Winter Work
January, for me, is a hunker-down month.
It’s the season where I focus on what I can control, planning, preparation, and alignment, while the rest of the world feels a little quieter. This winter gave me the space to map out the year ahead with Krystal: what we want to prioritize as a family, the rhythms we want to protect, and the goals we’re aiming toward in 2026.
I also got a quick reset in Colorado, snowboarding for a couple of days with some college friends. Just enough time in the mountains to breathe, reconnect, and remind myself how good it feels to move outside. I came back intact (1 major bruise), only to land straight into a full-on blizzard back here in Indy. A fitting welcome home.
Winter in Indiana isn’t easy. There are fewer outlets, shorter days, and no quick escape to the mountains. But it is a powerful season for discipline. This is when routines matter most. I’ve been dialing in a new workout rhythm alongside my usual weekly soccer and volleyball, nothing flashy, just consistency.
And that’s kind of the point.
Winter is where the unseen work happens. The planning. The preparation. The work that quietly carries you into spring when things start to move again.
Local Events by City of Shay
Things to Do This Month
Frigid Digits Winter Beer Fest
Indy has long been known for having an incredible local craft beer scene. Make a new Valentine’s Day tradition this year and check out the Frigid Digits Winter Beer Fest at Centerpoint Brewing. Taste from over 30 local brewers with unlimited samples to find your new favorite brew. This is the perfect date for those who want to skip the traditional dinner and a movie.
Silent Book Club February Meet Up
What’s better than catching up on your favorite read? Doing it with others who love it, too! Silent Book Club invites you to bring your current read or something that’s been on your TBR way too long to a local business each month. You can decide to read independently for the first half hour and then mingle with your fellow book worms, or just keep turning the pages as a great excuse to enjoy your book in a new to you spot.
@ the RINK
This is an open invite to come see my fall over the ice skating rink! You don't need to be a skater to enjoy the lovely winter atmosphere at Holiday Park! What better way to get outside than to skate the night away for free…yes I’ll pay your way in! Just RSVP with the link below.
Food & Drink available at the Concession Stand run by Mashcraft Brewing.
Anecdote Coffee
I just stopped by Anecdote Coffee at the old Silver Linings location, and it felt like home. A welcoming energy, community feel, and a sense of purpose.
The Mocha Nut is now under the same brand in Greenwood, but the Beech Grove location is a must-visit! It’s one of those spots that still feels small-town, local, and a little undiscovered, the kind of place you’re glad you found before everyone else does.
Market Minute
What Rising Mortgage Applications Could Mean in 2026
When I see mortgage application numbers start to rise, I don’t read it as “the market is back” overnight. I read it as,”ok, people are getting serious again”.
More applications usually mean buyers are sitting down with lenders, running the numbers, and deciding what they can control. It’s less about timing the market and more about being ready when the right opportunity shows up. In 2026 especially, that matters. I have had 2 meetings just in the past week about timeline and readiness to buy, even though it could be in 12 months or 2 years. In both meetings, I heard it said that they wish they had acted sooner, but they were waiting for the right time. The reality is that right time is when you’re ready and you now you’re ready when you have a plan!
A lot of people paused over the last couple of years waiting for perfect conditions. What’s changing now is mindset. Finances feel clearer. Expectations are more realistic. And instead of watching from the sidelines, more buyers are choosing to prepare.
For sellers, this is often one of the earliest signs that demand is quietly rebuilding, before it shows up in headlines or bidding wars. For buyers, it’s a reminder that competition tends to return before it’s obvious.
Rising mortgage applications don’t guarantee a surge in closings, but they do signal direction. And right now, that direction looks like cautious optimism, preparation, and steady momentum rather than sudden change.
Lender Advice with Renato
HELOC or Cash Out Strategy
Home equity can be a powerful tool when used the right way. Here are some of the most common and smart ways homeowners and investors use equity to improve their financial position:
Use equity for a down payment on a new home while keeping your current home/property
Fund home renovations that increase comfort and long term value
Consolidate high interest debt into one lower monthly payment
Create flexibility for large expenses without draining savings
Improve overall cash flow with a more structured payment plan
Whether a HELOC or a cash out refinance makes more sense depends on your goals, timeline, and long term plan. A quick review can help determine the best option and how to use your equity wisely without overextending yourself.
Real example: We recently worked with a client who owned his primary residence and had built significant equity. He opened a HELOC and used that line of credit as the down payment on a duplex investment property, putting 25% down and financing the remaining 75%, allowing him to grow his portfolio without selling or refinancing his primary home.
Homeownership Tip
Keeping the Furnace On
One of the easiest ways to extend the life of your furnace is something most people forget about: changing the filter. When a filter gets clogged, airflow drops and the furnace motor has to work harder than it should. Over time, that extra stress adds up.
A simple rule I share with homeowners that my go to inspectors at 5M Inspections told me is this: for every inch of filter thickness, plan on about one month of use. A 1-inch filter = change it monthly. A thicker 4-inch filter can usually go closer to four months. If you have pets, cut those timelines in half as hair and dander fill filters fast.
It’s a small habit, but it keeps your system running smoother and helps avoid those “no heat” calls at the worst possible time.
Next Step
Planning to Buy a Home, but Don’t Know Where to Start?
If you’re thinking about buying a home, but aren’t sure what the first move should be, don’t guess. The Home Buyer Readiness Quiz at the bottom of this email will help you understand where you stand.
Whether you’re ready now or just starting to think ahead, you’ll walk away with a clearer game plan and fewer unknowns.
Biblical Wisdom
Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.
Galatians 6:9-10
Until next month,
Plant Roots. Build Community.