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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 23, 2024
By Louise Bolger

Changing tides

Every day I watch the tides change. Sometimes they’re low, sometimes they’re high, and every day is different. You could say almost the same thing about mortgage interest rates, but the tides for rat…
January 16, 2024
By Louise Bolger

New world order: Renting

Like fashion, real estate goes in and out of vogue. What was all the rage in one decade can be out the next. Well, now the real estate reset is homeownership. My parents grew up in a big city that…
January 9, 2024
By Louise Bolger

The heat is on

The U.S. Census Bureau has released its population statistics for the year 2022 to 2023. All I can say is the heat is on in the South. The takeaway here is that Texas and Florida’s population grew b…
January 1, 2024
By Louise Bolger

Happy new real estate year

Despite homeownership being a pipe dream for many Americans, there is good news on the horizon. If you’re a first-time buyer and are still stuck on the sidelines, this may be the time to get started…
December 23, 2023
By Louise Bolger

Will there be home stability in the New Year?

It’s a whole year later and we’re still talking about interest rates and low inventory – will it ever end? The sellers are still happy with their values, the buyers are still dismayed with the lack o…
December 19, 2023
By Louise Bolger

It’s a wonderful Island

Although most Americans didn’t realize it then, the holiday season of 1946 was the opening bell of some of the most prosperous decades in our history. World War II had just ended, and men and women w…
December 13, 2023
By Louise Bolger

Working in paradise

This may seem redundant, but Anna Maria Island is an island and, like every island in the world, it’s surrounded by water. There are two bridges to the Island from Bradenton, one north and one south…
December 5, 2023
By Louise Bolger

Is owning a home still the American dream?

Last week we talked about first-time buyers who are taking a pause in their house hunting and redirecting their savings. But is this the new permanent reality in a country that includes homeownership…
November 28, 2023
By Louise Bolger

Enjoy life or keep waiting

What would you do if you had a bunch of savings and the thing you were saving for is unavailable? A lot of first-time home buyers in the country are faced with that exact problem but they’re not all…
November 20, 2023
By Louise Bolger

Be thankful – maybe

This is Thanksgiving week, and in spite of or because of our current housing market, we have much to be thankful for. Not everyone in the world can live in their own home, especially in such a beauti…
November 14, 2023
By Louise Bolger

Rent, buy or add on?

Confused? Of course you are, if you’re a potential buyer. We are living through a very dysfunctional housing market and the maze doesn’t look like it’s ending any time soon. Should you buy, should yo…
November 7, 2023
By Louise Bolger

Negotiating is coming back

Once upon a time, there was a great tradition in real estate where sellers listed their homes, buyers made an offer and eventually, both parties met in the middle and, like magic, you had a sound tra…
November 1, 2023
By Louise Bolger

What is a condominium?

Condos are all over Florida, representing every imaginable price range. People live in them full-time, part-time or invest in them. They’re a very flexible real estate resource, but are they meant fo…
October 24, 2023
By Louise Bolger

Speaking of spooky, look at those population numbers

Halloween is next week, so as you’re decorating your home with spooky and creepy stuff from the Dollar Store, think about the spine-chilling increase in population right here in Manatee County. Ther…
October 17, 2023
By Louise Bolger

Get insurance if you can

Even though our area has so far been spared a major hurricane hit this year, the threat is always there, as is the threat of losing your insurance. What happens if you can’t get homeowners insurance…