It's the last day to pre-register for Florida Realtors Mid-Winter Meetings and the last day to apply for Hurricane Michael aid from Florida Realtors Disaster Relief Fund. (But NAR's Realtors Relief Foundation will accept aid applications until Feb. 28.)

The recent easing of rates has come amid steep stock market declines and tumbling rates on 10-year U.S. Treasury notes, which influence fixed mortgage rates.

In a rebounding neighborhood, home values should rise faster than the local average – but homes in declining neighborhoods could see the opposite effect.

Agents must sell their value proposition first when trying to convert leads into income and know what makes them more valuable than their competitors.

We'll be closed on Monday, Jan. 21, in honor of the civil rights leader's birthday. Florida Realtors News, the Legal Hotline and Tech Helpline will reopen Tuesday.

The national real estate market appears to be cooling, but that's not necessarily true for specific local markets. Watch for these signs of a local slowdown.

The latest kitchen trend will last about a year before looking dated, but some ever-popular kitchen styles are more likely to retain their value over time.

The Florida Legislature's 2019 session begins March 5, and Great American Realtor Days – your chance to meet lawmakers and support pro-real estate laws – runs March 18-20. https://www.floridarealtors.org/LegislativeCenter/Great-American-Realtor-Days.cfm

Want to please your "boss"? Scammers know you do, and some Fla. Realtors have reported text-message scam requests that appear to be from their broker.

For the 10th year, NAR is honoring Realtors who give back through its Volunteering Works Grant and Mentoring Program, which is now seeking entries.

Spread the word: Entry deadline is March 4 at noon. 2019 is the 10th year for the Education Foundation program, which has awarded more than $1.5M in scholarships.

Owners aren't moving as fast, thanks in part to low mortgage rates that lock them into current homes. However, life changes. Many boomers who have health or financial surprises may soon decide to sell anyway – and millennials may grow tired of waiting.

NAR's 4Q "Aspiring Home Buyers Profile" found that 43% of non-owners cited "unable to afford a mortgage" as their top reason for staying put. Still, 75% of all non-owners continue to view ownership as the American Dream.

Who has the power to influence real estate? The 2019 Swanepoel Power 200 list includes nine Florida leaders. Nationally, men appear to wield the most power – only 17% are women – but in Fla., the reverse is true: six out of nine (66%) are female.

Find out Jan. 24 at Florida Realtors Mid-Winter Meetings. Speakers include Chief Economist Dr. Brad O'Connor and Freddie Mac Deputy Chief Economist Dr. Len Kiefer, plus two top environmental scientists who