After a few astronauts head to the moon, gang, if there’s lots of astronauts and cosmonauts, perhaps we’ll need an all-inclusive, MOON HOTEL.

Architects and space tourism companies are now designing the first hotel on the moon's surface! That's right—actual plans for a lunar hotel where guests could experience low-gravity relaxation like never before. Imagine waking up to an Earth-rise view from your moon suite or taking a stroll across the lunar surface before breakfast. The designs are surprisingly detailed, featuring everything you'd expect from a luxury resort, just with that added challenge of, you know, being in space. Perhaps it could have a sauna with some HOT STONES powered by lunar nuclear power! While the timeline for actually building this moon hotel is still pretty far off, the fact that serious companies are investing in these plans shows how quickly space tourism is moving from fantasy to reality, at the low, low deposit of a quarter million dollars. Whether you're excited about booking your moon vacation or skeptically wondering about the room service, with those freeze-dried astronaut meals, the future is coming fast! Click below to read more!

INDIANA, COUGAR, JACK and DIANE



One of the biggest stories in the sports world has been the incredible rise of Indiana Football. Let's put this in perspective: heading into this season, Indiana had more losses than any team in the HISTORY of college football. (Fun fact: your Wake Forest Demon Deacons hold the fifth spot on that not-so-great list.) But gang, the Hoosiers pulled off one of the most amazing turnarounds in college sports history, and they got some of their funding from the unlikeliest of sources—rock legend John Mellencamp! That's right, the guy who wrote "Jack & Diane" donated $1.5 million to build their practice facility when nobody else believed in Indiana football. Year after year, Mellencamp showed up to watch his Hoosiers lose, sitting in a wooden shack atop the stadium where he could smoke cigarettes and cheer for his team in peace. Now, that same team just demolished powerhouse programs and reached the national championship game. In fact, billionaire Mark Cuban can't get into Mellencamp's exclusive smoky perch! Even though he can’t get in to “little pink houses, for you and me,” or in this case, little white houses,  Cuban may say, “Oh yeah, life goes on / Long after the thrill of livin’ is gone,” sometimes the best investments aren't made by hedge fund managers, evidently, they’re made by chain-smoking rock stars with the middle name Cougar, who love their hometown team. Regardless of where you live, or whether you were “born in a small town / And I live in a small town” you can click below to read the full story! 

REAL ESTATE TO BEHOLD



Remember when skyscrapers topping 1,000 feet seemed impossibly tall? Well, Saudi Arabia is about to make those look tiny. The Jeddah Economic Company Tower is rapidly advancing toward becoming the world's first one-kilometer-tall building. Yes, you read that correctly—one kilometer, which is roughly 3,280 feet, or more than TWICE the height of the Empire State Building! The latest construction updates from January 2026 show this architectural marvel rising from the desert at an impressive pace. When completed, it will shatter all existing records for building height. The tower is part of Saudi Arabia's ambitious vision to transform Jeddah into a global economic hub, combining cutting-edge engineering with luxury amenities. From advanced elevator systems that can handle the extreme height to reinforced structures that can withstand desert winds, every aspect of this project pushes the boundaries of what's possible in construction. Whether you're fascinated by engineering or just love seeing humans accomplish the impossible, this tower story sounds like one our editors are going to be watching for a few years! Click below to read more.

We feature a lot of amazing houses here from a few hundred thousand and into the hundreds of millions. As you’re house shopping for your next home, it’s fun to take a look at some truly extraordinary properties open to the public... not to buy, but to admire. From the Atlantic coast to the Midwest, there are 11 historic Gilded Age mansions across America you can tour that showcase the opulence of late-19th-century wealth and architectural craftsmanship.

These grand homes, like The Breakers in Newport, Rhode Island—built by Cornelius Vanderbilt II as a 70-room Renaissance Revival summer palace—now serve as museums showcasing extravagant design, cutting-edge technology of their era, and the lavish social scene of America's richest families.

Other stops on the list include ornate estates such as Marble House (also in Newport), The Elms, the sprawling Biltmore Estate in North Carolina, and historic city mansions like the Pabst Mansion in Milwaukee and Lyndhurst in New York, all open for public tours that let you walk through history and imagine the scale and detail of these once-private residences. Click below to see more.

Finally, if we’re talking the Moon, Space, Rockets and Nuclear power, we needed a house that combines ALL of those… How about one with a Star Wars-style Millennium Falcon inside the house? $13 Million in Orlando? – “Never tell me the odds!”…

This Mediterranean-style estate in the gated Golden Oak community at Walt Disney World Resort contains over 10,740 sq ft with 7 bedrooms and 9 baths.

In addition to the Millennium Falcon-inspired theater room, the house features a temperature-controlled wine room, a Toothless pizza oven, and even a replica of the marble fireplace from Cinderella’s Castle. Add in a resort-style pool with grotto and slide, private game rooms, and multiple garages with car lifts, and you’ve got a property that’s truly out of this world. Click below to see the full Zillow listing.

THE ECONOMY AND REAL ESTATE

Zillow just released their list of the hottest housing markets projected for 2026, and despite the Bills' playoff collapse (sorry, Buffalo), some interesting trends emerged. The top markets include Hartford, Connecticut; Indianapolis, Indiana; Columbus, Ohio; Providence, Rhode Island; and Cleveland, Ohio. Notice anything? Not a single Southern city made the top of this list! These markets are heating up due to a combination of relatively affordable housing, strong job growth, and increasing inventory. What's driving buyers to these areas? Many are discovering that their money goes further in these mid-sized metros compared to coastal markets, while still offering urban amenities and career opportunities.

Now, before you doubt Southern real estate, our editors were around for 2008, and they'll tell you that you don't want to be the hottest market or the highest priced market—let's just keep doing great for our buyers and sellers here. The common thread among these top cities is affordability paired with economic stability, exactly what today's buyers are prioritizing. Keep an eye on these markets throughout the year to see if these projections hold true as we move deeper into the spring buying season.

Earlier in the week, there was a great article released about housing inventory and trends to watch for 2026. The data is showing some really encouraging signs for the housing market! New listings surged 29% in just one week and are up nearly 10% compared to last year, marking one of the strongest early-season weeks since before the pandemic. Total inventory is climbing too, up over 10% year-over-year, which means more choices for buyers without driving prices through the roof. Median list prices are holding steady around $419,000, and sellers are pricing competitively to attract buyers. Here's the best part: pending home sales are at their highest levels in years, showing that buyers are actively engaged and ready to make moves. The article notes that 2026 looks to be "the first year of actual growth in existing home sales in years." With mortgage rates steady near 6% and inventory improving, the spring buying season is shaping up to be healthier and more balanced than we've seen in a long time. Gang, 2026 is going to be a great year for housing!

Those trends are VERY important to keep in mind as we head into the spring buying season. In fact, at our weekly editors and writers meeting the subject of the importance of starting the loan process early was discussed at length, and so… Our editors actually wanted to do something this week that they have NEVER done before, leaving the same article from KCM as last week:



We’re RAPIDLY approaching the spring buying season and positioning yourself as best as you can for your budget and starting your process is going to be more important than ever. With that in mind, our editors wanted to close out with an article from KCM, titled, “Why Pre-Approval Should Be Your First Step – Not an Afterthought.”

Finding the right home feels exciting – but being pre-approved for your loan is what makes it possible. Whether you’re planning to buy soon or still just thinking about it, getting pre-approved is one of the best moves you can make. Here’s why.

1. What Is Pre-Approval, Really?

Pre-approval is much more than a guess. It means a lender has reviewed your finances (things like your income, assets, credit score, debts, and savings) and told you how much they’re willing to let you borrow for your loan.

It’s basically a reality check for your home search, so you can make sure it aligns with your budget and shop confidently when you’re ready to go.

2. Why It’s a Power Move (Especially Right Now)

The housing market’s been shifting lately with mortgage rates moving, prices moderating, and inventory rising. So, knowing what you’re working with in the current market is a big reason why pre-approval matters. Here’s what it gives you:

• Clarity: You’ll know what you can afford before you fall in love with a house that’s potentially out of reach.

• Confidence: Sellers will take your offer seriously when they see you’re pre-approved because you’re not a risky buyer.

• Control: If rates come down and you want to jump on the moment, you’re already a step ahead with your plan.

As Experian explains:

“. . . you’ll want to make sure you receive your preapproval letter before you start looking at homes so you can submit a strong offer as soon as you find what you want. The process can take anywhere from a day to a few weeks, so if you procrastinate, you may lose out to a competing offer.”

And once you find a home you want to put an offer on, pre-approval has another big perk. It not only makes your offer stronger, it shows sellers you’ve already undergone a credit and financial check. As Greg McBride, Chief Financial Analyst at Bankrate, says:

“Preapproval carries more weight because it means lenders have actually done more than a cursory review of your credit and your finances, but have instead reviewed your pay stubs, tax returns and bank statements. A preapproval means you’ve cleared the hurdles necessary to be approved for a mortgage up to a certain dollar amount.”

Translation: Pre-approval helps you make stronger, more informed decisions – and it helps you avoid missing out on a home or getting stuck on the sidelines when the right one hits the market. Because the reality is, competition might be lower these days, but desirable homes (especially the ones that are priced well) still go quickly.

3. Don’t Wait Until You’re “Ready”

Think of it this way: pre-approval doesn’t mean you’re buying a house tomorrow. It just means you’ll be ready when the time comes. And most pre-approvals are good for 60–90 days and can be refreshed easily if your plans change.

So, here’s a good place to start. Ask yourself this question: “If the perfect home came along today, would you be ready to make an offer?”

If your answer is “not quite,” then pre-approval is your next step.



Bottom Line

Pre-approval doesn’t box you in. It opens doors.

In today’s market, buyers who win aren’t the ones who wait. They’re the ones who plan. So, if you’re even thinking about buying in the next few months, get ahead of the game by connecting with your agent and a trusted lender.

They’ll help you understand what how the process works and walk you through every step along the way, so when the right home pops up, you’re ready.

RATES:

Pricing and rates remain erratic and volatile. Confirm rates & pricing directly with your loan officer.

Check out the trivia below and remember, there is a drawing to enter to win a gift card. This is your chance to enter for a chance to win the gift card awarded every other month. This trivia question is for the January and February drawing/card.

TRIVIA QUESTION

With the weather getting colder, our editors wanted a trivia question to match and settled on one about an animal that puts up with cold weather quite a bit. So to honor it's January 20^th’s Awareness Day… the flightless, although venerable, and always overdressed PENGUIN, (or as one actor called them Peng-wings). While a group of penguins in the water is sometimes referred to as a “RAFT” of penguins, What is a group of penguins called on land?

A. herd

B. flock

C. waddle

D. raft

E. pod

Click here to EMAIL ME YOUR ANSWER.

**Email your answer to me to have your name entered in a drawing for a gift card at the beginning of even months and YES you can go back and answer previous weeks’ questions if you have not answered them already AND if we have not unveiled the answer yet***