LED light strips give Bilal the ick because they tend to look cheap, when that is not the desired effect. “They do not look expensive, they don’t look high-end, they don’t feel like elevated decor,” he says. “They literally just feel like you ordered an LED strip off Amazon and stuck it to your wall. And that’s exactly what it is.”
Vivien of Posh Pennies is particularly averse to battery-operated sconces, detesting the fact that they require remotes and batteries, and that they eventually stop getting used because they require recharging. “If you’re serious about where you want your light, then get it wired, pop in a smart bulb, put it on a schedule, and call it a day! So worth it,” the interior design blogger and YouTuber explains. Bilal agrees that smart light bulbs are a much better alternative, especially if you’re looking for the ability to easily change the mood of a room with lighting.
Focusing on the screen, rather than the big picture of your space
As sharing interior design on social media gains more and more traction, and we become accustomed to seeing beautiful rooms on the reg, it can be tempting to focus only on what looks good onscreen. Imani Keal, a design blogger who specializes in renter-friendly decor and DIY, often wonders what’s going on beyond the frame of a quirky DIY space she sees on TikTok. “They sometimes don’t show the project in the context of the rest of the room or apartment, and it’s often because that project only looks good from one angle or as a vignette,” she explains.
It’s important to make sure a fun project actually works with the rest of your living space, rather than just conforming to the latest trend. “The purpose of creating a beautiful space is so that it looks and feels warm and welcoming in real life and on the internet, not just in five-second clips,” she adds. Garrett Le Chic fully agrees. As an interior designer, he’s all about making updates to your home that are consistent with its architecture.
“Renovating to change the style of your house in the long term doesn’t always make the most sense because it just requires a lot more effort, a lot more money, a lot more work than is really necessary,” he says. “When, if you took the core elements, the backbone of what the architectural style of your house is, and you apply that, it works better in the long term.”
Bland dust-collecting decor
There’s nothing like a good knickknack or piece of art to really liven up a room. With so many affordable online and brick-and-mortar home-goods stores, it’s easier than ever to find what you need to add in a space. This is both a blessing as a curse, as it means that now more than ever, there’s a plethora of mass-produced items with no personality taking up space and collecting dust over time.
On the subject of word art, Phoenix has one question: “Who is buying this?” He continues, “I know the ‘Live, Love, Laugh’ signs of the early 2000s have faded out, but now it’s like very weird quotes on boards that people are spending between 10 and 20 dollars on. The amount of staged homes that I’ve seen from real estate agents that have those too.”
Call it the Yellowstone effect, but ranch living is definitely having a moment.
In recent years, countless homebuyers seeking a blend of luxury, privacy, and a closer connection to nature have opted for rural properties that offer more bang for your buck — and a tranquil lifestyle that promises less fuss and more rewards.
This trend has not gone unnoticed in the celebrity world, with notable figures like Donald Glover, Kelis, and even Calvin Harris (who ventured as far as Ibiza to secure a 183-acre farm) embracing the ranch lifestyle.
And now, there’s a new option on the market for prospective buyers seeking to own a piece of rural California.
The Green Acre Ranch — a nearly 20-acre property in Somis, California with mini-horse stables and over 1,500 income-producing fruit trees — has just been listed for $7.35 million, presenting a unique blend of luxury ranch living and lucrative agricultural potential.
Rochelle Maize and Myra Nourmand of Nourmand & Associates hold the listing, and they’ve given us all the deets on this unique opportunity.
Like Fancy Pants Homes’ content? Be sure to follow us on MSN.
An income-producing ranch
Located conveniently an hour’s drive from Los Angeles and a stone’s throw from the charming towns of Camarillo and Moorpark, the Green Acre Ranch offers a perfect retreat for those wanting proximity to the city while enjoying the tranquility of the countryside.
The property spans 20 acres and is adorned with 1,500 matured avocado, pomegranate, and lemon trees, which have historically turned a profit, generating $72k and $84.5k in revenue in 2023 and 2022, respectively.
The estate boasts an array of features designed to cater to the luxury-minded homeowner with a penchant for outdoor living.
From a long gated driveway lined with roses to a swimming pool and a large pond that mirror the property’s serene setting, each detail has been curated to enhance the ranch’s natural beauty and its panoramic views of the valley.
The sprawling property has a charming, Mediterranean-style home that allows guests and residents to soak in the picturesque canyon views from nearly every room of the house.
“The estate is set away from the street, which gives the homeowner ultimate privacy,” listing agent Myra Nourmand tells us.
See also: Is the Yellowstone ranch real? We found the Dutton ranch in real life
Inside the 5-bedroom home
Featuring 5 bedrooms, 5 bathrooms, an inviting eat-in kitchen, and a showstopping Spanish-tiled staircase, the interiors draw you in as much as the idyllic surroundings.
Built in 2008, the house features tile, wood, and stone flooring with two fireplaces adding to the coziness of the home. And the rooms are as grand and impressive as the rest of the property.
The heart of the home
The great room stands out as the property’s crown jewel, providing breathtaking views of the expansive yard and the canyon beyond.
As Myra Nourmand highlights, the ranch offers vistas on par with those found in Italy, creating a scenic backdrop that could rival scenes from “The Sound of Music.”
“The Green Acre Ranch’s views are truly magnificent,” agent Myra Nourmand tells us. “I’ve traveled extensively across Europe and can say that this property is on par with the views found in Italy. As you walk through the property’s French doors, it’s like you’re in “The Sound of Music” with these stunning views of the hills and canyon.”
A rich historical tapestry
The Green Acre Ranch carries a storied past with Hollywood connections, having been a preferred gathering spot for musicians at the behest of previous owner Mary Hollander.
Mary Hollander directed and produced for the Sagamore Players, a local theater troupe, often staging shows in her home. Her husband, Max Hollander, was a violinist in the early 1940s and he was an associate concertmaster for the NBC Symphony Orchestra led by Toscanini.
According to our sources, Hollander used to have parties at the property where all these Hollywood musicians would come up on the first Sunday of the month. The ranch’s Hollywood legacy, coupled with its robust agricultural potential, makes it a property with both charm and investment value.
It has an orchard with 1,500 fruit trees
Rochelle Maize emphasizes the ranch’s vast outdoor amenities, including an 11-stall horse stable, a luxurious BBQ pavilion, and the possibility to add more facilities such as sports courts or additional animal shelters.
The property also boasts an orchard of 1,500 fruit trees, including avocado, orange, lemon, guava, grapefruit, pomegranate, and more, offering a trove of California produce just moments away. With this much land, prospective buyers can cultivate a vineyard, build sports facilities like a pickleball court, or construct more animal shelters and barns for pigs, ducks, or goats. All animals are welcome!
The property’s orchard not only enhances its appeal but also offers a sustainable living option by allowing homeowners to cultivate a variety of fruits.
See also: Sandra Bullock sells 91-acre compound with organic avocado, citrus orchards
Stables for mini-horses
Possibly the most charming amenity is reserved for the equestrian enthusiast, as the property can easily be turned into a miniature horse farm.
An 11-stall miniature horse stable stands ready to accommodate small equine companions, with the flexibility to convert for full-size horses.
There’s even a private pond
In line with the whole “trading the city life for quiet ranch living”, this particular luxury listing comes with both the traditional pool AND a cute little pond.
The tranquil private pond adds a touch of whimsy to the landscape, offering a serene backdrop for entertainment and relaxation.
See also: Suzanne Somers’ beloved 28-acre Palm Springs retreat re-lists for $8.95 million
Located in Somis, California
“Somis is conveniently located just an hour’s drive from Los Angeles, making it ideal for someone who seeks a quiet and relaxing retreat but still wants to be close to city life,” listing agent Rochelle Maize says in an exclusive quote for Fancy Pants Homes.
“Situated amidst the charming towns of Camarillo and Moorpark each just a short 15–20-minute drive away, residents and visitors alike can enjoy outlet malls, scenic hiking trails, and country club golf courses. The town of Somis itself is ripe with neighboring farms and nurseries that provide fresh local fruits, vibrant flowers, and delicious nuts, adding to the area’s idyllic rural charm.”
A multifaceted opportunity
Beyond its enchanting living spaces and outdoor amenities, the ranch serves as a fully functional farm.
The previous owner leveraged the orchard’s produce to create a line of kitchen and bath products, from gourmet balsamic vinegar, including fig and pomegranate flavors, to avocado soaps, body scrubs, and body lotions, showcasing the estate’s versatility and entrepreneurial potential.
The Green Acre Ranch is more than just a home; it’s a lifestyle choice for those seeking privacy, luxury, and the opportunity to live off the land, all within reach of Los Angeles.
As the trend towards ranch living grows among celebrities and luxury homebuyers alike, this listing represents a rare chance to own a piece of California’s coveted rural lifestyle.
More stories
Merv Griffin’s legendary desert estate hits the market for $36M
The Sandcastle House, architect Harry Gesner’s unique personal home in Malibu sells for $13.5 Million
Former MLB Angels Player Justin Upton’s designer house in Newport Beach sells for $6.4M
When Don’t Worry Darling hit the screens, it wasn’t just the twisted plot and star-studded cast that captured our attention.
The real scene-stealers were the homes and the perfectly manicured fictional neighborhood of Victory, set against the sun-drenched backdrop of Palm Springs.
This desert oasis, long revered for its midcentury modern gems and luxury living, served as the ideal setting for the movie’s 1950s utopian town vibe — making everyone yearn for the idyllic Victory neighborhood and the picture-perfect homes that line its streets.
Let’s dive into the real homes that brought the eerie allure of Victory to life and discover if you can sneak a peek at them in real life.
Where to find the Victory neighborhood
The picture-perfect neighborhood of Victory in Don’t Worry Darling plays a crucial role in establishing the film’s eerie, utopian setting that belies a darker, more sinister undercurrent.
This idyllic 1950s town, modeled on American suburbia but with a sureal, futuristic edge, serves as a visual representation of the film’s central themes around societal perfection, control, and the unsettling reality beneath the surface of a seemingly perfect community.
And yes, a real neighborhood was used to create Victory on-screen. The filming primarily took place in Greater Palm Springs, an area renowned for its preserved mid-century modern architecture and luxury desert living, which perfectly complemented the movie’s aesthetic.
Palm Springs provided the quintessential backdrop for the storyline, with its sprawling desert landscapes, iconic midcentury modern homes, and clear blue skies, embodying the visual and thematic essence of the Victory town.
Related: Suzanne Somers’ beloved 28-acre Palm Springs retreat re-lists for $8.95 million
Specific locations within Palm Springs, such as the Canyon View Estates and the iconic Kaufmann House, were used to depict the homes of the characters, adding authenticity and a touch of architectural appeal to the film’s setting.
These real homes and neighborhoods lent Don’t Worry Darlin” a tangible sense of place and time, grounding the film’s more surreal elements in a recognizable, albeit stylized, reality.
Victory’s vintage vibes & its picture-perfect homes
Frank’s fortress: The Kaufmann House
At the heart of Victory’s mystery is Frank’s (played by Chris Pine) home, carefully picked to reflect his status as the project’s mastermind.
And director Olivia Wilde, whose elegant filmmaking techniques shine throughout the movie, made sure an unforgettable filming location was picked to serve as Frank’s house: the iconic Kaufmann House.
This architectural marvel, also known as the Kaufmann Desert House, was built in 1946 by Richard Neutra for Edgar J. Kaufmann and screams mid-century modernism with its clean lines, steel frame, and glass walls.
Fun fact: You might already be familiar with Kaufmann’s other iconic residence. The department store magnate and architecture connoisseur also commissioned Frank Lloyd Wright to design his home in Pennsylvania, the unforgettable Fallingwater House (now a UNESCO World Heritage Site). While the Don’t Worry Darling-featured Kaufmann House doesn’t quite have that level of pedigree, it’s nevertheless a famous structure in its own right.
Known globally, partly thanks to Slim Aarons’ iconic Poolside Gossip photograph, the Kaufmann House is a structure that encapsulates the essence of Palm Springs living. So much so, that even the production team was surprised they managed to film at this iconic location.
However, they did have to tread carefully when shooting scenes here.
Katie Byron, production designer for the film, told Variety that “We were shooting in one of the most historic buildings in California. The restrictions of how we could shoot it and what we could do inside were definitely the highest I’ve ever worked with.”
But the team knew all too well that they were lucky to land such an ideal filming location for their shots.
“It was so special to get, since Neutra was obviously a very good reference for the design of the film,” Byron said. “He was a design inspiration for Victory, but also kind of a character inspiration.”
While Don’t Worry Darling offers us a rare glimpse inside this private residence, don’t get your hopes up for a tour. This landmark remains off-limits to the public, but a leisurely drive by 470 West Vista Chino lets you admire its exterior.
Alice and Jack’s midcentury home: Canyon View Estates
The quaint cul-de-sac home of Alice and Jack mirrors the classic ’50s bungalow style, and is nestled within Canyon View Estates at 2400 S Sierra Madre, in Palm Springs, CA.
These single-story homes, with their expansive windows and open floor plans, reflect the era’s architectural ethos, designed by Dan Palmer and William Krisel.
Though the interiors were movie magic, the exteriors are very real and part of a community with a shared pool and green space.
These homes are privately owned, so while moving in might not be an option, a bike ride through the neighborhood is a must for any architecture aficionado.
Beyond the suburbia: The Volcano House
Stepping out of Victory and into the Mojave Desert, the Volcano House sits atop its hill like a landed UFO, ready to whisk you away.
This unique, dome-shaped residence set right outside of Barstow, Calif. in Newberry Springs and designed by Harold James Bissner Jr added an extra layer of otherworldliness to Don’t Worry Darling.
Though originally built for Vard Wallace and featuring 360° panoramic desert views, this peculiar piece of architecture is now privately owned.
While you can’t tour the inside, it’s visible from the road for those willing to venture into the desert to catch a glimpse of where reality meets the surreal.
Can you visit these architectural beauties?
While the Kaufmann House and the Volcano House remain off-limits to public tours, Palm Springs itself is an open book, ready to be explored.
The city is a living museum of mid-century modern architecture, with each building and estate telling its own story of a bygone era that still resonates today. Canyon View Estates offers a more accessible glimpse into the style and spirit of the 1950s, even if it’s just from the sidewalk.
Don’t Worry Darling might have brought these locations into the limelight, but their stories extend far beyond the silver screen.
Whether you’re a film fanatic, an architecture enthusiast, or just in search of some desert glam, a pilgrimage to Palm Springs offers a peek into the world that inspired the movie’s mesmerizing backdrop. So, grab your camera and a map, and set out on a journey to where history, architecture, and cinema collide.
More stories
A Long Island house shines in ‘Leave The World Behind’
Ali Wong’s house in ‘Beef’ cleverly alludes to her character’s state of mind
Where to find Edward Scissorhands’ house, castle, and town in real life
Editor’s Note: Options are not suitable for all investors. Options involve risks, including substantial risk of loss and the possibility an investor may lose the entire amount invested in a short period of time. Please see the Characteristics and Risks of Standardized Options.
The greenshoe option allows underwriters involved with IPOs to sell more shares than initially agreed upon: usually up to 15% more. That can occur if there is enough investor demand to purchase the shares.
Because IPO share prices can be volatile, the greenshoe option is an important tool that can help underwriters stabilize the price of a newly listed stock to protect both the company and investors.
Understanding the Greenshoe Option
Also called the over-allotment option, the greenshoe provision is part of an underwriting agreement between an underwriter and a company issuing stock as part of an IPO, or initial public offering. The greenshoe option is the only type of price stabilization allowed by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).
The SEC allows this because it increases competitiveness and efficiency of IPO fundraising. It gives underwriters the ability to stabilize security prices by increasing the available supply. It is the responsibility of an underwriter to help sell shares, build a market for a new stock, and use the tools at their disposal to launch a successful initial public offering.
The greenshoe option got its name when the Green Shoe Manufacturing Company was issued the first over-allotment options in 1919.
💡 Quick Tip: Access to IPO shares before they trade on public exchanges has usually been available only to large institutional investors. That’s changing now, and some brokerages offer pre-listing IPO investing to qualified investors.
How Does a Greenshoe Option Work?
During the IPO process, stock issuers set limits on how many shares they will sell to investors during an IPO. With a greenshoe option, the IPO underwriter can sell up to 15% more shares than the set amount.
IPO underwriters want to sell as many shares as they can because they earn on commission as a percentage of IPO sales.
All of the details about an IPO sale and underwriter abilities appear in the prospectus filed by the issuing company before the sale. Not every company allows their investment banker to use the greenshoe option. For instance, if they only want to raise a specific amount of capital, they wouldn’t want to sell any more shares than necessary to raise that money.
There are two ways an underwriter can over allot sales:
At the IPO Price
If the IPO they are underwriting is doing well, investors are buying IPO shares and the price is going up, the underwriter can use the greenshoe option to purchase up to 15% more stock from the issuing company at the IPO price and sell that stock to investors at the higher market price for a profit.
A Break Issue
Conversely, if an IPO isn’t doing well, the underwriter can take a short position on up to 15% of the issued stock and buy back shares from the market to stabilize the price and cover their position.
The underwriter then returns those additional shares to the issuing company. This is known as a “break issue.” When an IPO isn’t performing well, this can reduce consumer confidence in the stock, and result in investors either selling their shares or refraining from buying them.
The greenshoe option helps the underwriter stabilize the stock price and reduce stock volatility.
Types of Greenshoe Options
There are three types of greenshoe options an underwriter might choose to use depending on what happens after an IPO launches. These options are:
Full Greenshoe
If the underwriter can’t buy back any shares before the stock price increases, this is known as a full greenshoe. In this case, the underwriter buys shares at the current offering price.
Partial Greenshoe
In a partial greenshoe scenario, the underwriter only buys back some of the stock inventory they started with in order to increase the share price.
Reverse Greenshoe
The third option for underwriters is to purchase shares from market investors and sell them back to the stock issuer if the share price has dipped below the original offering price. This is similar to a put option in stock trading.
Recommended: How Are IPO Prices Set?
Greenshoe Option Examples
Here’s an example of how a greenshoe option might work in real life.
Once the IPO company owners, underwriter, and clients determine the offering or initial price of the newly issued shares, they’re ready to be traded on the public market. Ideally, the share price will rise above offering, but if the shares fall below the offering price the underwriter can exercise the greenshoe option (assuming the company had approved it in the prospectus).
To control the price, the underwrite can short up to 15% more shares than were part of the original IPO offering.
Let’s say a company’s initial public offering is going to be 10 million shares. The underwriters can sell up to 15% over that amount, or 1.5 million more shares, thus giving underwriters the ability to increase or decrease the supply as needed — adding to liquidity and helping to control price stability.
💡 Quick Tip: Investment fees are assessed in different ways, including trading costs, account management fees, and possibly broker commissions. When you set up an investment account, be sure to get the exact breakdown of your “all-in costs” so you know what you’re paying.
What the Greenshoe Option Means for IPO Investors
The greenshoe option is an important tool for underwriters that can help with the success of an IPO and bring additional funds to the issuing company. It reduces risk for the issuing company as well as investors. It can maintain IPO investor confidence in a newly issued stock which helps to build a long-term group of shareholders.
Although buying IPO stocks can be very profitable, stock prices don’t always increase and sometimes they can be volatile. It’s important for investors to research a company, look at the IPO prospectus, understand what the stock lock-up period and greenshoe options are before deciding to buy.
The Takeaway
Buying shares in IPOs can be a great way to invest in companies right when they go public. Although IPO investing comes with some risks, and IPO stock can be volatile, investment banks and companies going public use tools such as the greenshoe option to minimize volatility.
Whether you’re curious about exploring IPOs, or interested in traditional stocks and exchange-traded funds (ETFs), you can get started by opening an account on the SoFi Invest® brokerage platform. On SoFi Invest, eligible SoFi members have the opportunity to trade IPO shares, and there are no account minimums for those with an Active Investing account. As with any investment, it’s wise to consider your overall portfolio goals in order to assess whether IPO investing is right for you, given the risks of volatility and loss.
For a limited time, opening and funding an Active Invest account gives you the opportunity to get up to $1,000 in the stock of your choice.
Photo credit: iStock/AzmanJaka
SoFi Invest® INVESTMENTS ARE NOT FDIC INSURED • ARE NOT BANK GUARANTEED • MAY LOSE VALUE SoFi Invest encompasses two distinct companies, with various products and services offered to investors as described below:
Individual customer accounts may be subject to the terms applicable to one or more of these platforms.
1) Automated Investing and advisory services are provided by SoFi Wealth LLC, an SEC-registered investment adviser (“SoFi Wealth“). Brokerage services are provided to SoFi Wealth LLC by SoFi Securities LLC.
2) Active Investing and brokerage services are provided by SoFi Securities LLC, Member FINRA (www.finra.org)/SIPC(www.sipc.org). Clearing and custody of all securities are provided by APEX Clearing Corporation.
For additional disclosures related to the SoFi Invest platforms described above please visit SoFi.com/legal.
Neither the Investment Advisor Representatives of SoFi Wealth, nor the Registered Representatives of SoFi Securities are compensated for the sale of any product or service sold through any SoFi Invest platform.
Investing in an Initial Public Offering (IPO) involves substantial risk, including the risk of loss. Further, there are a variety of risk factors to consider when investing in an IPO, including but not limited to, unproven management, significant debt, and lack of operating history. For a comprehensive discussion of these risks please refer to SoFi Securities’ IPO Risk Disclosure Statement. IPOs offered through SoFi Securities are not a recommendation and investors should carefully read the offering prospectus to determine whether an offering is consistent with their investment objectives, risk tolerance, and financial situation.
New offerings generally have high demand and there are a limited number of shares available for distribution to participants. Many customers may not be allocated shares and share allocations may be significantly smaller than the shares requested in the customer’s initial offer (Indication of Interest). For SoFi’s allocation procedures please refer to IPO Allocation Procedures.
Investment Risk: Diversification can help reduce some investment risk. It cannot guarantee profit, or fully protect in a down market.
Financial Tips & Strategies: The tips provided on this website are of a general nature and do not take into account your specific objectives, financial situation, and needs. You should always consider their appropriateness given your own circumstances.
Disclaimer: The projections or other information regarding the likelihood of various investment outcomes are hypothetical in nature, do not reflect actual investment results, and are not guarantees of future results. Third-Party Brand Mentions: No brands, products, or companies mentioned are affiliated with SoFi, nor do they endorse or sponsor this article. Third-party trademarks referenced herein are property of their respective owners.
Claw Promotion: Customer must fund their Active Invest account with at least $10 within 30 days of opening the account. Probability of customer receiving $1,000 is 0.028%. See full terms and conditions.
There’s something about opening a new calendar that makes us want to feel our best. So this January, POPSUGAR is giving you everything you need to hit the reset button on your health, your habits, your beauty routine, and more. To find more articles about resetting your home, click here.
The past few years have been full of lessons. For a homebody and serial (re)decorator like me, here’s a big one: never underestimate the value of creating a home you like spending time in. (In some cases, a lot of time.)
Actually doing that is easier said than done, and there’s far from a one-size-fits-all approach. Some things — certain features of your space, or maybe your current circumstances — might make it tough to take on major changes or pricey reno projects. But one place we can all start? Finding (or creating) a home decor style that resonates, and then taking the steps, big or small, to bring it to life.
I’ve lived at 11 addresses in my life (a good chunk of those thanks to the New York City rental market), and made some questionable decor choices along the way. But my ninth home, a 350-square-foot studio apartment and my first solo adult space, was a significant turning point in understanding the power of making an empty box my own. Importantly, it allowed me to discover my eclectic and colorful decor style in the process.
Now, a few years and two places later, I’ve created a home that feels more personal — more like me and the partner I share it with — than ever. It’s an evolution of the style I established in that tiny studio that’s grown with me and that I know will only continue to.
So if you’re feeling inspired to rethink your space in the new year, or just looking for some advice to refer back to later, maybe I can help. Here are some decor tips to make your home feel more like you, so you can enjoy it to its fullest.
1. Get familiar with what you like.
We do it with food, fashion, and even dating. So why does it seem so much harder to nail down an interior style (or styles) that we like? I have a hunch. Furniture and decor isn’t the same as fashion; it’s bigger, more expensive, and takes up more space. Aside from accruing blankets and tchotchkes, it’s much easier to own multiple coats or change a lipstick than it is to swap out your sofa or have another set of dining chairs in rotation. The pieces in your home are designed to be lived with every single day, and you want to like what you’re sharing space with. In this case, decision paralysis can be very real.
So, where to begin? You’ve got options. For some, an interior-design-style quiz can point you in the right direction (especially a thoughtful one from a designer, like this). For others, scrolling through Pinterest and Instagram are the best ways to find variety at your fingertips (and save what you like). Don’t overthink it; you’ll know what you’re naturally gravitating to.
I take a hybrid approach: saving and pinning while also snapping photos of things (hotel lobbies, wall and furniture color combinations in restaurants) I see in real life. I also browse online stores like AllModern, vintage furniture resale sites like Chairish, and even Facebook Marketplace.
When browsing, don’t ignore the small stuff — even if you don’t love the big picture. For example, you may not like the way a whole room looks, but you might love a particular side table. Or you might spot a pairing of textures you love in a lamp but find a way to use that combo in a mirror. I recently saw an aged, almost-black brown wood stool on Pinterest that inspired me to buy a similarly colored bar cabinet on Facebook Marketplace. It’s now one of my favorite pieces.
2. Find a style sweet spot.
You may want your home to look like a magazine, or even the set of a Nancy Meyers film. But a few things you might be less keen on? Creating a carbon copy of someone else’s home or a time capsule of a hyper-specific decor style — early 2000s Olive Garden-style kitchens or Y2K bedrooms. (We can bring back blow-up chairs and lava lamps, though.)
While this can be hard to avoid as trends cycle in and out of style, mixing and matching can be a smart way to maintain a transitional look. Whether it’s pairing vintage with modern, incorporating family heirlooms into the mix, or laying trending patterns and textures (think: checkerboard or bouclé) over more subtle fabrics, this can help your space feel balanced and versatile.
Wherever you ultimately land may help define your decor style tastes even further. And that spot might sit somewhere between a few distinct decor styles, or many — coastal and Scandinavian, preppy meets French country, industrial with hints of art deco and glam. There’s no pressure to fit neatly into a box.
Let my space be an example: my living room is home to a mix of Chinese and Japanese accents, a Moroccan rug, a postmodern coffee table, a modern CB2 credenza with clean lines, a ’70s lamp, and curtains I found at Ikea. It’s eclectic and varied, exactly the way I like it.
3. Embrace the evolution.
All good things must come to an end, or at least change and grow. You’ll know when it’s time to let your space — or your tastes — evolve.
Maybe you’re moving into a bigger space and need the furniture to match, or maybe you’re entering a new phase of life and ready to replace an old table with a sturdier investment piece. In cases like mine, you might be transitioning from living alone to with a dog, a roommate, and eventually a partner. Or you might just generally be ready for something new.
Whatever the reason, trust your instincts about what stays and what goes, and take your time. You might want to keep sentimental artwork, statement furniture, and your sofa. But it might be time to change a rug, a table lamp, or your bedding.
And if you like what you’ve already created but just want to iterate on it, find replacement pieces with familiar qualities like colors, silhouettes, or patterns. Black-and-white patterns have become a staple of my spaces, as have bold uses of green in different shades. I interpret them a little differently each time — on a rug and then a headboard, or on towels and then a lamp — but now, they’re a signature. Wherever they are feels like home.
If you too have kicked off the year by watching what’s arguably the most disturbing “eat-the-rich” movie we’ve seen in a long time, director Emerald Fennell’s unsettling Saltburn, you’re bound to have plenty of questions left unanswered.
The movie, starring a cast of talented actors like Barry Keoghan (familiar to moviegoers due to standout performances in The Killing of a Sacred Deer, The Batman, and Dunkirk), Jacob Elrodi (Priscilla, The Kissing Booth), and Rosamund Pike (Gone Girl, I Care A Lot) is chockful of disturbing scenes that are even more unsettling due to the talented actors’ stellar acting.
And while we can’t answer many of the questions fans are left with at the end of this hilariously bizarre and wildly disturbing movie, there’s one aspect that we CAN help clarify: is Saltburn a real house? And if so, where can we find it? To top it off, would Oliver’s efforts be worth it? How much is Saltburn worth?
The real Saltburn house & where to find it
Saltburn, the country estate of the Cattons — an aristocratic British family with widespread connections to British high society — stands at the core of Emerald Fennell’s story, taking a life of its own and becoming a central character in the movie (if the title wasn’t a big enough giveaway).
We won’t go into too many details about what happens at Saltburn (or what happens to Saltburn, for that matter), and instead, we’ll focus on the property itself, which is just as grand in real life as its on-screen counterpart.
The Drayton House, a Grade I listed country house in Northamptonshire, England plays the part of Saltburn, the wealthy Catton family’s country estate.
Dating back to the early 13th century, the massive estate has a total of 127 rooms and has been owned by the Stopford Sackville family since the 1770s.
The historic Drayton House
Once described as “Northamptonshire’s most impressive medieval mansion” by German-British art and architectural historian Nikolaus Pevsner, the Drayton House is one of the area’s most famous homes.
Which makes it all the more surprising that its owners asked the Saltburn production crew not to disclose the name of the house when promoting the movie. But the cat was quickly let out of the bag, with all British publications quickly spotting the historic property set roughly one mile southwest of the village of Lowick in Northamptonshire.
Over the years, the sprawling estate — which sits in a park of about 200 acres known as Drayton Park — was home to many influential British families, including the Draytons, the Staffords, the Mordaunts, the Germains, all the way to current owners, the Sackvilles, one of which was the 6th Earl of Dorset.
Despite that, the Drayton House has never before appeared on-screen, which was a requirement director Emerald Fennell was adamant about when sourcing the main filming location for Saltburn.
“It needed to be something that hadn’t been used before,” Fennell told House & Garden. “That hadn’t been photographed even, let alone put on film. We always wanted the exact sense that it is a real place.”
And the Drayton House checked all the boxes.
Are Oliver’s efforts worthwhile? How much could Saltburn be worth?
Since we don’t want to spoil the movie for those who haven’t yet had a chance to watch it through, we won’t comment on the fate of the Saltburn house.
But we want to provide context as to how much the stately country house would be worth — and whether the lengths Barry Keoghan’s character, Oliver, goes through to inherit the Catton family’s ancestral home are worth it.
So we turned to Reddit, where the movie started a series of heated discussions on the topic, with people commenting on both the Catton family’s ritzy lifestyle and the value of their estate:
I think the house alone would be worth at least £100m if not more. It’s kind of funny to me that places like Drayton House are still referred to as a country home, whereas really from the size and level of grandeur of this one specifically, it almost feels like it should be classed on the same level as a castle or a palace!
As for their lifestyle – I would imagine that at this level we are talking about the kind of wealth that unless you’re born into it, marry into it, or are Bill Gates or Taylor Swift, is completely unattainable. Probably more than most members of the British royal family?”
u/usernamegodmntaken
Very very rich, all generational. They would own massive amounts of land that they can live on forever. Aristocratic wealth dates back 100s of years in the U.K. so I imagine they have hundreds of millions if not more.”
u/TheLizardKing
But there were also quite a few people who didn’t think Oliver’s efforts would be worth it, particularly due to how difficult a sprawling estate like Saltburn would be to maintain:
Controversial opinion: I don’t think Oliver’s obsession with Saltburn makes much sense.
Of course his first obsession was with Felix and once he got rejected he turned his attention to stealing the family fortune and essentially trying to become Felix but as a middle class man myself I don’t understand his obsession with Saltburn. Most people know it’s a pain in the ass to own a stately home most people maintain them out of family tradition, it costs a fortune and to offset this cost you often have to open it to the public for visitation. Most middle class people would accept the money from Richard E Grant and live the rest of their life very comfortably.”
u/TripleDouble_45 source
In my view he wasn’t obsessed with Saltburn, but rather with taking it as revenge. He wanted desperately to join Felix’s set and belong, and when he was rejected, he set out to destroy the family, with Saltburn as the trophy.”
u/Mickleborough
My theory is that the house is a living entity and the house chose Oliver. It pulls him in more and more. The Felix doppelgänger is proof that otherworldly things are at play. Perhaps the house knows its current occupants aren’t deserving. They’re complacent and entitled. Maybe the house wants someone who will work for it. Oliver works. Maybe the house demands sacrifices. Oliver kills.”
u/fishinglife777
More historic British estates that made their way onto our screens
All the ‘Bridgerton’ houses and where to find them in real life
Hampsie, Lady Phoebe’s country house in ‘You’ & where to find it in real life
The Downton Abbey House is Real – And You Can Go Tour the Castle
Honestly, movie comebacks are usually the best comebacks. That might be because they’ve had a team of writers carefully writing and rewriting them for hours before they’re filmed, but we’re ignoring that small fact for now. Because there’s no greater feeling than following a genuine question or situation with a great movie quote. We all do it without even realizing: those droll lines uttered during heartfelt rom-coms, stirring speeches shouted valiantly in action flicks, and righteous outbursts full of conviction can find their way into our daily banter surprisingly regularly (and it’s so much fun when they do.) Below are some of the movie lines that you can use in real life.
1. “That’s a Bold Strategy, Cotton; Let’s See if It Pays off for ‘Em.”
One user shared, “‘That’s a bold strategy, cotton, let’s see if it pays off for ’em.’ from Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story. The movie revolves around a group of misfits who enter a Las Vegas dodgeball tournament to save their cherished local gym from the onslaught of a corporate health fitness chain.
2. “Face It, Girls. I’m Older, and I Have More Insurance.”
Another user said, “‘Face it, girls, I’m older and have more insurance.’” The line is spoken by Evelyn Couch (played by Kathy Bates) in the movie Fried Green Tomatoes.
One user replied, “TOWANDA!!!!!”
3. “You Keep Using That Word; I Do Not Think It Means What You Think It Means.”
The movie The Princess Bride is packed with quotable moments, but Inigo Montoya has probably been turned into a meme the most often. Here he is with a line we’ve probably all quoted at some time.
“‘You keep using that word; I do not think it means what you think it means.’ And many, many more from The Princess Bride,” one Redditor posted.
Another user replied, “Very nice! So many good quotes from that movie can be pulled out as a funny response.”
4. “Have Fun Storming the Castle!”
Scarcely a single conversation in The Princess Bride goes by without delivering some delightful one-liner, but the whole exchange with Miracle Max is a funny one from start to finish.
Another user stated, “Have fun storming the castle!’—Whenever someone departs for something.”
One commenter quoted back, “‘Think it’ll work?’”
5. “How Do I Get Out of This Chickens- Outfit?”
“After watching Aliens about a thousand times, every time someone asks if there are any questions, it takes all of my willpower not to ask ‘How do I get out of this chickens- outfit?’” one Redditor posted.
Another user shared, “‘Something, something nuke it from orbit…’ Gets used a lot in the shop, in the field, pretty much anywhere but with the customers, I’m not familiar with.”
6 “How Many Combat Drops?”
One user posted, “‘How many COMBAT drops?’ from … Aliens. Every time there’s a new manager/team lead, etc.”
Another user replied, “That’s a good one. I have wanted to use it before, too, but I always manage to bite my tongue!”
7. “That’s Just, Like, Your Opinion, Man.”
Is there any better (or worse) way to diffuse a tense disagreement than by drawling, “That’s just like, your opinion, man”? Depending on the sense of humor of those around you, it could be either hilarious or infuriating, but either way it’s likely to be worth it.
One user shared a line from The Big Lebowski movie and posted, “‘That’s just like, your opinion, man.’”
One user replied, “‘This aggression will not stand.’”
8. “Alrighty Then”
In a movie peppered with strange and ridiculous situations, one of the most valuable takeaways is a quote you can use in precisely those situations. This quote can be sprinkled like salt in any type of awkward situation, or when conversation is awkwardly grinding to a halt. Alrighty then!
“I don’t know about all the time, but I have been known to drop an ‘Alrighty then.’ when someone spouts something that is both TMI and rather absurd,” posted one user.
9 “Let’s Make Like a Tree and Get the F- Out of Here.”
Some movies are just a trip from start to finish, and The Boondock Saints is one of those. It’s good for a gory watch about vigilante justice from time to time, and also the occasional quote.
One user stated from the Boondock Saints movie, “I like to say ‘ … make like a tree and get the f- out of here.’ I don’t remember what movie/show I heard it on, but I know I didn’t make it up.”
10. “You’re Killing Me, Smalls.”
One Redditor quoted the movie The Sandlot and commented, “You’re killing me, Smalls.”
The Sandlot is a story of a group of young baseball players during the summer of 1962. Like any movie with hope, grit and determination, there’s also plenty of situations rife with disappointment. The result is quotes that you can use in any sort of situation involving failure to lighten the mood by tossing out a movie quote.
Another user shared, “YESSS BRRROOOO. YESSSSS THIS IS MEE!!!”
11. “Life Is Like a Box of Chocolates; You Never Know What You’re Gonna Get.”
In Forest Gump, Forest is a very straight-forward character. In a lot of complicated and nuanced situations, he still calls things as he sees them, and it leads to a lot of situational comedy. As a result, the movie is peppered with great quotes that apply (or misapply) to dozens of situations.
“I often use the quote ‘Life is like a box of chocolates; you never know what you’re gonna get,’ from Forrest Gump,” one user added to the thread.
One user added, “‘Stupid is as stupid does!’”
12. “Winter Is Coming…”
Lots of great movie quote references are rather depending on the circumstances lining up, but the perfect time for this one comes around seasonally. Honestly, that’s rather convenient.
One user shared the most favorite and famous quotes from The Game of Thrones and posted, “‘Winter is coming … ‘ I say this a lot around October.”
Another user replied, “‘You know nothing, John Snow.’”
The OP jokingly replied, “Perfect, lol.”
13. “Groovy.”
Turns out this one pops up in multiple movies; which honestly could play to your favor. Besides, it’s universal enough regardless of which movie you were intending to quote, your chances of having the quote recognized are just about doubled.
One commenter stated, “‘Groovy.’ (The Evil Dead Trilogy).”
The OP responded, “Oh hahaha, I thought that was from Austin Powers. …”
14. “Hasta la Vista, Baby.”
Turns out The Terminator is good for more than just a favorite movie night in; you can take sprinkle those convenient little quotes throughout your conversation.
Another user stated, “Hasta la vista, baby.”
One added, “Love it.”
15. “May the Force Be With You.”
Need a way to say goodbye and good luck all together? We’ve got you—try this quote from Star Wars. Better yet, it’s versatile. You can use it sincerely (and a little humorously) to wish somebody good luck, or you can use it with some snark if you don’t really approve of what they’re about to attempt.
“‘May the Force be with you.” – Star Wars. I use this quote when wishing someone good luck.” shared one Star Wars fan.
Another user replied, “That’s nice of you; I’m sure they love that!”
What do you think of the statements above? Share your thoughts down in the comments!
Source: Reddit.
10 Actors Perfectly Cast for Their Character Roles
Have you ever watched a movie or show and been completely lost in it because of how well an actor or actress became their character? Check out this article for a whole list of actors who were perfectly cast!
11 Vampire Movies That Will Make You Thirst for More
You know that feeling where you’re on a movie kick in a certain genre, but you seem to run out of good movies to watch? Well, if you’re down for a vampire movie or three, check out this article for the best ones out there!
10 Incredible Movies That People Rated 10 Out of 10
It’s pretty hard to replicate the experience of watching your favorite movie for the first time, but we’ve put together a list of movies that people have rated at a perfect 10/10. Next time you need a good movie to watch, check this out!
10 Famous People Who Canceled Themselves With Their Own Stupidity
We’ve all been there: you make a comment you haven’t thought through at all, and the whole room goes silent at what you’ve just said. But can you imagine doing that as a famous person—and getting canceled? Check out this list of celebrities who did just that!
13 Things You Shouldn’t Do When You’re in the US
Are you planning a trip to the US? Culture varies a lot between countries, even countries that share borders. So if you’re headed to the good old U. S. of A, here are a few pointers to make your travels go more smoothly!
In this episode of NerdWallet’s Smart Money Podcast, hosts Sean Pyles and Sara Rathner share the best money moves of 2023 as submitted by their fellow colleagues. Some of the highlights include saving aggressively to prepare for future expenses, getting rid of private mortgage insurance, automating finances for budgeting and planning, setting up 529 college savings plans for children, shopping around for the best mortgage rates, and understanding the difference between an emergency fund and a rainy day fund.
Check out this episode on your favorite podcast platform, including:
Episode transcript
This transcript was generated from podcast audio by an AI tool.
Sean Pyles:
If you’re a loyal fan of the show, it’s possible you stay until the very end of each episode and if you do, you always hear us say, “Until next time, turn to the Nerds.” Well, today, dear listener, we are turning the show over to the Nerds. We present the best money moves of 2023 by our fellow Nerds.
Amy Knight:
This year I learned how to explain the effect of compounding using a lovely seasonal analogy, snow. You think of your money like snow. When you spend it, it melts and runs away, but when you save it, any new snowfall sticks to the snow that’s already there.
Sean Pyles:
Welcome to NerdWallet’s Smart Money Podcast. I’m Sean Pyles.
Sara Rathner:
I’m Sara Rathner.
Sean Pyles:
This episode finishes off our Nerdy deep dive into the end of 2023. This is it, Sara, the finale of our last series of the year.
Sara Rathner:
The piece de resistance.
Sean Pyles:
Yes. We sent a notice out calling all Nerds, asking for the best things our colleagues did with their money in 2023, and I mean all Nerds, IT, HR, everybody, even the corner office, and today we’re going to share their money wins.
Sara Rathner:
I love this. Before we start, you and I are Nerds, too, right, Sean? Should we start with our money wins for 2023?
Sean Pyles:
I think we should. Sara, give us yours.
Sara Rathner:
Yeah. This sounds like a weird money win, but I have said, on the show before, one of the pieces of advice that I got when I was younger was to save as aggressively as you can for as long as you can because your life will get more complicated as you get older. Well, I have reached the point where my life is complicated and expensive, and I will say that because I had spent those years putting money away as best I could, I had money on hand to do the things that I needed to do this year.
There were some unexpected repairs to our house that we had to do. We ended up replacing our car because we had a baby, and that was probably one of the most expensive things I did in 2023 was pay all those hospital bills, and now I’m paying daycare bills, so this kid will cost me money until he’s 35 and then maybe he’ll be independent by then. We’ll know.
Sean Pyles:
They say you reap what you sow. You had been sowing savings for years and years, and now you are seeing the benefits of that, which is great.
Sara Rathner:
Yeah. What it has allowed us to do, and by us, I mean I say my husband and I, is say yes to the things we need and know that we have the money on hand. That’s really nice when something in your house breaks or there’s something that you want to do like travel or a night out with friends that’s going to cost a lot of money. We can say yes to the things that mean something to us because we spent so long just pocketing and putting money away, living as well below our means as we could. Now, I think we’re living at our means, which is nice.
Sean, what about you? What is your money win for 2023?
Sean Pyles:
Well, it’s a little Nerdy and a little in the weeds maybe, but I got rid of my private mortgage insurance on my house after going into war with the bank that owns my mortgage. It was not a fun process, but I came out the victor, and I’m so proud of myself for that because the bank that owns my mortgage is not very nice. That’s my money win for 2023.
Sara Rathner:
I’m surprised you had to go to war. Isn’t it just like, once you hit 20% equity, you have to refinance, or how does that work?
Sean Pyles:
Oh, yes, they barraged me with a mountain of paperwork and time delays and bureaucratic processes that I actually detailed in a Money Hot Takes episode of Smart Money. I think that you were out on maternity leave, Sara.
Sara Rathner:
Sean Pyles:
Will do. Okay. Great. Well, before we get into the Nerd’s best money moves of 2023, a reminder, dear listener, that we always love hearing from you. Leave us a voicemail or text the Nerd hotline at 901-730-6373, that’s 901-730 N-E-R-D, or email a voice memo to [email protected].
All right. Sara, are you ready to hear from our Nerdy colleagues about their best money moves of 2023?
Sara Rathner:
I am. Let’s see what they all learned this year and maybe we could take some of that advice and apply to our own finances.
Sean Pyles:
Yeah. I mean, that’s the idea, so let’s start with the boss. Tim Chen is the founder and CEO of NerdWallet, and he did an energy efficient move this year.
I switched from a Mercedes SUV to a Toyota Sienna. I’m getting twice the gas mileage. I’m using the cheap gas, and I’m paying about a 10th as much every time I service the car.
Sara Rathner:
Well, Sean, it is so true that you really save money on servicing when you don’t have a luxury car. Just getting a new battery or oil filter can be less expensive.
Sean Pyles:
Sara Rathner:
Yeah, new to me, and it’s a hybrid, so the mileage is pretty sweet.
Sean Pyles:
Nice. All right. Well, let’s hear from another Nerd. Skylar Damiano is an IT administrator here at NerdWallet.
Skylar Damiano:
My partner and I are accelerating our marriage to the end of this year because it’ll save us a ton of money in the long run via tax benefits. These are things that we just never thought about when we were single or, even in our case as queer people who never really thought about marriage beyond our domestic partnership, but I’ve also learned that I will never stop learning about the financial world around me. I can’t possibly know everything related to financial wellbeing, but the more I research and the more I practice good habits, the more likely I am to carry those good habits into the future.
One that stuck with me from last year is not spending beyond my means. I now wait until I have funds available before I make a purchase like a new smartphone or a new toy or a hobby that I want to get into. In this case, I want to become a DJ in the next year. I’m not spending any money on that equipment though until I for sure have enough to save on it, because if I have the option to not rely on credit, but instead use my credit card to my advantage via cashback, it’s far more rewarding for me down the line.
Sean Pyles:
Sara, waiting until you have enough money to actually purchase something you want is a timeless piece of financial advice, one of the most basic and most important.
Also, Skylar, I would love to hear a DJ set when you are up and running with your equipment.
Sara Rathner:
This is near and dear to my heart, but utilizing a credit card for points or cashback instead of carrying a balance, that is chef’s kiss. And Skylar wasn’t the only Nerd highlighting this idea. Here’s Tom Lehmann, an account executive for NerdWallet.
Tom Lehmann:
The best piece of financial advice I would have to say is live well below your means. What a lot of people do is, over the course of their career, they tend to make more money, and when that happens, they tend to buy more stuff. They buy a cooler car, bigger house, more clothes, everything. I call that the lifestyle tax. If you really want to take control of your finances, what you have to do is you have to increase the gap between how much you make and what your expenses are.
I think making more money will naturally happen to a lot of people as they progress in their career, so I think the real key is figuring out where you could cut costs and be minimalistic about everything in your life. Just getting rid of stuff and getting out of the habit of buying stupid stuff every time. Every time you buy one thing, you’ve got to get rid of two in your house. That’s a great way to start.
Sara Rathner:
Sean, I think a lot of us often take the opportunity at the end of the year or the start of a new one to get rid of stupid stuff. The harder part is Tom’s advice to get out of the habit of buying stupid stuff in the first place.
Sean Pyles:
Yeah, preaching to the choir, Sara, because I’m sure that I have some stupid stuff on the way to my front door as we speak. All right. Well, let’s hear now from Sally French. She’s a travel writer here, and she’s been on the show before. Here is her takeaway from 2023.
Sally French:
My biggest money lesson is to always ask if your travels go wrong. I was caught up in the United meltdown as well as I had a canceled Southwest flight, and even though I was able to get another flight, I was still delayed. While I wasn’t entitled to any compensation officially, I still asked the airline customer service and I asked nicely, and in both instances, I got either a flight credit or miles from the airline. Even if your travels are disrupted, even if you’re not entitled to compensation, it doesn’t hurt to ask, because like I did, I was able to get some money back.
Sara Rathner:
Love it. Always ask. What do you have to lose? All they can say is no and you’re on your way, or not and you’re stuck at the airport indefinitely, but you could still ask.
Sean Pyles:
Yeah. You’re hopefully on your way unless your flight is canceled twice, but yes, it’s always worth asking. Next up, we have Kevin Berry. He leads multimedia content here at NerdWallet and happens to be my direct boss. You’ve heard his name in the credits of this show as a fact-checker and editor.
Kevin Berry:
I think my big money takeaway from 2023 is that automation of your money can be really, really valuable and super helpful when it comes to budgeting and planning. I spend, whatever, an hour every January looking at everything and the money coming into my checking account, and I had set up all these automated like, “Send this money here. Send this money to an investment account. Send this money to a savings account,” and just set it and forgot about it and let it do its thing this year, and then that has really come back to help me.
For example, the property tax bill showed up, and I was like, “Whoa, it went up, it’s thousands and thousands of dollars,” but then I went to my account that I’d set up for automated savings for property taxes because I knew this bill was coming, right? Kevin in January knew Kevin in November had to pay this bill, and lo and behold, the math held up and there was the right amount of money there, and that just took a lot of stress out of it. Yeah, I think my money lesson is invest in automation for things that you know you’re going to need to pay for or want to pay for, even like a vacation. That’s just been a real stress reliever and time saver on my end in 2023.
Sara Rathner:
Oh, man, Sean, automation can absolutely save your sanity. I have quite a few automated contributions in my own finances. A big one, two big ones, is I automate contributions for my largest expenses, which are my mortgage and daycare, and that comes out of my checking account into a joint savings account. My husband also contributes, and then the money is whisked away by an automatic clearing house once a month or once every other week, depending on the bill.
Sean Pyles:
Lovely. You just need to make sure that the money is actually automatically going into that checking account so it can then be paid elsewhere.
Sara Rathner:
Then there’s automation, obviously, into my retirement account, my 401(k) that I set up at work. If you work for a place where you have to opt into the 401(k) when you first start your job, do it. Because the longer you wait to get that started, the less money you’re able to save up, and you might even be missing out on employer match. If you’re starting a new job or if you have been in your job for a while, but you just haven’t bothered to set up your retirement accounts yet through your employer, maybe make this the year you do that.
Sean Pyles:
Absolutely. Well, I think I’m going to take a page out of Kevin’s book and set up automated deposits into an account for my car’s annual registration, because every year, June Sean curses every-other-month-of-the-year Sean for not saving up for that in advance. Okay. Our next piece of advice is from Hannah Cho. She’s our Nerdy vice president of content.
Hanah Cho:
This year, I’m really proud of finally sending up 529 college saving plans for my two kids. I have three kids, and I have one set up for my oldest, and I finally got around to setting up two for my youngest. I’m really trying to lean into taking advantage of time. They’re still very young where I still have probably 10 to 12 years before they head off to college.
Sean Pyles:
Yes. All of those years of investing and compounding will work wonders. Sara, I know you just had your baby like five minutes ago, but have you set up a 529?
Sara Rathner:
I have, so by the time my kid is 18, he’ll either be well on his way to college or he’ll be fighting in the climate war of 2041.
Sean Pyles:
That’s grim, but probably not inaccurate.
Sara Rathner:
It’s grim, but I want to set him up for a realistic life.
Sean Pyles:
Right. He’ll be able to buy plenty of munitions on the battlefield.
Sara Rathner:
Sean Pyles:
Well, Sara, you weren’t the only Nerd to procreate this year. Adam Smith did as well, and he’s all over the 529 planning.
Adam Smith:
In 2023, my wife and I actually had twin boys, and the first thing that came up once I heard that was knowing that I’ve got to pay for potentially two college educations at the same time, so another thing that crossed my mind was what if one of them goes to college and the other one doesn’t, or what if neither of them go to college? What’s the best way to approach this? We actually found that there’s a change to the 529 plan, which is how a lot of people save for their child’s college education, and so should your child or if one of our twins or both of them decide not to go to college in the future, you can actually roll the 529 plan into a Roth IRA, and the beneficiary of the 529 plan now becomes the owner of that Roth IRA. Traditional Roth IRA rules apply when transferring ownership, but, that being said, it’s a great savings vehicle for college planning or setting up a nice little nest egg for my twins in the future.
Sean Pyles:
You know what, Sara? I love that Adam knows that there are options for his kids, college or no college.
Sara Rathner:
Yes, and this is a huge way to get your kids started on their financial lives regardless of what they do after high school.
Sean Pyles:
All right. Up next is Alison McCoy, VP of brand marketing at NerdWallet.
Alison McCoy:
My husband and I, we’ve officially begun our home-buying process, and one of the best things we did this year was shop around for the best mortgage. I was pretty surprised at the options out there even in this high interest rate environment and feel really confident that we found the right option for us, that makes sure we’re not leaving any money on the table.
Sara Rathner:
Yes, always shop around for just about anything, but especially mortgage rates especially now.
Sean Pyles:
As Alison knows, we have a lot of mortgage and home buying information all over NerdWallet. We have a whole team devoted to that subject matter, and Abby Badach Doyle is a member of that team. Here’s her best money move of 2023.
Abby Badach Doyle:
This year, I learned the difference between an emergency fund and a rainy day fund. People use those terms interchangeably. I know I sure did, so I never really thought about it, but they’re actually two pretty different things. An emergency fund is for big major surprise expenses like major unexpected car repairs, new carburetor, and a rainy day fund is to help you pay for those things that aren’t necessarily emergencies, but are still outside of the scope of your typical monthly budget, like “Wow, the car is dirty after this camping trip. Can we please pay someone to do a deep clean and a full detail?”
Anyway, in our savings account, we’ve always used named sub-accounts for goals like holiday shopping and travel, but then we had this amorphous blob of money that I always felt so weird and guilty tapping into. Even though we’re disciplined savers and there was always enough there, it always just felt weird. This year, I split the blob into separate rainy day and emergency fund accounts, and that took away all of the stress and weirdness. Mentally, it was so helpful to not feel bad about spending money that I knew that we needed to spend on stuff that we knew was coming and to know that we’re still on track with our emergency savings for the bigger, unexpected stuff.
If you haven’t tried naming sub-accounts yet, I highly recommend it, and review the names often to make sure that they’re still working for you. If you need to set a savings goal for your emergency fund, try using an online calculator. NerdWallet, of course, has a great one. And then name that and separate it from your rainy day fund and from the rest of your other savings goals. That might be a small thing, but it was super helpful to me this year, and I hope that it helps you, too.
Sean Pyles:
Sara Rathner:
Sean Pyles:
Sara Rathner:
Sean Pyles:
I feel like we should do a chest bump or a high five after that. Anyway, Sara, do you have an amorphous blob of money that you feel weird and guilty tapping into?
Sara Rathner:
Always with the guilt, but the blob of money is divided into several smaller sub-blobs in the form of a few accounts with different purposes, and that helps me stay organized when it comes to deciding which accounts to use when I need to fund something.
Sean Pyles:
Love it. I mean, it’s no secret to devoted Smart Money listeners that I have many sub-blob accounts that I use on a daily basis. Also, nice call out to our NerdWallet calculators. Okay. On to our final Nerdy piece of advice.
Sara Rathner:
Already? That was fast.
Sean Pyles:
I know. Well, the good news is, Sara, that we’re always here, all of us, all of us Nerds, and we are here for you and our listeners. Our final guest is Amy Knight. She is a spokesperson for NerdWallet UK, and she has a money lesson to share about compound interest and the beauty of snowfall.
Amy Knight:
I have a money lesson to share about compound interest. This year, I learned how to explain the effect of compounding using a lovely seasonal analogy, snow. I think this is a great way to think about saving, and it can be helpful when you’re trying to start taking a longer-term view of your finances.
The lesson is this. You think of your money like snow. When you spend it, it melts and runs away, but when you save it, any new snowfall sticks to the snow that’s already there. New snowfall is your wages, maybe a bonus or holiday gift, an inheritance, maybe you sold an asset. Importantly, snow falls as interest. If you’re not actively saving, new snowfall is not going to stick. It’s going to melt and run straight out of your account.
We see in real life that fresh snow sticks a lot more when there’s already snow on the ground. I’m going to give a shoutout here to my friend Kim in Wisconsin who will soon be shoveling her driveway every day. You start with a thin layer, and as more snow falls, it builds up, and this is very like compounding. Gradually, your snow pile of savings compounds, and the bigger it gets, the more interest sticks to your money. As you watch it grow, you may be less tempted to melt the whole lot on an impulse purchase.
I’d love to know what you think of this analogy, Sean? This winter, if you are able to leave just a little savings in your account after the holidays, think of it like leaving a thin layer of snow on the ground ready for 2024’s snowfall to stick to. Don’t forget the Nerds can help you understand more about saving and investing. To discover how different financial products could work for you, just head to the personal finance section on NerdWallet.com.
Sara Rathner:
Well, that was lovely and spoken like a true spokesperson.
Sean Pyles:
Gotta love the plug. She does that for a living. I also really like this idea of snow as a metaphor for saving and compounding. Not only is it accurate, it’s also very soothing.
Sara Rathner:
Well, I’m closing my eyes here in Virginia, waiting for maybe a snowfall this year that, within minutes, will turn all black and sooty, if we even get snow at all because last year we didn’t.
Sean Pyles:
I’m hoping we get at least a little bit here in the Pacific Northwest. And also, shoutout to Kim in Wisconsin.
All right, and that’s a wrap on our year-end special series for 2023, but never fear, we’ll be back next year. In the meantime, if you have a money question of your own, turn to the Nerds and call or text us your questions at 901-730-6373. That’s 901-730 N-E-R-D. You can also email us at [email protected]. Visit nerdwallet.com/podcast for more info on this episode, and remember to follow, rate and review us wherever you’re getting this podcast.
Sara Rathner:
This episode was produced by Tess Vigeland. Sean helps with editing. Kaely Monahan mixed our audio, and a big thank you to NerdWallet editors for all of their help.
Sean Pyles:
Here’s our brief disclaimer. We are not financial or investment advisors. This Nerdy info is provided for general educational and entertainment purposes and may not apply to your specific circumstances.
Sara Rathner:
With that said, until next time, turn to the Nerds, and Happy New Year.
From high prices to low inventory, potential home buyers know it’s gnarly out there. But if you’re ready for homeownership, the long-term benefit of buying often outweighs the pain of toughing out the search — even these days.
Think of it like your 5 a.m. spin class: You know it’s good for you, even if it takes grit (and leaves you feeling sore).
With some market savvy, you can make the most of today’s challenging conditions. Here’s your game plan for buying a house in 2024.
The challenge: Stubbornly high mortgage rates squeeze shoppers’ buying power
Buyers have been at the mercy of mortgage rates’ meteoric rise, holding on as the average 30-year fixed rate climbed from 3% to nearly 7% in 2022. In October 2023, rates topped 8% for the first time since 2000 — a surprise even many top economists didn’t predict. But throughout November, they dropped slightly, landing at an average of 7.03% for the week ending Dec. 7.
Higher interest rates make it more expensive to get a mortgage. To put that in perspective: Let’s say you can afford $1,800 per month in principal and interest. At a 3% interest rate, you could afford to borrow $426,900. But at a 7% interest rate, you could afford to borrow only $270,600. Why? Because you’d pay a full $156,300 more in mortgage interest with the higher rate.
For now, economic signals suggest more positive news for buyers in 2024. Dan Moralez, regional vice president at Dart Bank in Holland, Michigan, points to a cooling economy and the pause on Fed interest rate hikes. “All of that stuff really lends itself to mortgage rates getting better and the cost to borrow getting cheaper,” Moralez says.
Let’s set realistic expectations, though: No experts are forecasting a return to 3% rates anytime soon. More likely, we’ll see the 30-year mortgage rate decline modestly below 7% in the second half of 2024, according to forecasts from the Mortgage Bankers Association and the National Association of Realtors.
Your strategy: Do your research to find the best deal
Don’t let high rates keep you on the sidelines for too long. When rates go down, competition goes up — another reason there’s no time like the present to start house hunting.
And whichever way rates move in 2024, you’ll save money if you shop around. Aim to get an estimate from at least three mortgage lenders. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau estimates borrowers can save $100 per month (or more) this way. And look at the annual percentage rate, or APR, to understand the total cost of the loan, which includes fees and other charges.
With buyers wincing at high rates, some lenders are advertising “buy now, refinance later” offers. Others are offering temporary buydowns, where the buyer’s effective monthly payment is reduced for a year (or a few). Before signing up for a discount, ask questions to understand how it works. Each option could potentially save money, but Moralez says it could also be “smoke and mirrors” if the flashy deal is offset by higher fees.
“It’s one of those things where I tell folks, ‘There’s no free lunch, OK?’” he says. “You know, somebody is paying for it somewhere.”
The challenge: Low inventory means slim pickings for buyers
The rate of existing home sales is the lowest it’s been in 13 years, according to October 2023 data from the National Association of Realtors (NAR). The current market has a 3.6-month supply of unsold home inventory, meaning it would take listed homes 3.6 months to sell at the current sales pace. A balanced market has a supply of five to six months.
So why aren’t sellers selling? Octavius Smiley-Humphries, a real estate agent with The Smiley Group in Apex, North Carolina, points to higher prices and the “rate lock-in effect.”
“At this point, you’d be paying either double your mortgage for the same price house that you have, or a similar mortgage if you’re trying to even downsize,” he says. “So I think the more intelligent buyer is kind of thinking, ‘What’s the benefit?’ unless you absolutely have to move.”
Some hope: Single-family construction permits are on the rise, with more issued in October 2023 than at any other time in the past year, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, so we’ll see more new houses boosting supply soon. And despite larger shortages, 92% of markets have seen modest inventory growth over the last three months, according to a November 2023 report from ICE Mortgage Technology.
Your strategy: Cast a wider net
You can’t control who puts their house on the market. So focus on what you can change: your expectations.
Let go of the fantasy of finding the perfect home when a “good enough” home can get your foot in the door sooner. That’s especially true for first-time home buyers who are eager to build equity.
“Real estate has always been a really solid investment,” Smiley-Humphries says. “So what you essentially lose by waiting six months or a year could mean tens of thousands of dollars.”
For now, maybe you expand your search to include condos or townhouses. Maybe you settle for fewer bathrooms or a dated interior. Keep your chin up — even if you have to tolerate less square footage or weird linoleum floors for a while, you’ll have equity to remodel or sell in a few years.
The challenge: High prices push affordability to the worst it’s been in almost 40 years
Housing is the least affordable it’s been since 1984, according to a November 2023 report from ICE Mortgage Technology. Why? Home prices are growing faster than income, and on top of that, higher mortgage rates increase the cost of borrowing.
In October 2023, the median existing home sales price climbed to a record high of $391,800, according to the NAR. To buy a median-priced home at that time, buyers would need to shell out $2,567 per month just in principal in interest, ICE estimates. That’s another all-time high since ICE has been keeping track — and nearly double the median monthly payment of $1,327 just two years ago.
Until supply catches up to demand, prices are unlikely to fall. Realtor.com estimates prices will fall less than 2% next year. That’s another reason to jump in now: A big drop in prices could trigger more competition.
Your strategy: Make a budget and stick to it
If you’re Zillow-stalking houses you can’t afford, stop. Instead, channel that energy toward your plan to shop for a house in real life — starting with setting a realistic budget.
First, talk to a financial advisor or use an online calculator to see how much house you can afford. Understand how mortgage lenders will determine your eligibility, including analyzing your credit score, cash savings and monthly debt payments.
Next, find a buyer’s agent who knows how far your budget can go in your local market. An experienced agent can advocate for you and help you snag a good deal.
One bargain-hunting tip: Start searching in the winter, suggests Ellie Kowalchik, a real estate agent who leads the Move2Team with Keller Williams Pinnacle Group in Cincinnati, Ohio.
“There are good houses on the market now that aren’t getting the attention they may get in the spring with more buyer activity,” she says. “Less competition is good for buyers.”
The challenge: Multiple offers are common, and first-time buyers have less cash
More than one in four homes are still selling for above list price, according to October 2023 data from the NAR: 28% of homes sold for above list price that month. Homes for sale spent a median of 23 days on the market and saw an average of 2.5 offers, a sign that competition remains tough.
“Limited housing inventory is significantly preventing housing demand from fully being satisfied,” Lawrence Yun, NAR chief economist, said in a press release. “Multiple offers, of course, yield only one winner, with the rest left to continue their search.”
In general, first-time buyers come to the negotiating table with less cash than repeat buyers, reports the NAR. First-time buyers make a median down payment of 8%, while repeat buyers put down a median 19%.
And nearly one in three (29%) of sales were made in cash, reports the NAR, up slightly from 26% in 2022.
Your strategy: Use leverage where you have it
A good real estate agent can help you craft a strong offer, even if other buyers flash more cash.
Aziz Alhees, a real estate agent with Compass in Pasadena, California, has seen his share of wealthy investors making cash offers. He notes that they tend to bid below asking price since cash sales close faster. The promise of a quick closing is enough to get some sellers to turn down higher offers that ask for more time.
So Alhees competes on speed: With a mortgage preapproval and all other paperwork in hand, he prepares his buyers to close in 14 days.
“We’re not afraid of cash offers anymore,” he says.
On the flip side, if the sellers need more time to move out, a flexible closing timeline can sweeten some deals, too. But don’t waive the home inspection when you’re negotiating. It can be tempting, but you’re only hurting yourself if you later discover expensive problems.
The bottom line: Set realistic expectations
It’s fair to feel bummed out about high costs and low inventory. That’s especially true for first-time buyers who have been putting off their search, only to see the market remaining rough.
The solution: Think long term. Holding out for lower rates likely means you’ll face steeper prices and more competition. So if you’re determined to buy, find a place that suits your needs and budget as-is. Expecting perfection often means setting yourself up for disappointment.
“Sometimes I have clients that think they’re going to hit a home run the very first house they buy,” Moralez says. “And a lot of times I tell clients, well, sometimes it’s OK to be happy just getting on base.”
For teenagers, life can often be full of confusing changes and unexpected choices. What may have seemed straightforward in childhood is now complex and challenging. Experiences such as developing relationships, contemplating the future, and deciding about education options or career paths are all part of the teenage experience. Even when we think we know what direction to take, our perspectives on these matters can shift quickly. Below are the top 20 truths for today’s young adults to give them some peace and assurance about all the decisions and change.
1. Take Your Time
One user said, “It’s okay to not resolve something immediately. If someone doesn’t answer your text/WhatsApp/Facebook message, if you need to take some time to think if you want to join in that fun event, if you hear that phone ring and you miss it, If you’re not answering to a social media post, things aren’t going to blow up. Real life requires you to do one thing at a time, well or great, and not a million things.”
Another user replied, “Except important stuff…like finances…pay your bills RIGHT AWAY.”
2. You Will Get Behind Sometimes
One user shared, “While school has a structure in place to prevent you from falling behind, real life doesn’t offer the same safety net.”
Another user replied, “I will also say that conversely some of the arbitrary deadlines in school don’t apply to the real world. In college, it was kind of teachers being overly lax or strict. In the real world, if something cannot get done, regardless of the time or resources you throw at it, then it won’t get done. Yeah, you may have upset a client, but most of the time, as long as you communicate these issues as soon as possible, clients understand. Of course, it doesn’t always play out that way, but the real world seems to recognize real issues better than school sometimes can.”
3. On Time Is Better Than Perfect
“It’s better to finish something on time, even if it isn’t perfect, than not to finish it at all,” one user posted.
Another replied, “This is so true. I find this with young grads coming through at work. Smart young people and many/most become good at their jobs… But there seems to be a need for perfection and an expectation they will get the time to achieve it.
“Maybe every generation is like that when young, but I notice it a lot these days. Maybe I’m just getting old. To the list, I would add… you will need to deal with uncertainty. Not everything will be clear and have an excellent tidy answer.”
4. Don’t Always Trust Social Media
One user shared, “Social media is harmful.”
Another user replied, “Yes, I’ve heard from friends about their teenage siblings falling for TikTok fake news almost as often as I hear baby boomers fall for Facebook fake news lol.”
5. 30 Is Not Old
One Redditor stated, “30 is not old.”
Another user replied, “This. Too many people in their 30s and 40s act like they’re already practically in their graves.”
6. Expect Your First Job to Be Hard
One user shared, “That your first job out of college is probably not going to be the cushy WFH jobs you see people have on TikTok. You’re probably going to have to grind for a bit.”
Another commenter added, “Also, you’re probably not going to make 500k doing computer science right after graduating.”
7. Get Advice From Experts
“Your friends are idiots. They have just as much education as you. Take expert advice on what you want to know,” one user posted.
Another user replied, “I’m an older teen who legit doesn’t understand how you could think otherwise from this. I’ve seen teens say that older folks wouldn’t know what we’re dealing with, but that’s the opposite of the truth. They’ve already lived it and more. They would be the perfect ones to know what’s going on and give us advice. Just because we might not like what they say doesn’t mean they’re wrong. That seems like the most logical conclusion to me.”
8. Influencers Aren’t All That Unique
One user shared, “When everyone thinks they’re an influencer, no one is an influencer.”
Another user commented, “I’m not in, nor do I pay attention to the numbers in social media posts. How many followers do you need actually to be an actual influencer? You can’t deny that people like Mr. Beast is an influencer out of the sheer amount of views he gets.”
9. You May Need to Compromise on Your Job
“Very few people get to ‘do what they love for a living.’ Most adults have to compromise between what they want from life and what they want to give up to get it,” one Redditor posted.
10. Adult Life Is Challenging
One commenter shared, “Unless your parents have money and are willing to support you, life is about to get a whole lot more difficult.”
Another user added, “The problem is not that you ‘can’t’ walk in and get a job. You can, but you should be aware of the fact that you can lose that job as fast as you call it since they do get tons of applications.
“I used to work at some restaurant that just handed out job applications to every teenager who came there. One of the servers was over 18, and she had been working there for a few years. And when she complained about something to the managers, they just told her that she could either stay and not complain or she could just leave.
“They had a lot of people who could replace her, but those managers should understand that this ton of people who could replace that loyal and great server will leave soon enough and won’t be as good as her. I’m pretty sure that everyone who started working there simultaneously didn’t last even a year. Most stayed for a few months, probably not even half a year.”
11. No One Cares About High School
“No one cares what you did in high school,” one user shared.
Another user commented, “Jokes on you, after two concussions in my early 20s, I can’t even remember what I did in high school!”
Another user replied, “PREACH!”
12. Take Responsibility for Your Mental Health
One Redditor posted, “That trauma, mental illness, gender identity, sexuality are not justifications for being a bad person. Your mental health may not be your fault, but it is your responsibility.”
Another user added, “Paying rent and buying groceries quickly humbles you. You’re not paying your bills because of your mental health? The landlord will not care.”
13. You Don’t Need Constant Relationships
“Teen love is a glorified myth from shows and movies. You don’t need to seek relationships constantly. Just live your life,” one user shared.
Another user replied, “Most of my friends laugh in my face when I say that I’m not interested in it yet and say I’m lying, but I just wanna enjoy what’s left of my youth for as long as possible lol.”
14. Be Respectful of Others
One user posted, “You need to remember that you can’t speak to people IRL the same way you do from your keyboard. You’ll get popped in the mouth.”
Another user commented, “I work with a teenager, and he was going for his license, and the person riding with him told him to go down a certain way. It turns out it was a wrong-way street or something, and he went down it, so he failed. The 16-year-old looked at him and said you’re an a-.
“I was like, you really didn’t say that, did you?! He said well yeah, I did because he was an a-. Kids are gonna have a hard time in the real world. It doesn’t help that he half-a- his job and expects to get paid more.”
15. People Don’t Care That Much
“People don’t care about you nearly as much as you think. Be a good person, but do what makes you happy without stress because people don’t have you In their minds as soon as you turn the corner!” one user shared.
16. You Need to Adapt
One Redditor posted, “You need to adapt to the world. Not expect that the world will adapt to you.”
Another user commented, “So much this. The world is not going to change for you. The world is not here to affirm you. You must affirm yourself and adjust your behaviours/develop coping skills to adapt to the world.”
17. School Is Not Useless
One user shared, “Schools are not as useless as they think; they do have problems, but it’s been proven over time and time that education is one of the few ways to get out of poverty.”
Another user added, “The complaint that courses that you learn in school don’t ever apply. Like most math courses. They are there to teach you how to think; if you find a job that directly has you doing Matrices with linear algebra, good on you. Otherwise, you know how to approach things from different angles.”
18. Let Emotions Just Be Emotions
“An emotion can be purely just an emotion, not a trigger, not depression and anxiety and not a reason to have a mental health crisis; sometimes it’s okay just to be sad!” one Redditor posted.
19. Don’t Pay Too Much for College
One user shared his thoughts and posted, “You don’t need an EXPENSIVE college degree. A private school that makes you take out huge loans to afford it is really not necessary at all. It is unlikely to yield better results. Also, living on campus is massively overrated, and if you can continue to live for free at home, it’s usually a great idea.
“State schools are generally far cheaper and usually of very decent quality. Also, look into EVERY potential scholarship (both merit-based and need-based) you might qualify for. Please fill out the FAFSA every single year and do it early.
“If state college isn’t looking super affordable, maybe there are no scholarships you qualify for that would help out. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with going the community college route. Relative to 4-year schools, community colleges can be dirt cheap and often provide way more flexibility if you want to do school and work part-time.
“Then, after two years, if you want to continue your education and finish up at a 4-year school, you generally can. In most cases, the credits should transfer (especially if the community college and state college are part of the same system), and you get yourself a bachelor’s degree and only pay the sticker price for two years instead of 4.
“If you live in a state that hasn’t taken this seriously and hasn’t invested in affordable higher education options, consider moving to a state that has. Establishing residency to get in-state tuition rates may take a year or more, but this can be worth it in many circumstances.
“Where you got your degree matters less and less these days. The stigma of online degrees is even lessening to a large extent, especially since COVID.
“It’s straightforward to get caught in financial traps when it comes to school, but it’s possible to avoid them. You have to plan things out and stick to what’s realistic so that you know you can see through to the end. Don’t compare yourself to others. You’re running your race. You’re on your path.
“The trades can be great for many. But if you’re not the manual labor type, you may be much better off finding a cheap higher education solution rather than trying to fit a square peg into a round hole.”
20. You’re Not the Main Character
One commenter shared, “You’re not always the main character.”
Another user replied, “You can go a little more in-depth with this, I think. You’re the main character of your own story. You just need to accept the fact that you’ll be an NPC to the vast majority of people you encounter.”
Another user commented, “Enjoy being the quirky NPC in everyone else’s story.”
Do you agree with the challenging truths that were listed above? Share your thoughts!
Source: Reddit.
Who is one actress you can never stand watching, no matter their role? After polling the internet, these were the top-voted actresses that people couldn’t stand watching.
10 Actresses People Despise Watching Regardless of Their Role
These 7 Celebrities Are Genuinely Good People
We’ve all heard the famous adage that “no publicity is bad publicity,” and while it tends to be accurate, there are certainly exceptions. But what about those few stars who stay out of the limelight and get along without a hint of trouble?
These 7 Celebrities are Genuinely Good People
These 10 Activities Are an Immediate Red Flag
Have you ever known someone and thought you liked them—until you learned about their hobbies? Then you get to know them and then you’re like, “Wow, red flag.” Well, you’re not alone.
These 10 Activities Are an Immediate Red Flag
Some celebrities definitely seem to enjoy the limelight and keep working to stay in the public eye. While others quickly move out of the spotlight. Many of these actors and actresses stepped out of the spotlight to live a more private life without constant media pressures.
10 Celebrities That Made the Big Times Then Disappeared Off The Face of the Earth
We’ve all been there – sitting through a movie that we can’t help but cringe at, but somehow it still manages to hold a special place in our hearts.
These 10 Terrible Movies Are Still People’s Favorites