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Want more housing market stories from Lance Lamberts ResiClubin your inbox?Subscribeto theResiClubnewsletter.National home prices are up 2.3% year over year. Historically, that reflects slightly softer growth compared to the average annual increase of 4.7% since 2000.That said, several regional housing markets still boast home price growth exceeding the historical average. Heading into 2025, these are the nations strongest housing markets, where sellers hold the most power.Among the 200 largest metro-area housing markets, 60 are still experiencing local home prices rising by 4.7% or more year over year.While home prices have softened in Gulf markets like Texas, Florida, and Louisiana (where inventory has spiked back above pre-pandemic levels) most of the housing markets in theNortheast and Midwest still have inventory far below pre-pandemic levels, and still have elevated home price growth.Those include major metros like New York City-Newark, New Jersey (7%); Providence, Rhode Island (6.7%); Hartford, Connecticut (6.7%); Cleveland (5.9%); Las Vegas (5.2%); Buffalo, New York (5.2%); and Chicago (5%).Many pandemic boomtowns in the Sunbelt are experiencing greater affordability strain as well as facing significant home insurance shocks and higher levels of new-home inventory. In some Sunbelt areas, this inventory requires discounts to sell in the current environment of reduced pandemic-era migration and strained affordability.In contrast, many Northeast and Midwest markets were less reliant on pandemic migration and have less new-home construction in progress. With lower exposure on that demand shock, active inventory in these Midwest and Northeast regions has remained relatively tight, keeping the advantage in the hands of home sellers.Will these 60 tight housing markets remain sellers markets in 2025?Excluding a few acute economic and monetary shocks over the decades, local housing dynamics usually shift slowlymeaning, unless those 60 markets cool off quickly and see active inventory spike, home sellers in those pockets will likely retain their iron grip on their local housing markets in spring 2025.

We kept it very demure this year. We obsessed over skincare and Taylor Swift and stressed over politics and the price of groceries. But 2024 was also a brutal year for businesses, with a record number of once-bubbling retailers and restaurants shuttering left and right.In the first nine months of 2024, business bankruptcy filings rose 33.5% from 17,051 to 22,762. As shoppers focused more on essential items this year, some budget retailers like Walmart saw more foot traffic, while others struggled to bring people through the doors.The restaurant industry struggled too, with more people opting to cook at home or hit up more affordable spots for grub like fast food chains. And as diners sought affordable deals, fast food brands battled it out by dropping competitive meal deals throughout the year.Overall, in 2024, retailers and restaurants, including major chains, saw a staggering number of store closure announcements as bankruptcies rose. Here are some of the biggest brands to downsize this year.Big LotsMore than 400 Big Lots stores have already shut their doors this year, but just this week, the company announced it would begin going-out-of-business sales at its remaining 963 stores. The retailer filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in September.LL FlooringLL Flooring Holdings, Inc., previously Lumber Liquidators, announced it was filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy this year. The chain closed all of its 94 stores in the U.S. and laid off at least 2,000 employees as consumers chose essential purchases over spending money on making home improvements.MacysMacys has been plagued by slow sales this year. In December, it said it will close 65 stores by the end of January, adding to the 50 locations it previously announced would shut their doors. The closures are part of the retailers plan to eliminate 150 underperforming stores over three years.CVSPharmacy closures have been a huge issue this year, both for businesses and consumers alike. As pharmacies have struggled against inflation, closing stores has led to pharmacy deserts in certain areas. CVS was hard hit by closures this year, with the chain shuttering at least 586 stores in 2024, according to a year-end report from Coresight Research.WalgreensAnother pharmacy that struggled to hit the mark this year was Walgreens. The chain announced it would close approximately 1,200 stores across the United States as consumer spending at pharmacy chains fell off. At the time, it said the closures will occur over three years, starting with 500 to shutter in 2025.7-ElevenConvenience stores struggled this year, too. 7-Eleven, home of slurpees and a quick morning coffee, closed 444 stores. At the time of the announcement, the chain said the closures were due to slower foot traffic as consumers pulled back on discretionary purchases.Family DollarFamily Dollar was one budget chain that struggled to stay competitive this year. Even as Dollar General and Dollar Tree, which owns Family Dollar, saw upticks in consumer spending, Family Dollar underperformed. The chain closed at least 1,000 stores across the U.S. in 2024. Dollar Tree said this year that it was considering selling off the business or reinventing it as a new concept.Red LobsterWhile Red Lobster filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in May of 2024, the chain also found its footing again, exiting bankruptcy in September with a plan for restructuring. The chain was acquired by investor group RL Investor Holdings LLC, brought on a new CEO, and secured $60 million in new funding. Though over 100 locations closed this year, there are still 544 Red Lobsters operating in the U.S.DennysAs part of a comeback effort, Dennys announced it would close around 150 underperforming restaurants. In October, it announced that half the restaurants will close by the end of 2024, with the rest to shutter in 2025. The chain is also planning renovation efforts in a program called Diner 2.0, and could ditch its 24/7 operating hours. After the second round of closings, about 1,375 Dennys restaurants will remain.TGIFridaysAs Americans cut restaurant spending, a once-beloved spot for chicken fingers went bankrupt this year. In November, TGIFridays said the fallout from the pandemic hit the chain too hard and was the primary driver of its financial challenges. It added that it would use Chapter 11 bankruptcy to explore strategic alternatives in order to ensure the long-term viability of the brand. The bankruptcy filing impacted 39 locations that were owned by TGIFridays Inc.BurgerFi and Anthonys Coal Fired PizzaBurgerFi International, which owns BurgerFi and Anthonys Coal Fired Pizza, closed at least 20 restaurants this year leading up to its Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing. But even as the chains shuttered underperforming restaurants, other locations have clung on. The company has managed to keep its remaining 144 locations up and running, as loyal customers continue to show up.

Most New Years resolutions seem to be about shoulding on yourself. Starting a new year inspires us to cut out sugar, exercise daily, and finally pay off that credit card debtnone of which sounds like a good time, or it wouldnt be so hard to get started on these goals.In fact, 88% of people who set New Years resolutions have given them up before January 15. Considering that depressing statistic, you might reasonably decide to forgo the whole New Year, New You phenomenon for 2025, rather than set goals that are destined to fail (and make you feel guilty).But theres a better way to make changes that you dont abandon and beat yourself up over: find the fun. Heres how you can make 2025 your money year and enjoy yourself at the same time.Figure out what you loved best about 2024Part of the problem with resolutions is that we focus on the future and forget to remember the past. Thats why the first order of business in creating an enjoyable and wealthier 2025 is looking back on your 2024 decisions to pinpoint the best parts of the year.When did you feel most alive, connected, happy, or at peace during the past year? And what circumstances allowed you to feel so good during those times?Perhaps the hours spent playing board games with friends were the best part of your year. Or maybe the week at the beach with your partner was the years highlight. Or perhaps it was the continuing ed class you took at the local art school.Look back at whatever brought you the most joy in 2024 and the decisions that allowed you to have those moments. This can help you shape a more satisfying 2025.Plan your 2025 joysWith your best 2024 memories in hand, start planning for similar moments in the coming year. That could mean setting up an automatic transfer to save enough money to recreate your delightful vacation or afford another art class. Or it could mean getting on your friend group chat to plan a monthly board game night when everyone is available.The year ahead is a blank slate, and you can use your money and time to create the kind of year you want. Starting your 2025 financial year with these plans in place will give you something delightful to look forward to, and give you a reason to see money management as an enjoyable task rather than drudgery.Have a regular date night with your moneyWe tend to get ourselves into financial trouble when we let our money go out of sight and out of mind. But if money chores feel about as enjoyable as a root canal, its no wonder we can go weeks or months without checking in on it.But keeping a consistent eye on your money is one of the best ways to improve your finances. So, instead of looking at money management as a chore, try setting up a regular date with your money. (And yes, I do mean that romantically.)Like a date, your money date is a chance to connect with another (your money) while doing something you both enjoy. Start with figuring out what you and your money will both enjoy doing during your dates. In other words, find something you love thats free or cheap that you can do while checking on your finances. That might mean making yourself pancakes, pouring yourself a glass of wine, or lighting a candle.The date is your regular opportunity to check in to see what your money has been doingby looking at your bank, credit card, and investment accounts. You can also see what your money has planned for the future by checking your upcoming bills and other future spending.But this date isnt a one-way street. You can also talk to your money about what you want in the future and work together to decide how to make it happen.It may feel weird to take your money on a date, but both of you will find the relationship improves substantially.Gamify your bad money habitsTheres a reason its tough to stop doomscrolling, nail-biting, and impulsive spending: Doing those things feels better than not doing them. But even though trying to white-knuckle your way through giving up bad habits may feel awfulit also doesnt work. Essentially, if it feels good, we do it, and if it feels bad, we dont.But that doesnt mean youre stuck overspending, under-contributing, making late payments, or otherwise indulging in bad financial habits forevermore. Gamification can help take the fun out of your bad habits and increase your enjoyment of some good ones.Heres how to make a game of nixing your bad money habits:1. Break your behavior change goals into levelsGames work by having you complete smaller levels that help you reach a larger goal. Breaking your behavior into smaller, manageable chunks, can reduce overwhelm and give you something to look forward to.This could work for any type of negative financial habit, such as:Paying off debt, making retirement contributions, or building an emergency fund: Create a game level for every $100 that goes toward your goal, with a level up at every $1,000.Impulse purchases: Give yourself a point for every time you take a screenshot of a potential purchase and put it in a spending file rather than hitting click-to-buy and level up after 10 points.Making late payments: Any payment you make could be worth 1XP, but on-time payments are 5XP, and you level up after earning 15XP.2. Create incentivesDecide what you will reward yourself with each time you level up. Make this something that will truly incentivize you to keep goingand that you dont normally treat yourself to. This could be something like a pedicure or meal from a favorite restaurant, or it could be an afternoon off work.3. Dont give uprespawnIts inevitable that you might backslide while trying to change your bad money habits. But instead of treating this as the end of your journey, think of it as a chance to respawn, just like in video games.Except respawning after a setback with this game means you get to restart your behavior change from a better position than you were originally. You already have a great deal of progress behind you, so your new start has moved you further along in the game.Financial prosperity can be yours in 2025Dont make the mistake of creating financial resolutions that feel like a chore. Make money fun in 2025 and you will actually enjoy reaching your goals.Start by thinking through what you liked best about the past year so you can plan for similar joys in the coming year. Financial planning that starts with the things you like best will make it much easier to love the process.From there, set up a regular meeting with your money and treat it like a date. Do something you enjoy while you get to know your moneys past activities and make future plans together.Finally, tackle your bad financial habits by making a game based on changing those habits. Figure out the levels for each behavior and offer yourself incentives to level. And when you inevitably have a setback, think of it as a respawn, rather than a reason to give up.Bringing these strategies to your 2025 finances can help you find the fun in money management.

Architect Adrienne Lau combined steel parts from old planters with beams from a demolished army barrack to create chairs and benches for a food-growing community in east London.Acute and Obtuse is a series of outdoor furniture developed by Lau for Abbey Gardens, an open-access park and harvest garden in Newham.The furniture was entirely made from reclaimed materials, including a collection of raised beds installed 15 years ago following the formation of the community garden.Adrienne Lau has created an outdoor furniture series made from reclaimed materialsThe trapezoidal planters were constructed from wooden boards and fastened by galvanised steel corner sleeves, but over time they had begun to deteriorate and were in need of replacement.The beds were dismantled by local volunteers and members of the Abbey Gardens community, who identified the potential for them to be reused.Lau allowed the materials to steer the outcomes, with the shapes of the galvanised steel brackets informing the configurations of the various seating solutions."The specific angles of the steel corners lend themselves well to forming the structure of different furniture types 150 degrees for a lounger, 110 degrees for a chair, and the smaller angles as supports for benches," explained Lau.Lau repurposed old wooden planters fastened by galvanised steel corner sleevesOnce the steel sections were unbolted from the wood boards, it was necessary for Lau to find new ways of forming joints due to the toxicity and risk of welding the thin galvanised metal.The steel sleeves were combined with sections of Douglas fir beams and pine joists that were reclaimed from a demolished Victorian army barracks by designer and maker Rosie Strickland, who provided technical design and fabrication support on the project.The angles of the steel corners inspired the furniture's configurationsLau and Strickland developed furniture forms that optimise the shapes of the angular inserts. Several of the designs feature rounded shapes that contrast with the angular steel.The salvaged timber sections display evidence of their past use, with notches and nail holes left exposed and untreated to add character to the furniture.Read: Dutch Invertuals chair remixed by Kiki van Eijk, Daphna Laurens and moreMortise and tenon joints were used to attach simple, square-profiled legs to the seating surfaces. The visible fixings contribute to the overall approach of celebrating the furniture's materiality and production processes.According to Lau, the project demonstrates how waste materials can be reused to create new objects that evoke the Japanese concept of wabi-sabi, where flaws and signs of ageing are intrinsic to the outcome.Several designs feature rounded forms that contrast with the angular steel"Instead of hiding them, imperfections should be embraced creatively to make material reuse more widely desirable," Lau explained."Making the collective material story evident inspires people to take good care of it," she added. "After all, objects are kept from waste when they are valued."Simple square legs are joined to seats with mortise and tenon jointsThe Acute and Obtuse furniture formed part of a larger project called Let's Meet On The Edge developed by Lau and her partners at Edgy Collective for the 2023 edition of the London Festival of Architecture.As one of three nature-based installations that linked disconnected green spaces around Edgware in north London, the outdoor furniture was installed in the High Street to encourage residents to experience their local area in new ways. The project won the Community Prize at the New London Awards 2024.Following the festival's conclusion, the furniture was relocated to Abbey Gardens where the steel corners originated from. The pieces provide flexible seating for the garden community and customers at Spring Cafe.The notches and nail holes were left untreated to add character to the furnitureAs part of Edgy Collective, Lau works with Leila Taheri on projects aimed at revitalising urban spaces by reconnecting them with natural, cultural histories and present day realities.Her personal practice focuses on addressing social and ecological concerns by applying creative solutions to projects spanning architecture, furniture design, urban installations and scenography.Other recent Dezeen stories featuring chairs include 14 designers and studios reimagining a Dutch Invertuals chair and a furniture collection crafted from reclaimed spruce and oak.The photography is by Raquel Diniz.The post Adrienne Lau creates Acute and Obtuse outdoor furniture from salvaged materials appeared first on Dezeen.

This 3D artists render, inspired by videogame Dying Light, isnt just beautiful it shows a crossbow as it could work in real life

From 3D printing with resin materials to creating my own Cricut decals, Im hoping 2025 will be a great year to learn more skills in digital crafting.

These WIRED-tested memory sticks are a virtual filing cabinet in your pocket.

Full version of Escape Motions' iPad and iPhone app for painting images using particle brushes is now free, as is mandala-creation app Inspirit.