like coconut milk, ginger, sesame seeds, and peanuts. Eating this dish symbolizes togetherness and completeness, ending the new year celebration on a sweet note.
Another sweet glutinous treat roughly translates to new year cake. This treat also symbolizes prosperity and a symbol of growing each year. These can be served lightly fried or steamed.
Some people love it, some would rather have a sunny day of beach activities. Either way, I think we can all agree that the rain can stop us from doing some things we want to do. But, that doesn’t mean that there aren’t a ton of fun rainy day activities, whether you’re a kid or an adult!
If you look at it another way, you can think of it as an opportunity to do the activities that you might have been putting off for a long time. More importantly, it can also be a chance to tick off ideas from your bucket list.
Let’s seize the chance to turn the frown upside down with this list of fun things to do on a rainy day!
Rainy Day Bucket List: Fun Activities & Things to Do Indoors
1. Bake Something Delicious (Like Pie & Cookies)
For all you pie lovers, there’s an art to making the best homemade pie. It’s all about the fruit inside, creating the perfect pie crust and making it with a touch of love. It doesn’t matter if it’s apples, lemons or peaches — choose whatever is sure to make your mouth water.
Get yourself The Perfect Pie cookbook or use one of these popular recipes to help you with your pie:
Maybe cookies are more of your ideal treat for a rainy day? Baking cookies can get a little messy, but who doesn’t like a home filled with smiling faces and the smells of fresh-baked cookies? It doesn’t matter whether it’s snickerdoodles, oatmeal raisin or simple chocolate chips, spend an entire day just baking. The one who does the most work gets to lick the spoon!
If you’re brave enough and there’s some equipment available, or you happen to be at a karaoke bar, singing your lungs away to your favorite tunes, alone and together with your friends, is another fun way to spend a rainy day. Choose your favorite tunes released in the year, and make them yours. Doesn’t matter if you’ve got a great voice or not, so long as you are having fun!
This is the perfect thing to do on a rainy day! Cook up some popcorn, cozy up under a blanket and find the perfect TV series to binge watch. I have happily and obsessively watched all the seasons of The Good Place, You and Schitt’s Creek. They were all fantastic! You can easily find something fun and entertaining on-demand or there’s plenty of options if you are an Amazon Prime member. If you are struggling to find a show , then the 33 best TV shows to binge-watch will help you out.
4. Break Out of an Escape Room
An escape room is known to offer live games where participants are locked in themed rooms for an hour and left to solve puzzles in order to find their way out. They offer an immersive, fun, and entertaining way of engaging your brain as you compete with other participants.
5. Brew your Own Beer
It has been claimed that beer is the most consumed alcoholic beverage in the world. No matter where you are, you’ve probably noticed craft breweries popping up with uniquely named flavors — the industry has grown way beyond the simple Coors Light! Why not try your hand at creating your own flavor profile that fits your taste buds? It’s easy to do with the perfect beer making kit and a few award-winning home brew recipes.
6. Build a Model Airplane or Car
With hundreds of little pieces, building a model is one of those rainy day activities that takes a lot of time, effort and dedication. Choose from these best selling model airplane kits or these top car models, and then put your patience to the test.
7. Indoor Camp in the Family Room
How fun would it be for the whole family, kids and all, (or just the two of you) to have an evening camping in the family room? Move the furniture out of the way and set up a pop up tent right in the middle of the room. Then gather up your pillows, blankets, snacks, books and any other for activities you want to do while you are disconnected.
8. Check Out an Indoor Skating Rink
Going to an indoor skating rink for some is just a cute date night idea, but it’s also a terrific opportunity to sneak in some exercise without even realizing it.
This can also be a chance to learn how to skate on the ice if you haven’t done this before. And though it may look similar to roller skating, you’ll feel the difference once you’re in the ice rink, so give it a shot!
9. Clean Out & Organize Your Closet
It is surprisingly rewarding to be able to purge some clothes, plus it is purely a bonus that you can donate or consign them! If you are anything like me then it’s pretty hard to decide what to keep and what to give away, so use these 17 Invaluable Tips For Anybody With Too Many Clothes.
10. Complete a BIG Jigsaw Puzzle
This is one of those fun things to do on a rainy day that most of us haven’t done since we were children! You don’t find too many opportunities where you can concentrate on one thing, so be present and let everything else in your mind go. That alone will be worth every minute.
Both Blogger.com and WordPress.com offer free blogs with easy setup, all you have to do is come up with something creative to talk about. Some of the most popular blog topics are Money, Travel, Food, Mommyhood, Technology and Celebrity Gossip. Put a new spin on any of these things and start writing!
During rainy days, you will have a lot of time cooking, and what better way to incorporate your love for food than creating your own family cookbook that you can pass on for generations.
Family cookbooks are a traditional handcrafted gift. Make yours extra unique by incorporating a little family history and honoring the individuals and places that inspired the recipes you enjoy.
Creating a scrapbook is a great way to be able to look back and reminisce about all the adventures and good times you have had. You can preserve all your experiences in the form of pictures, ticket stubs, pressed flowers or just about anything else. And if you get the entire family in on this beautiful project, it will be something you cherish for a lifetime. PS: Here are some cute layout ideas!
14. Create the Perfect Rainy Day Song Playlist
Music is a great way to get you geared up for any day, especially one made for spending it chillaxing indoors at home. Having a hard time thinking of songs? Spotify has made it easy with its hundreds of playlists to choose from, one of my favorites is the Best Chill Music.
15. Create Your Own Cocktail
Become your own mixologist by concocting the perfect cocktail. The best part about this bucket list goal is that you will have to do a lot of sampling before coming up with your own perfect harmony of flavors. Practice makes perfect! If you’re not the best at creating drinkable concoctions, you can check these 10 tips on how to make a great cocktail. Or base your drink off of one of the Great Classic Cocktails.
After many trials and errors, my signature cocktail creation was a Lemon-Basil Fizz made with prosecco, coconut rum, raspberries, basil and lemon sorbet (see the video below and get the recipe here).
16. Jump at an Indoor Trampoline Park
You might get stuck out with the youngsters and their never-ending energy on rainy days. The Indoor Trampoline Park is a fantastic location for children and the young at heart!
Though it might be tempting to perform backflips and stuff (unless you’re a professional), it’s better to exercise caution for a fun and safe jumping experience.
17. Finish a Crossword Puzzle
Select a challenging crossword to attempt and don’t cheat! No dictionaries or assistance allowed! Finishing a crossword puzzle can take many hours, but if you don’t want too much of a challenge buy the New York Times Light & Easy crossword puzzle book and make it a challenge to see how many inside the book you can complete.
18. Get Ordained
Have you ever wanted to officiate a wedding ceremony? Then think about becoming an ordained minister — it’s easier than you think. Simply Google “get ordained” and a slew of websites will come up that offer free ordination. On my last birthday, I got ordained with the American Marriage Ministries. It was super simple, free, and only took mere minutes. Get started now with this article on How to Get Ordained Online: 5 Easy Steps to Ordination
Be aware that each state has different laws on who can marry someone, check with Marriage Laws to find the rules in your state.
19. Go 24 Hours without Internet, Radio or Television
Now, I know, this is a tall order and may not be easy for some. We use the internet for everything nowadays. But think about it. When was the last time you went for two hours without your phone? Try going 24 hours without internet, radio or TV. Read a good book, talk to your family or use the time to complete some of the other ideas on this rainy day bucket list. Soon enough you will wish you had these quiet and peaceful moments more often.
20. Go Bowling
Yes, you can go bowling anytime of the year, but bowling during a rainy day is a great way to escape the weather outside. You can enjoy putting on those oh-so-cute shoes and taking your best shot at getting a strike. Bonus bucket list points if you bowl a turkey—three strikes in a row!
21. Have a Dance Party
Of all the things that we have on this list, this is one of the activities you can enjoy, rain or shine. You can invite your family, friends, neighbors, anyone!
There is no limit to what type of dance you can do. It can be a Zumba dance party, ballroom, or even freestyle. If you don’t know how to dance, it’s okay, it’s a rainy day activity just for fun!
22. Have a Board Game Night Marathon
Stay in for the evening, get cozy in your jammies and have a board game night marathon. There are different games for all ages, but Bingo and Scrabble are favorites for almost everyone in the family (this bingo set comes with everything you need!). You can make it even more fun by adding prizes for the winner, like store gift cards, candies or extra TV time for the kids.
23. Have a Movie Marathon (Watch all the Oscar Winning Movies)
One of the most enjoyable things to do on a rainy day is to watch some old and new movies. Yes, it’s perfectly acceptable to spend a whole day inside vegging out and watching movies.
Keep a warm blanket on hand to snuggle under, prepare a bowl of popcorn, and settle down to watch the shows!
24. Have a Pajama Day
What kind of luxury would it be to spend all day in your pajamas?!? Put on your most comfy pair and lounge for a full 24-hours.
It’s entirely up to you whether you invest in a treatment at a high-end spa or create your own at home. In any case, a self-care day will leave you feeling completely revitalized. Put on a moisturizing face mask (I love this one!) and let the rain’s pitter-patter serve as your personal white noise machine.
26. Have an Arts and Crafts Session
Bring out your inner craftsman at home by doing some arts and crafts projects. You can set up your materials on a kitchen table and try out some things, like coloring or painting, doing origami butterflies or flowers, anything!
Doing arts and crafts can also serve as an opportunity for discovery. It can be the start of finding a new pastime for the hobby bucket list that you will love or rekindling an old one that you used to do when you were a kid.
27. Have an Indoor Picnic
Picnics aren’t just for the outdoors—clear a space on your living room floor and recreate a memorable dining experience. You can even pack a traditional wicker basket with your favorite picnic foods and enjoy the feast without going too far. Real Simple magazine can help you out with their Picnic Packing Checklist. If you want to set up an Instagrammable picnic, here’s a cute red checkered picnic basket.
28. Have an Indoor Treasure/Scavenger Hunt
Are there any children in the house? A treasure hunt will keep them occupied indoors on a wet day, but it’s a fun rainy day idea for adults too. Make one set of clues for each player (for added fun, rhyme the clues), with each clue leading to the next and, eventually, the treasure. Seal them in envelopes with a clue number to make it easier for the treasure hunters to track them down. Of course, having a prize at the end will help motivate them even more.
29. Eat Breakfast in Bed
Start your rainy day morning in a truly relaxing way, with a tasty breakfast in bed. The easiest way to complete this goal would be to order room service at a hotel, but don’t cancel out the opportunity to do it in your very own home too. How dreamy does it sound to indulge in some waffles, eggs and mimosa’s while still cozied up in your bed.
30. Head to the Mall
There are many things to enjoy about a trip to the local mall, whether it be window shopping, eating food, or even just people-watching. Plus, you may find some hidden gems that you realize you need or want.
31. Hit Up a Local Brewery
You don’t need the sun to enjoy a cold local brew, it’s a fun thing to do on a rainy day too! Most of them also provide behind-the-scenes tours, so you can spend an afternoon learning all about how they make beer while enjoying a pint or two of beer.
32. Host a Tea Party
Throwing a tea party is one of the most traditional things to do on a rainy day. Put on your most formal attire (or pajamas!), prepare the table with fine china, and put on your most eloquent demeanor (remember to extend your pinkie and sip on your tea politely).
33. Host a Video Game Tournament
Even if you’re not a big gamer, having a few friends around (or online) to compete for the title of ultimate champion is a lot of fun. It doesn’t have to be something like Fortnite or Call of Duty. Even with classic games like Tetris or Mario Kart, the friendly competition will make everyone hyped! So, get that gaming console out, pick a few favorite games, and get your competitive spirit on!
34. Keep a Gratitude Journal
Start by listing five things you are grateful for. In the beginning it will probably be a struggle to come up with a mere five, being wrapped up in a world full of fear can disguise the good in your life. Think hard. Did you just drink a deliciously warm cup of coffee? Or did you connect with a friend by text? Or enjoy a heartwarming movie on television? There is always something to be grateful for—always.
Go to the local craft store (or order online) and pick out your favorite yarn to knit yourself a cozy scarf. You can find different How-To videos on YouTube or even learn from family or friends if you don’t know how to make one.
Bring on the abracadabra! Everyone can appreciate the good old vanishing coin trick or pulling a flower bouquet out of your sleeve. If your whole family is bored, you can even have each member in the household learn a different trick and then put on a show!
You should be able to find an illusion to attempt within these 10 easy magic tricks, or simply buy a Card Magic Kit that includes tons of tricks to try. By the way, if you want to perform a card trick, but no ordinary deck will do, then step it up a notch with some sparkling gold foil cards.
37. Learn a New Language
You can learn a new skill at any age, so why not learn a new language? It can be a fun and interactive experience for the whole family. Perhaps you can learn the language of a dream destination where you hope to go on a vacation someday? Dream big!
I have always been wowed when I see a perfectly calligraphed letter—it truly is an art form! You can start with faux calligraphy that uses a standard ballpoint pen or buy a simple lettering set that includes a brush pen!
39. Learn How To Cook
It doesn’t matter if you’re already a Chopped champion in the kitchen or if you can barely boil water. Cooking classes are all about learning to make delicious food and then eating it, so they’re ideal for a rainy day!
There are several online cooking classes to pick from, where you may learn from the finest chefs how to cook new recipes or even techniques to improve your cooking.
40. Learn to Juggle
You’ve got some time to kill at home? Grab a few oranges (or apples) and perfect your juggling skills. This video says that you can learn in 10 minutes—let me know how that turns out for you!
41. Try to Meditate
Meditation is much more than sitting in a lotus position chanting “om” over and over again—it is a way of life. Clearing your mind through meditation has many benefits, like lowering blood pressure and anxiety levels. Plus, it can give you a brighter outlook on life! Having an “empty mind” for even a few seconds can seem like a challenge, but this 10-minute guided meditation will help you along the way.
42. Learn to Play a Song on an Instrument
It’s time to channel your inner rock star and learn a song on the instrument of your choice. Pick something like a guitar, keyboard, ukulele or even a harmonica for your musical gadget then pop onto YouTube to find a class.
Learning a song of the harmonica has been on my bucket list and this harmonica and lesson guide will have you playing When the Saints Go Marching In in no time at all!
43. Learn to Use Chopsticks
Not very many adults know how to do this and even fewer kids can comfortably use chopsticks. Do you want to seem sophisticated and well-cultured, then learn how to use chopsticks. It can even be a fun way to eat your favorite bowl of noodles, and you can impress your friends when you are all out for sushi.
44. Make a Bucket List
If you don’t have a bucket list yet (why the heck not?!?!?!), take this opportunity at home to create one. Don’t worry if you don’t know how to start—you’ve come to the right place—here are some articles to help you:
We are all gifted with unique natural skills like dancing, singing, drawing, acting and so on. To showcase your skills or creativity and to get a chance to see just how many people find that impressive, why not create a YouTube video? Just create your first YouTube video showcasing your natural flair and upload it. It’s a brilliant way to tap into your creative side and you just might make money out of it. Plus, it can be simple and free!
46. Make an Origami Animal
Origami is a big part of Japanese culture and it truly is fascinating how little tiny pieces of paper can be crafted into beautiful pieces of artwork. The crane is one of the most popular shapes and you can fairly easily learn how to make one. There are countless videos and instructions online and below are two that worked for me.
One of my fondest memories as a child was helping my Italian grandmother make fresh pasta on the kitchen table. It didn’t matter what shape it was, the handmade pasta always tasted better. There is nothing like the taste of fresh pasta and it is fairly easy to make, using only 3 ingredients you can make fettuccine, pappardelle or tagliatelle. This pasta recipe is the one I use at my restaurant.
At my Italian restaurant we use the red Marcato Atlas Pasta Machine every single day and love it! They have a bunch of other cool colors too.
48. Make Homemade Pizza
People can be picky little eaters, but almost everyone loves pizza! From kneading the dough to adding your favorite toppings and sprinkling hearty amounts of cheese, everyone in the house can have fun making their own personal pie.
Instead of going to the grocery store to buy your favorite ice cream flavor, set up shop and make some at home. And making your own is not as hard as it may seem. The trick is to perfect the basics, then expand on it by adding different flavors. If ice cream seems too complicated, try making fun flavored popsicles, like Blueberry Vanilla Yogurt. Yum!
One of the best rainy day pleasures for people is to dip into a calming hot bath filled with your favorite (or homemade) moisturizing soap blend. After a long day, a tub full of bubbles is the ideal tonic to unwind, release tension, and disconnect from the outside world.
51. Master Your Favorite TikTok Dances
Is there a popular dance or two in Tiktok that you’ve always wanted to learn? Well, now is your chance to do so! You can check out some dance tutorials on how to perform these, or you can also make your own dance choreography for those songs.
52. Mend Old Clothes
Do you have a pile of old garments that you’ve wanted to mend but haven’t gotten around to it? A day spent indoors is the perfect opportunity to rummage through your closet and pull out all the items that require repairs. Grab your emergency sewing kit and start mending up those rips, snags, or tattered ends!
53. Plan a Vacation
When you’re stranded at home due to the weather, you might be dreaming of getting tanned by the beach or going on a beautiful mountain getaway. Now is the perfect opportunity to start organizing your trip!
Make a cup of coffee, open your laptop, and plan your trip, including where you want to go (maybe our ultimate travel bucket list can help?!?), when you might be able to take time off, and how you’ll fit it into your budget. You can also check out our printable packing lists to help you on your trip!
54. Play a Round of Mini Golf
If you love golfing or would want to try it out but can’t because of the weather, then go on a game of minigolf or putt-putt instead! Not only is it beginner-friendly, but it is also a great rainy day activity for kids and adults.
From pirate islands to castles to the craziest courses, you will have a fun yet competitive experience playing minigolf!
55. Play Cards
Card games are a fun and entertaining way to bond with family or friends. It only takes a deck of cards, your wits, and just a bit of luck to play.
You can have a game of the classics like Old Maid or Poker, even ones like Uno (which has its deck of cards.).
Need more ideas? See our Card Game Bucket List that has 100+ fun ones to play with family & friends.
56. Read Some Books (Read a Classic)
I know, this doesn’t sound like the funnest thing to do when you’re bored, but have you ever read ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ by Harper Lee? How about ‘Diary of a Nobody’ by George and Weedon Grossmith? The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien? Well, the movies are more entertaining but the novels are pretty sweet too and more detailed. The point is, you can learn more when you read these wonderful classics than you typically do playing Candy Crush on your phone.
It’s getting easier to find out your roots, so spark up an interest in genealogy and start researching your family tree. You can start your search at My Heritage who offers a 14-day free trial or Ancestry.com who gives you a free starter account.
58. Indoor Climbing Gym
Are you a fan of spelunking or climbing? You will surely enjoy scaling the walls at an indoor climbing gym! Not only is it challenging and fun for all skill levels, but it is also a great way to work up a sweat during the rainy season in the comfort of the gym. You’ll also get to meet new friends with the same interest in the process.
59. See a Foreign Film
Sometimes those darn subtitles keep us from watching a foreign film—this time, don’t let them! There are masterpiece flicks made around the world and here are 25 of the best.
60. Splurge on a Solo Meal at a Fancy Restaurant
It’s okay to treat yourself to some fancy food every now and then, so dress up, wear that bow and tie or dress and head to the finest restaurant in your area.
Though dining at a fancy restaurant alone might make you feel uncomfortable, trust me when I say that eating out alone can be an empowering experience.
61. Stay Up All Night
Do you remember when the two of you just started your relationship or you just got some news to share with your BFF? You would spend the wee hours of the morning just talking on the phone. Try to replicate that special period of time by planning an all-nighter that may include chatting, laughing, cooking together or dancing in the kitchen.
It is always interesting to learn something new about something, whether from a loved one or even the town you were born in. Museums let you travel back in time with their fascinating exhibits and discover their history, even if it’s just for a couple of hours.
63. Volunteer—Virtually!
You no longer have to be onsite to do the good deed of volunteering—you can help right from your comfy couch! Many organizations need help fostering dogs and the United Nations online volunteering program needs everything from researchers to designers to content editing.
64. Write a Haiku
A Haiku is a traditional form of Japanese poetry that consists of only three lines and a total of 17 syllables. The first and third line has 5 syllables and the second has seven. The lines do not need to rhyme, actually most of the time they don’t.
On one of my birthdays, I wrote this one:
A plane flies over,
you dream of being on it.
Ideas flourish.
Want to write your own haiku? The how to write a haiku article will help, and it includes 15 examples!
65. Write a Letter to your Future Self
Writing a letter to your future self can help to lead your life in the right direction. Share your current thoughts on love, family, career, finances, aging, etc. and also your hopes for each of these things in the future. Tuck your letter away and do not open for at least five years!
On my 40th birthday I wrote a letter to my future self. It is a beautiful piece about exactly how I felt at that point in my life. After not reading it for five years, I have now vowed to visit it on every birthday.
Make your letter even more special by picking some pretty paper (like this Japanese Stationary) and handwriting it.
66. Write a Thank You Note to Someone Who Deserves It
So often people want to tell a company or friend how they feel when they are not satisfied, instead write a thank you to show your appreciation for a job well done.
Writing your note on a simple sheet of paper is fine, but stocking up on blank greeting cards may be a good idea instead. I literally just bought these bird greeting cards which would be perfect for a simple thank you.
. . .
You see, there are plenty of things to do on a rainy day to make it worthwhile. Instead of being cooped up at home scrolling through your phone, why not make fun and lasting memories with these ideas, even when you are indoors!
So the next time you wake up and the skies are gray, I hope this bucket list of rainy day activities will come in handy.
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The start of a new year is a great time to help your children focus on forming good habits. Making New Year’s resolutions can be a fun way to do this!
As a pediatrician and mom of three kids, I know how important it is to set healthy goals with kids – and to be realistic about those goals. Kids also love having something to work toward. They can have fun keeping track on sticker charts or getting praise or rewards as they reach these goals, depending on their age.
Making resolutions together
I encourage you to sit down with your kids and, together, pick maybe one or two goals they want to set as their New Year’s resolutions. If it’s too overwhelming to think of them as resolutions, then just talk about them as goals and make it fun.
Keep it fun
If your 8-year-old meets that goal of reading every day for a week, maybe they get to pick the family movie during the weekend. Maybe your preschooler can eat more vegetables by drinking them in smoothies that the whole family enjoys. Involving kids in the decision-making and making these fun for the entire family can help turn these resolutions into long-lasting habits.
Here are some healthy and positive goal-setting resolution ideas you can suggest to your children, depending on their age:
New Year’s resolution ideas for preschoolers
I will try hard to clean up my toys by putting them where they belong.
I will let my parents help me brush my teeth twice a day.
I will wash my hands after going to the bathroom and before eating.
I will try new foods when I can, especially all different colors of vegetables.
I will learn how to help clear the table when I am done eating.
I will be friendly to all animals. I will learn how to ask the owners if I can pet their animal first.
I will always hold a grown-up’s hand whenever I cross the street.
I will talk with my parent or another adult I trust when I need help or am scared.
New Year’s resolution ideas for kids (5 to 12 years old)
I will drink water every day and healthy beverages like milk with meals. I will keep soda and fruit drinks only for special times.
I will wear my seat belt every time I get in a car. I’ll sit in the back seat and use a booster seat until I am tall enough to use a lap/shoulder seat belt.
I will try to find a physical activity (like playing tag, jumping rope, dancing or riding my bike) or a sport I like and do it at least three times a week!
I will take care of my skin by putting on sunscreen and wearing a hat and sunglasses when possible.
I will always wear a helmet when riding a bike, scooter or skateboard.
I’ll try to be friendly to kids who may have a hard time making friends by talking with them and inviting them to join activities.
I will tell an adult about bullying that I see or hear about to do what I can to help keep school safe for everyone.
I will keep my personal info safe and not share my name, home address, school name or telephone number online. Also, I’ll never send a picture of myself to someone I chat with on the computer or phone without asking my parent if it is okay.
I will try to talk with my parent or a trusted adult when I have a problem or feel stressed.
I promise that I’ll do my best to follow our household rules for videogames and internet use.
New Year’s resolution ideas for teens (13 years old and older)
I will try to eat two servings of fruit and two servings of vegetables every day. I will drink sodas or fruit drinks only at special times.
I will do my best to take care of my body through fun physical activity and eating the right types and amounts of foods.
When I have some down time for media, I will try to choose educational, high-quality non-violent TV shows and video games that I enjoy. I will spend only one to two hours each day—at the most—on these activities. I promise to respect out household rules for videogames and internet use.
I will try to get 8 to 10 hours of sleep that my body needs each night.
I will do what I can to help out in my community. I will give some of my time to help others, working with community groups or others that help people in need. These activities will make me feel better about myself and my community.
When I feel angry stressed out, I will take a break and find helpful ways to deal with the stress, such as exercising, reading, writing in a journal or talking about my problem with a parent or friend.
When faced with a difficult decision, I will talk about my choices with an adult I can trust.
When I notice my friends are struggling, being bullied or making risky choices, I will look for a trusted adult so that we can attempt to find a way to help.
I will be careful about whom I choose to date. I will treat the other person with respect and not force them to do something they do not want to do. I will not use violence. I will expect to be treated the same way in return.
If you’re thinking about buying or selling a home, you probably want to know what’s really happening with home prices, mortgage rates, housing supply, and more. That’s not an easy task considering how sensationalized headlines are today. Jay Thompson, Real Estate Industry Consultant, explains:
“Housing market headlines are everywhere. Many are quite sensational, ending with exclamation points or predicting impending doom for the industry. Clickbait, the sensationalizing of headlines and content, has been an issue since the dawn of the internet, and housing news is not immune to it.”
Unfortunately, when information in the media isn’t clear, it can generate a lot of fear and uncertainty in the market. As Jason Lewris, Cofounder and Chief Data Officer at Parcl, says:
“In the absence of trustworthy, up-to-date information, real estate decisions are increasingly being driven by fear, uncertainty, and doubt.”
But it doesn’t have to be that way. Buying or selling a home is a big decision, and it should be one you feel confident making. To help you separate fact from fiction and get the answers you need, lean on a local real estate advisor.
A trusted expert is your best resource to understand what’s happening at the national and local levels. They’ll be able to debunk the headlines using data you can trust. And using their in-depth knowledge of the industry, they’ll provide context so you know how current trends compare to the normal ebbs and flows in the industry, historical data and more.
Then, to make sure you have the full picture, they’ll tell you if your local area is following the national trend or if they’re seeing something different in your market. Together, you’ll use all of that information to make the best possible decision for you.
After all, making a move is a potentially life-changing milestone. It should be something you feel ready for and excited about. And that’s where an agent comes in.
Bottom Line
If you have questions about the headlines or what’s happening in the housing market today, let’s connect so you have expert insights and advice on your side.
From family-friendly to couples-focused, there are so many options this year! Whether you want to get dressed up or just have a low key night with the kids, we’ve got you covered. This list includes all of our favorite spots and what they’re doing on December 31st. Happy New Year!
Are you prepping to buy your first home? If so, one of the steps you should take early on is making sure you’re financially ready for your purchase. Here are just a few of the financial fundamentals you’ll need to focus on as you set out to buy a home.
Build Your Credit
Your credit is one element that helps determine which home loan you’ll qualify for. It also impacts your mortgage interest rate. While there are many factors that go into your mortgage application, a higher credit score could lead to a lower monthly payment in the long run.
So how do you make sure your credit is in the best shape possible when it’s time to buy? A recent article from NerdWallet lists a few tips you can use as you work to build and strengthen your credit. They include:
Tracking your credit and disputing any errors that show up on your reports.
Paying your bills on time. This includes making loan payments and paying down any open lines of credit.
Keeping your credit card balances low. Paying more than your minimum monthly balance when you’re able can help.
Automate Your Savings for Your House Fund
You might also be wondering how you can achieve your down payment savings goals. Bankrate provides buyers with a number of tips to help you save, including searching for down payment assistance programs and ways you can save more, faster. As the article says:
“One of the best ways to save for anything — including a down payment —is to set it and forget it. If you receive a regular paycheck, ask your employer to direct a portion of that payment into a savings account. If you’re a freelance worker or independent contractor, set up a recurring transfer from a checking account to a savings account to establish the routine.”
Get Pre-Approved
As you prepare for your purchase, you’ll also need to have a good grasp on your budget and how much you’ll be able to borrow for your home loan. That’s where the pre-approval process comes in.
Pre-approval from a lender lets you know how much money you can borrow for your home loan. And having that knowledge, plus an understanding of your savings, can help you decide on your target price range for a house.
From there, you can start browsing for houses online and see what’s available in your area in that general price point. This can help you really understand your options so you can start to picture your future home.
For Customized Advice, Build a Team of Professionals
Finally, the best way to make you’re prepared for your purchase is to connect with trusted real estate professionals. Having expert advisors in the industry will help you make strong decisions throughout the homebuying process based on your specific goals, finances, and situation. They know the market and can guide you toward the home of your dreams.
Bottom Line
If you’re ready to get the homebuying process started, connect with CA Real Estate Group to begin building your team of professionals today.
This trivia game is a great mixer for holiday parties of all ages and generations!Play as teams or individually.Make sure you prepare fun prizes for the winners!(Do a Google search for the answers.)
Listing your property with a real estate professional will save you time, money and frustration. As you discuss the asking price, be aware of these common pitfalls.
Overpricing
By following recent home sales in your area, you can avoid unrealistic expectations stemming from runaway price growth over the past few years. Each day an overpriced house sits on the market is another day the sellers miss the opportunity to attract the right buyers. Price your property close to what you’d actually accept.
Underpricing
On the other hand, some sellers underprice their homes in hopes of starting a bidding war or making a quick sale. When your listing price is too low, you risk turning off prospective buyers who might suspect there’s something wrong with the house. You could also be leaving money on the table when would-be buyers present a lowball offer on your underpriced property.
Glossing Over the Comps
Your agent will find the best comparable sales of homes similar to yours in features, location and size. Their comparative market analysis can help you nail the asking price. You may not agree with everything in the comps, but try to be open to the information presented.
Overvaluing Upgrades and Improvements
As frustrating as it is, you’re not likely to get back 100% of what you paid for upgrades to your property. Check the comps to see what impact various improvements have made on the selling price of other homes.
Emotional Attachment
Getting too emotional when selling your house can complicate what is essentially a business transaction. Try to think of your property as a large asset you can put toward the purchase of your new home.
Checklist for Choosing a Mortgage Lender
A mortgage is a financial commitment that can affect your lifestyle for many years. Take your time selecting a mortgage banker or lender that best fits your needs and financial situation.
Whether you work with a traditional bank, credit union or specialized lender, follow these tips to find your best match.
Don’t assume you’ll be eligible for the advertised lending rates. Get a personalized quote from each lender.
Find someone you connect with. It helps if you agree on the best mode of communication, whether that’s email, texts or phone calls.
Make sure the lender offers the specific services you need, such as pre-approval. Ask about prepayment penalties or online-payment fees.
Check reviews for feedback about customer service and ease of making monthly payments.
Contact each lender and review your questions. Follow your instincts about whether this is a company you can trust.
Texture Enhances All the Senses
Texture is trending in home decor. Your artful attention to the often-overlooked sense of touch can make a huge difference in your home’s first impression. This is especially important whether you’re hosting a party or staging your home for an open house.
Let your imagination run wild when creating a cozy, inviting home. Multi-textured surroundings can dramatically warm a room, making you and your guests want to linger longer.
Pillows and accessories are great, but don’t stop there. You can add dimension and interest in many other ways.
Enhance walls with brick or stone veneer, textured wallpaper or decorative wood trim and molding. Look for affordable solutions such as removable stick-on wood panels or peel-and-stick wallpaper.
Add a woven rug to define your floor space. Shag carpet is an option for the truly daring.
Make your staging pop with cane or rattan furniture, tufted sofas or boucle-upholstered chairs. Balance colors and textures with neutrals and smooth fabrics. Pair a fuzzy throw with a leather loveseat. Draw subtle attention to unexpected spots with a vase, basket or small lamp.
Security Systems Offer Financial Savings
A home security system can provide peace of mind for you and your family and may help you save money. Consider these three benefits, according to industry analysts.
Increase Your Property Value
Buyers want a safe place to live and will likely pay more for a secure home. Reinforced exterior doors, strong locks and outdoor motion sensors also enhance the appeal of your property.
Decrease Your Insurance Costs
Some insurance companies offer a discount of up to 20% off your monthly premium if you have a professionally monitored security system.
Prevent Costly Burglaries
The average loss due to a home break-in is close to $3,000.
Why You Need an Agent With New Construction
New construction can be a challenging situation in home buying. While you get to select your favorite colors and finishes, the path from slick brochure to move-in day can be tricky. Here are some ways an experienced real estate agent can smooth that path, according to Realtor.com®.
Most agents are familiar with the construction process and can negotiate extras.
Agents have long-term, solid relationships with trusted lenders. Include (but don’t limit yourself to) their recommended lenders in your comparison shopping. The same goes for the builder’s preferred lender.
A real estate professional can oversee home inspections, following up on any remaining punch list items.
Pro Tip: Ask your agent to join you on your first site visit so the builder is aware you won’t be using their representative.
Here’s everything you need to know about what’s happening in the Real Estate Market.
Real Estate News in Brief
The NAR’s Pending Sales Index for October fell 4.6% in a month and 37% compared to October 2021. Pending sales in the West region were down 46%. [Source: NAR] Keep in mind that 30-yr mortgage rates were >7% for the entire month of October. They’re now around 6.3%.
The Case-Shiller Home Price Index for September fell 1% in a month. From their peak in June, national home prices have slid ~2.5%, while prices in SFO & SEA are now down more than 10%. [Source: CoreLogic]
Fed Chair Jerome Powell said that “the time for moderating the pace of rate increases may come as soon as the December meeting” during a speech at the Brookings Institution. In other words, no more +75 bps.
The day after Powell’s comments, the PCE inflation figure for October came in at an annualized rate of 6%, better (that is to say, lower) than expectations and a further deceleration from 6.3% in September and the peak of 7% in June. [Source: BEA]
Companies added only 127k jobs in November, vs. +239k in October. This was well below Street expectations. Job losses in manufacturing & biz services dragged the total lower. [Source: ADP]
The NAHB’s Chief Economist expects a mild recession from 4Q 2022–2Q 2023, but sees mortgage rates at or below 6% by end-2023/early 2024, either because the Fed has ‘beaten’ inflation, or because the recession turns out to be bigger than expected. [Source: NAHB]
Pending Sales for October
With 30-year mortgage rates above 7% for the entire month, we knew that October pending sales would be bad — and they were. The NAR’s Pending Home Sales Index (PHSI) dropped 4.6% in a month. That’s the 5th-straight monthly decline in the PHSI. Compared to October 2021, the PHSI was down 37% YoY.
The contraction was significantly worse in the West, with October pending sales dropping 11% MoM and down 46.2% YoY. That’s right, pending sales nearly halved in the West.
Pending sales are a forward indicator of existing home sales (leading by 1–2 months). So prepare yourself for some nasty November and December existing home sales figures.
But there’s a silver lining: mortgage rates are already 90–100bps (a full percentage point) lower. As NAR’s Chief Economist Lawrence Yun wrote, “October was a difficult month for buyers as they faced 20-year-high mortgage rates…[but] The upcoming months should see a return of buyers as mortgage rates appear to have already peaked and have been coming down since mid-November.”
In fact, there are signs that a recovery in activity (thanks to lower rates) is already happening. The MBA (Mortgage Bankers Association) tracks new purchase loan applications on a weekly basis. This is the fourth week in a row that applications have risen week-on-week.
Case-Shiller for September
For the third consecutive month, home prices declined on a month-over-month basis. The national index was down 1.0% MoM, but the 20-city index was down 1.5% MoM. Don’t be fooled by the small numbers; these are big decreases. If this happened every month, prices would be down 12–18% in a year.
As in August, prices declined in each of the 20 big cities. However, for the cities experiencing the sharpest price drops (San Francisco, Seattle, Las Vegas etc.), the magnitude of price declines actually slowed a bit in September.
Source: S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller Index
NAHB Webinar
Here’s how the National Association of Homebuilders’ Chief Economist, Robert Dietz, sees things:
2020–2021: Unsustainable, above-trend growth in home sales
2022–2023: Compensating below-trend growth in home sales
2024+: A return to trend growth in home sales (with >1 million in new home sales annually)
He expects a mild recession for the next three quarters, unemployment rates rising to near 6% (from 3% today) in 2024 and national home prices falling ~10%. At the same time, his message was essentially optimistic — lower inflation, interest rates and home prices will bring buyers (and builders) back relatively quickly.
A few anecdotes I found interesting:
~50% of the webinar attendees (most of whom were builders) said that they were responding to slowing demand with either price cuts OR enhanced incentives
The construction industry needs ~750,000 new workers every year to keep pace with demand and replace retirees
Right now, two cities in Texas (Houston and Dallas) are adding more new homes than the entire state of California
Note: In any given year, existing home sales are 7–15 times higher than new home sales. This isn’t because builders are lazy. It’s because there are around 145 million existing housing units. Even if builders were able to construct 2 million homes a year (something they’ve never achieved before), that would only raise the total housing stock by 1.3%.
Mortgage Market
After months of extreme volatility, 30-yr mortgage rates had flatlined at 6.6% for several weeks. But with another good (well, improving) inflation figure, and Powell sounding a bit less hawkish, the bond market was in party mode yesterday, rising 70–80 basis points.
Higher mortgage bond prices = lower mortgage bond yields = lower mortgage rates. Yesterday, the 30-yr mortgage rates moved sharply lower to 6.3% — that’s a full percentage point lower than the peak of 7.37% on October 20!
They Said It
“When home prices decline, it’s pretty rare for there to not be a recession.” — NAHB Chief Economist Robert Dietz
“To anyone with a sense of history, the home boom must be a source of wonder. Housing usually leads the economy into a recession. Mortgage rates rise, then housing construction and home sales fall.” — Robert J. Samuelson in a 2002 Newsweek article
Inspiration
There are many different approaches to measure ‘affordability.’ But they all depend on three factors: 1) household income, 2) home prices, and 3) mortgage rates.
Right now, all three factors are moving in buyers’ favor:
Workers are getting paid more
Home prices are starting to slide
Mortgage rates have peaked
Plus, there are more homes available, and less competition than last year, and sellers are more willing to negotiate on things like repairs, covering some closing costs, paying for points etc.
The key is to stay in regular contact with CA Real Estate Group. Your agent will let you know about price cuts, point out stale listings, and will keep you informed about mortgage rates. Also, waiting for the ‘perfect’ moment could be counterproductive. When (if!) conditions look perfect, they’ll look perfect to everybody else too.
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