ActiveRain Community

Ok, maybe Charlotte is the Queen City, but Nina could be the Queen of Charlotte!   Many years ago, when Nina joined, I started following her and reading all of her blogs.  She did market reports and how they should be written, with lots of valuable information, and I altered mine later to include just as much info.   The info was available through our MLS, just needed Nina's lead!   She does the cutest posts with the Annual Day of.... celebrating kitties, chocolate, or coffee.    She should post more photos of Taj and Bingo, though.After years of following her and reading posts, I wanted to go back to Nashville and see my 3rd-grade house (Sept. 2019), as I remembered the address.   While I was there, I went up to visit Debbie Reynolds, then to Asheville, and eventually Charlotte.   Nina... 02/12/2026

The New Yearbook: A Story of Loss, Memory and Growth Several years ago, a classmate’s sister passed away. He recently asked if someone might want her senior yearbook. Mine was lost long ago in a move, without hesitation, I said yes.  When the package arrived, I carefully unwrapped it, opening the cover. Suddenly! The high school years came flooding back! Small triumphs that felt enormous. Quiet failures that stung for years. Feeling left out. Flipping through those pages, I saw clearly again, that high school was, at its core, a continuous popularity contest.  Seemed like confident, well put together teens effortlessly glided into student government seats, claiming crowns at the dances, drawing acceptance from classmates, teachers and staff. Then, there were the anxiety-ridden introvert... 02/11/2026

 The 10-Year Treasury isn’t the only thing that drives mortgage rates but it’s a big one. If the Fed signals that inflation is under control, lenders might tighten the spread over the 10-Year Treasury, which could mean lower rates for homebuyers.Where We Are Today (Feb 9, 2026): 10-Year Treasury: 4.203% 30-Year Treasury: 4.853% 30-Year Fixed Mortgage: ~6.16% That puts the bank mortgage–10-Year spread at roughly 1.95–2.00% pretty normal lately. (It can spike to 2.2–2.5% when markets get stressed.)The Mortgage spread is the difference between the interest rate a lender charges on a mortgage and the yield on a benchmark, usually the 10-Year Treasury bond.If lenders keep mortgages priced about 2% over the 10-Year Treasury the 10-Year Treasury would need to drop to ~3.95–4.00%. That would ty... 02/09/2026

This past year has been great for stocks, with markets climbing higher and investor confidence staying strong. While that kind of momentum is welcome news for portfolios and retirement accounts, it can have unintended consequences in other areas of the economy  including mortgage rates.When the stock market is on fire, it feels like good news everywhere but mortgage rates usually don’t agree.Mortgage rates are closely tied to the bond market. When stocks are booming, investors often move their money out of bonds and into stocks to chase higher returns. As demand for bonds drops, bond yields rise  and higher bond yields mean higher mortgage rates.On the flip side, when the stock market gets shaky, investors look for safety. They buy bonds, bond yields fall, and mortgage rates tend to com... 02/09/2026

Good post by Yoni today, and worthy of our daily Re-Blog.BillGILBERT ARIZONA HOMES FOR SALE, Bill Salvatore, AZVHV / HelpingArizona Heroes, New-Construction Advantage, Realtor, sell my house, 2026Market, Chandler We enter into the teens having no clue what is going on besides fun, having no point, going out & repeating it as much as we can while it makes no short- or long-term sense & goes nowhere yet we do it & want it, nevertheless. That road is predictable & well-traveled but take note: it doesn't stop or stay the same because as we grow up & out, plus in, what is to come or came, we age. Parents, school, other adults, peers at some point remind us to get educated, skilled, degreed or a good job. Why? Just for fun? NO! You are going to need it.  WORTHY NOTE: Harder or smarter guarant... 02/09/2026

You do "set the stage" for a productive morning when it starts out healthier.    I definitely have a morning routine, even with being retired now.   Great post Kelly wrote! The way you begin your morning can significantly influence your overall well-being, which is why many people credit their success to consistent morning rituals. Most of us reach for our phones first thing, but starting your day with social media isn’t ideal due to its negative effects on your mental health. To avoid temptation, keep devices off or in-flight mode until you’re ready to leave. Here are some habits some people practice during those valuable first 10 - 20 minutes of the day: Embrace a spiritual Interest or say some positive affirmations Sit in complete silence with your coffee, tea or water Take time to m... 02/09/2026

 Good morning and hello there again from Tim in Cottage Grove, Minnesota...where it has warmed up to 37 degrees above zero!  Having a heat wave here!  Hope all is well for you and had a great Super Bowl weekend.  Wanted to share Tim's Time Outs with you again. PRIORITIES: I VALUE LOVING FRIENDS(Could this be you or does this sound familiar?) Closeness with others is important to me.  In my efforts to get ahead and succeed, I postponed getting close to other human beings.  Perhaps in my role as a family hero or company hero, I view relationships as a luxury I can't afford. Today I am reminded that I am the one who sets my own priorities.  Money, wealth, and success are important...however I must also acknowledge the wealth that comes from having loving friends.  I realize today that I ne... 02/09/2026

For February’s ActiveRain contest, instead of choosing just one member to highlight, I’m choosing a small but mighty core group, the people who quietly and faithfully keep our Tuesday Zooms alive week after week. At the center is Debe Maxwell, CRS , who hosts, manages the tech, keeps us on schedule, lines up speakers, and somehow maintains order when it can feel a little like herding a room full of very smart, opinionated cats. Alongside Debe are Eileen Burns 954.483.3912  Carol Williams , Kat Palmiotti, and George Souto, who announces weekly highlights and presenters, plus  Kathy Streib, who reminds us in her column that Tuesday is coming (as if we could forget). But truly, there are many more who deserve mention, presenters, moderators, idea generators, topic creators, and consistent ... 02/09/2026

🌟 Honoring Dorie Dillard - A Heart That Serves, A Spirit That InspiresToday I want to shine a light on someone truly remarkable: Dorie Dillard Austin TX, a fellow Realtor®, longtime ActiveRain member and an inspiration to all of us in the community.Many of you know Dorie for her decades of experience in real estate, her trusted guidance and the countless families she’s helped find home in the NW Austin and Canyon Creek area. She has devoted her career to serving clients with heart, professionalism and deep local expertise—qualities that her clients rave about in testimonials, time and time again. From guiding sellers through market prep to helping buyers find the perfect place, Dorie’s combination of experience and personal care really does set her apart.For five years, Dorie has faithf... 02/08/2026

Sometimes I feel 'bummed' that I am not retired but last week my CPA and I were chatting and she made some interesting comments about her retired  clients. She knows I work part time and  she told me something she hears often from her clients: “They love retirement for the first three years… and then many of them wish they had never retired.”I was surprised to hear this. I know many retired people and most seem happy. Maybe certain professions are not built to retire ?. Retirement is supposed to be the reward of no alarms, no deadlines, and reduced stress. For a while, according to my CPA, it is exactly that. But over time, something changes. Work provides more than a paycheck. It provides structure, social connection, problem-solving, and a sense of being useful. When all of that disap... 02/08/2026

I wanted to kick off the February Challenge with my First Choice TestimonialI like the spirit of this challenge created by Lew Corcoran and Patricia Feager And Thank You For The Music My Friend 🎶 Remembering Lou❤️‍🔥I never knew I could shed real tears for someone I never met in person…never heard on the phone…yet somehow spoke with hundreds of times over the years.We got the news of our loss; our dear Active Rain friend Lou Ludwig  back on 12/23/2017Lou and I didn’t “DM.” We did something more public and oddly more intimate - we treated comment threads like texting. Back and forth. Sometimes multiple banters in the same evening. And here’s the part that still makes me smile …those exchanges were happening often between 6:00 PM & 8:00 PM California time…while Lou was in Boca Raton, Flori... 02/08/2026

How One Person’s Kindness Can Shape an Entire Community Among the many generous contributors in this community, the next person I want to recognize is someone whose steady, thoughtful presence has truly made a difference on my posts. His comments always feel intentional and sincere, and they add real depth to the conversations we share here on ActiveRain. Each response shows genuine interest and encourages reflection, creating a stronger sense of connection for everyone involved. His kindness and authentic engagement remind me how powerful meaningful interaction can be, especially in a space built on support and shared experience. Introduction There’s something special about the way a simple comment can shift the tone of a day. When someone takes the time to respond with intention, it c... 02/11/2026

Last week I had a new buyer lead, or at least that's what they would have had me think.   They'd found us on Zillow and would like help buying a home.  The initial email was a bit general (in Ohio, nowhere specific mentioned) so my sensors were on alert.  A quick follow up email and a quick response from them confirmed: SCAMMERS.  How did I know so easily?  Because recently Margaret Rome wrote a post about scammers using a request link for a Zoom meeting, the exact same tactic these "buyers" wanted to use.  I noped out of that conversation.  Time saved and risk avoided.Here's the thing about ActiveRain, even if you never write a post or leave a comment, there's still valuable information to be gained on a daily basis.  Sometimes it's a little bit of something, sometimes it's a HUGE bit ... 02/10/2026

In 2008, when the mortgage business fell apart- I lost my wife Karen that same year. She was a regular blogger here on ActiveRain and after she died, I took over her blog for the next 7 years. I wrote about optimizing your website on ActiveRain- and then Zillow hired me to write on their professional blog. I got out of the mortgage business for a while and primarily worked building and optimizing websites, until one day I realized: "if I am so great, why don't I just start a biz-- any business-- and put it on page 1?This is why that Search Optimizing business is so filled with charlatans. If these guys are so great, why don't they do it for themselves?A friend of mine lost her job at a law firm and we opened a business called "Affordable Family Law" and we help people get divorced- with... 02/09/2026

Things That Make Home Selling Stressful Is 2026 the year you plant  a sign in the ground and cash in on the equity that your Destin Florida home has earned? Or perhaps life is simply moving you away from the Emerald Coast? Either way, lets look at some factors that add stress to the home selling process. 1) Trying to Time the move--This time of year I have sellers reach out and say, "Hey Doug, we need to move late May, when should we put our home on the market"? In truth none of us own a crystal ball. The property could linger for months, or we may have multiple offers next Monday. I encourage clients to have a plan for "what if it takes a while, and what if we need to be out before the pool is warm enough to swim in." 2) No Clear Next Step-- One of the questions I ask BEFORE listing a ... 02/07/2026

Journal Entry for Saturday 2/7/2026 If you've never been to Idaho before, you missed a great presentation by Jim Paulson and the beautiful environment where he lives. I never had the good fortune to visit, but it reminded me of Glacier National Park in Kalispell, Montana, where I visited several times. If only there was enough time on earth to visit all the places, I'd like to go. I would definitely go to Boise, Idaho. Jim's photographs of landscape beauty gave me even greater appreciation for American beauty in places where I enjoyed the most - Mountain Views and Rivers to cross. Jim's love for nature was evident throughout his presentation. Vicariously, I was there in Boise, Idaho with him, as he navigated the tour.  During Jim's talk about this beautiful place he calls home, I saw hi... 02/07/2026

Posts Just For You- This Week at ActiveRain February 1 to  February 7, 2026  Every day, there is something to learn here at ActiveRain.  With this series, I highlight posts that gave me that lightbulb moment. It could be something techie, a post about Real Estate or other professions, about a place, or a person. Or, it could be a post that made me sit up and take notice!   February 2: Lew Corcoran    A Heartfelt Thanks for Your Kindness and Thoughtfulness Lew’s post is a good example of one of the benefits of this month’s challenge. He introduced me to a member I have seen in the blogroll but have not interacted with.  Alan May     Copilot’s First Attempt at Me: Close, But I’m Prettier. Alan had some fun with AI and CoPilot. Give it a try and share yours in his comment section.   Februa... 02/08/2026

Who’s ready for the trip of a lifetime?We are launching our BIGGEST giveaway yet, and the prizes are absolutely incredible! 🌴✨We’re giving away THREE massive vacation packages to the members who help our community grow the most:🏆 1st Place: 6 days / 5 nights in Hawaii at a 5-star resort PLUS a $500 Hotel & Car Rental Discount Card!🥈 2nd Place: 4 days / 3 nights in Orlando PLUS a $400 Hotel & Car Rental Discount Card!🥉 3rd Place: 5 nights / 4 days in Cabo San Lucas PLUS a $300 Hotel & Car Rental Discount Card!How to enter:It’s simple! The winners will be the ones who invite and tag the most people to join our Moving to Florida! group. The more people you invite and tag, the better your chances to win. The more friends you bring into the community, the closer you are to paradise. 🏖️Deadli... 02/06/2026

With renewed attention on Federal Reserve policy and leadership, many buyers and sellers are asking the same question: Will mortgage rates drop if the Fed cuts rates?The honest answer is: not necessarily.Mortgage rates are long-term rates driven primarily by the bond market, not by the Fed Funds Rate. By the time the Federal Reserve cuts rates, markets have usually priced in those expectations well in advance. That’s why mortgage rates often don’t move or don’t move much after a Fed announcement.However, this doesn’t mean Fed rate cuts don’t matter.Even when mortgage rates stay flat, consumers still benefit from lower short-term rates. Fed cuts can reduce interest on credit cards, auto loans, and even on most Home Equity Lines.For Every Consumer this can mean better monthly cash managem... 02/06/2026

Recent headlines about a potential change in Federal Reserve leadership have led to renewed questions from buyers and sellers about mortgage rates. Here’s a clear, practical way to understand what actually matters and what doesn’t.What the Fed Controls (and What It Doesn’t)The Federal Reserve sets the Fed Funds Rate, which is a short-term, overnight lending rate between banks. This rate influences credit cards, auto loans, and other short-term borrowing. This helps every consumer !Mortgage rates are different. They are long-term rates driven by the bond market, particularly mortgage-backed securities. While mortgage rates and the Fed Funds Rate often trend in the same direction over time, they do not move together day-to-day or even announcement-to-announcement.Why Fed Rate Cuts Often D... 02/06/2026