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Louise Bolger

Louise Bolger

August 17, 2017
Louise Bolger is The Sun’s Real Estate columnist.
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January 3, 2021
By Louise Bolger
Castles in the Sand

Are home sales starting to slip?

It’s a new year and signs are pointing to the possibility that there may also be a new real estate market. We have been enjoying a high number of sales and increasing sales prices for practically all…
December 27, 2020
By Louise Bolger
Castles in the Sand

Real estate sales surge continues

Happy New Year, are we all just about done with this year? I certainly am. Nevertheless, Anna Maria’s real estate market is not done, and this year has been an immensely successful one in spite of th…
December 19, 2020
By Louise Bolger
Castles in the Sand

Merry mortgage rate Christmas

It’s Christmas, and many of us in the country are spending the day much quieter than in years past. We can only hope that the vaccine they have promised us will bring our world back to normal and nex…
December 13, 2020
By Louise Bolger
Castles in the Sand

Real estate sales rise as pandemic continues

The COVID-19 pandemic is having an adverse effect on most parts of our lives and economy. Even though the stock market continues to climb based on the “light at the end of the tunnel” theory, million…
December 6, 2020
By Louise Bolger
Castles in the Sand

Is your dream a vacation home?

Owning a dream vacation home is kind of like owning a dream boat, until you actually own one. The idea of it is so exciting that you spend hours every day looking at what’s available to buy. You imag…
November 29, 2020
By Louise Bolger
Castles in the Sand

National real estate markets better than ever

The first big holiday of the holiday season is behind us. We’ll find out soon if it results in more COVID-19 infections and will be thankful if we all came through it healthy. What we also need to be…
November 23, 2020
By Louise Bolger
Castles in the Sand

Real estate markets upturned

The old rules governing a buyer’s and a seller’s market have been seriously adjusted in the time of COVID-19. Areas of the country where they never dreamed of running out of inventory and integrating…
November 15, 2020
By Louise Bolger
Castles in the Sand

Of building permits and contractors

I don’t have any real statistical knowledge, but my educated guess is there have been a lot of building permits pulled since March. With COVID keeping us inside, it seems like the perfect time to fin…
November 9, 2020
By Louise Bolger
Castles in the Sand

Examine your condo flood insurance

Last week, I reviewed a fairly new nonprofit called First Street Foundation, established to help homeowners understand FEMA flood zones and potential flood zones not yet recognized by FEMA. I also po…
November 2, 2020
By Louise Bolger
Castles in the Sand

FEMA not the last word on flood risk estimates

We’re getting close to the official end of hurricane season and the accompanying flooding that comes with hurricanes. Every homeowner reading this column already knows they live in a flood zone or ve…
October 26, 2020
By Louise Bolger
Castles in the Sand

Ghosts, goblins and COVID

Halloween is in a couple of days, the first holiday since COVID struck that wearing a mask is not only encouraged, but welcome. Because of our beautiful fall weather, all of the little ghosts and gob…
October 18, 2020
By Louise Bolger
Castles in the Sand

Appraisals in the time of COVID

Like everything during the difficult times we’re living in, property appraisals have become one more task to accomplish safely. Not only is it difficult for appraisers to avoid a COVID infection and…
October 11, 2020
By Louise Bolger
Castles in the Sand

Mortgage protection in the time of COVID

As we keep moving along down this never-ending pandemic road, hardly a day goes by when there isn’t another major hit to our nervous system. Buried in all of this bad news and extraordinary events th…
October 4, 2020
By Louise Bolger
Castles in the Sand

Florida is new home to thousands

When I moved to Florida 23 years ago, I honestly thought I was at the end of the world. During my dog’s 11 o’clock walk, the brightness of the stars was so overwhelming, I would ask the dog, “Where h…
September 27, 2020
By Louise Bolger
Castles in the Sand

Mortgage interest rates lowest since 1971

Based on current interest rates, it’s a great time to buy a home, and it’s also a great time to sell a home. At this moment in time, sellers have the upper hand, prices are high, inventory is low and…