Conference Board: Despite recent stock market volatility, consumers expressed greater optimism about short-term prospects for businesses and labor markets. Source: Florida Realtors

The Commerce Department says Jan. sales came in at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 593,000 – the lowest since August and down from 643,000 in Dec. Source: Florida Realtors

The average rate for a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage hit its highest point since April 2014 and moved marginally higher from last week’s average 4.38%. Source: Florida Realtors

Higher home prices, mortgage rates and inflation will collectively make the typical inflation-adjusted mortgage payment go up 15%, economists predict. Source: Florida Realtors

Ten years ago when the internet was young, NAR limited virtual-office website displays, but DOJ said that was wrong because it unfairly restrained competition. Source: Florida Realtors

The form updates approved at Florida Realtors’ Mid-Winter meetings go live today and will be accessible via Form Simplicity and other forms vendors this morning. Source: Florida Realtors

Commerce Dept.: Housing starts at a pace of 1.33M – the highest since Oct. 2016. Single-family starts up 3.7%, multifamily up 19.7% and building permits up 7.4%. Source: Florida Realtors

The changes were approved at Florida Realtors’ Mid-Winter meetings and will be released in Form Simplicity and via Florida Realtors other licensed vendors. Source: Florida Realtors

Florida Realtors: Single-family home sales up 1.2% over 2016, median price up 8%; condo sales up 2.9%, median price up 7.8%. Strong positive trends continued in 4Q. Source: Florida Realtors

An owner with home damage has the right to assign insurance benefits to a contractor without getting his mortgage holder to agree to the arrangement. Source: Florida Realtors