Archive for October, 2007

First Time Buyers

Tuesday, October 30th, 2007

I love working with first time buyers as I was also a first time buyer just a couple of years ago and I remember the excitement, trepidation, questions upon questions, and the end result of the greatest sense of pride of ownership as it is so new! Not the house usually, but the sense of pride of finally having your own home and something that is entirely yours. To know that you are not paying someone else’s mortgage is very empowering.

I remember when I first bought, I don’t think I slept from the time the house was bought until I got possession…3 months later!!! I would lie in bed and picture where I would put my furniture, I was out buying furniture and storing it at my friends places until I got my house, and I had my paint picked out 2 months before I even moved in. Was I excited?? Lol, just a wee bit! Luckily everything I bought and picked out fit just fine and when I finally moved in I was able to sleep again.

It is completely normal to get buyer’s remorse though, don’t worry if you do. You almost get ‘cold feet’ but that is okay, just don’t get so scared you decide not to do it as it is normal. I know I did, I was worried I had made a mistake, however I found out that while I was waiting for possession I was building equity as prices were going up, and this was well before our big boom here. Normally this is what should occur. I think with my excitement and not sleeping was also partially worry, but my first night there I knew it was right.

I think one of the biggest reasons I am in real estate is for the highs; and new home buyers’ excitement is contagious and definitely constitutes the highs of the job. There are always lows, even with new home buyers, but it is a big learning curve for them and as agents we have to remember how it feels and to have patience.

It is great to see people as young as 18 getting their foot on that first rung of the real estate ladder.

There are so many options now for people with good credit that it makes it easier and it just makes sense. In general it seems to be much easier for people to get mortgages and with all the options out there with all the different banks, I always advise my clients to shop around to get the best rate and the best option. Just like anything, it is always smart to get a second opinion so ask me if I have someone that might be able to help.

With young first time buyers usually come their parents, which I think is great. They are also usually proud to see their kids getting started in one of the safest investments out there. Some parents are a little over protective and I do have clients who feel the need to apologize, but I also have over protective but very well meaning parents, so I say bring them on! Don’t be afraid to bring them along once we find ‘the one’ for a second look. Be glad if they are there to help you spread your wings, it is a big step for them too and also emotional for them.

Just remember that all of the feelings are normal and not to hesitate to ask me or talk to me about what you are going through as I can help you out. And invite me to your housewarming so I can see how happy you are and the pride you feel!

As always please contact me if you have any questions!

Kari Calder
Saskatoon Real Estate Agent
Century 21 Conexus Realty Ltd.
www.karicalder.com

To Clean Or Not To Clean

Monday, October 22nd, 2007

Do I really have to ask? Apparently, I do as courtesy seems to disappear sometimes. Recently I have handed over sets of keys to my buyers only to find the house a complete disaster. Dirty, garbage left behind, clearly not left in the condition my clients were hoping to see as they generally don’t have a lot of time to clean before the movers arrive. It is disappointing, but unfortunately it is not a rule that has to be follow, more common courtesy, but common courtesy seems to be lacking more and more these days. Our only hope was that whoever they bought their house from left them with a similar mess, but that negativity also has to stop as where does the ‘pay it backwards’ end? I asked my clients if they would ever leave their house like that, and of course they said no.

I believe it is my duty as an agent to ensure that my clients leave their houses how they would like to find their next house, but not everyone thinks the same way. I know from personal experience when you are moving and you are going to a new house that the last thing you want to do is go back to the old house to clean, but I feel it is only fair to do it. At the very least, go online and find someone who is advertising to make a bit of extra money or ask your friends to help you clean and offer to pay $10-$15/hour, it won’t take long as the house is already empty. If you are “done” with the old house, it is a really good idea to hire someone for a few hours. I am a big believer of karma and fairness and there is nothing worse than going to your new house that you have been waiting and anticipating and looking forward to just to have the excitement dampened by someone else’s ignorance and mess. So be kind, chances are you made a good amount of money on your house given the market we are in, spend a few extra dollars to give your buyers a good possession and a great welcome to their new home, after all, it is their new treasure!

Kari Calder
Saskatoon Real Estate Agent
Century 21 Conexus Realty Ltd.
www.karicalder.com

Why I Moved Back

Monday, October 22nd, 2007

After traveling around the world for 2 years, I have to say that Saskatchewan people are amongst the nicest and most accommodating in the world. I forgot about that while I was away but when I returned for a visit I decided I would return for good very soon. As fun and exciting as it is to live overseas, I found it impossible to get ahead and was working hard just to live. I could not get ahead! There are pros and cons everywhere in the world, of course our nasty winters are in the con department for me, however if I could embrace winter sports I would be better off…but that just isn’t going to happen L Despite the terrible winters and all of the snow, there are pros to that as well…we don’t have rain for 30 days straight, even if it is minus 40 degrees the sun is strong and cheery thereby not causing many cases of SADS (Seasonal Affective Disorder).

I love this city, the fact that I can get anywhere in 15 minutes or less (okay, maybe 20 if I keep to the speed limit) yet can enjoy almost all of the amenities of a ‘big’ city makes it a very desirable place for me to live.

This city is growing, but it still has a small town feel and mentality. Sometimes this is good, but not always as small towns can be small minded, but I don’t feel that way about our city as we embrace culture, art, different ethnicities, etc. I hope our city doesn’t double in size like many cities that get a Synchotron do as I like it the way it is, but the growth we have seen has been great for our economy. We are finally getting some recognition in the world and we are catching up to some of the other larger cities. I can see why so many of the people who I have been dealing with as buyers are either moving back to Saskatoon or are moving here because of our reasonable housing prices (yes, even after the boom we are still very reasonably priced) and the opportunity to get ahead and to enjoy life in the city and be close enough to the lakes for a quick getaway. It is a great place to be, put down roots, and enjoy life and not having to dread the commute to work every day.

Kari Calder
Saskatoon Real Estate Agent
Century 21 Conexus Realty Ltd.
www.karicalder.com
 

Reduce Reuse Recycle

Monday, October 22nd, 2007

We can all do our part, it doesn’t cost much (if anything), and it is easy to do. Why doesn’t everyone do it??? We are generally well educated people yet it is incredible how many people don’t bother to take advantage of our recycling programs. We all know that Global Warming is a reality now and that there are things we can do. I’m not expecting people to all drive hybrids and walk in the middle of winter, however there are small things each person can do to help our environment. I am appalled at how many cardboard boxes I see sticking out of garbage cans every pick up day, and that is only a small part of the things people don’t recycle that can be recycled here.

I doubt those same people throw out cans and bottles, somehow making 10 cents on a bottle makes it worthwhile to keep it, even if it gets smelly and sticky. So if you are willing to hold onto that, why not cardboard, paper, newspapers etc and drop them in one of the MANY big green bins around the city. If you don’t want to pay for pick ups, you can at least do this.

Paying that $10/month allows me to recycle things there are no drop boxes for such as glass jars, tin cans and plastics. We have a household of 2 adults and 2 pets and we dispose only 1 small garbage bag a week, yet I fill 2 bins and a large bag with recycle every 2 weeks to a place that will reuse them. Mind you, I am not impressed with the City and the lack of a free program to pick up household recycling like some other cities such as Prince Albert. Personally, I pay Saskatoon Curbside Recycling about $10/month to collect it from my driveway. It probably balances out with the $10 or so a month I might get back from Sarcan for bottle/can recycling, so I feel there is a good balance and it makes me feel like I am doing something as I am not willing to give up my car…not to mention it would be hard for me to sell houses if I drove a moped! So do your part, check out curbside recycling online and do small part in helping our environment while you still can!

Kari Calder
Saskatoon Real Estate Agent
Century 21 Conexus Realty Ltd.
www.karicalder.com

Saskatoon Current Market – October 11, 2007

Friday, October 12th, 2007

As everyone who hasn’t been living under a rock knows, our market has recently gone crazy and house prices increased dramatically. We were in a ‘sellers market’, one like Saskatoon has never seen before. This gave sellers the upper hand and, as people had to find houses to live in, buyers couldn’t necessarily afford to be as prudent or as picky as in a normal ‘balanced’ market. This has leveled off for the time being, however our market hasn’t dropped. So fear not those who are skeptical and pessimistic, our market isn’t going in the dumps, we are reaching a ‘balanced market’ stage where there are enough new homes coming on the market on a daily basis that buyers can be picky again and not just buy the first house they saw (or, in the case of our boom, bid on just any old house).

Just as people were starting to wrap their heads around the whole ‘bidding process’ our market seems to have returned to a state of normalcy. While you still see the occasional bidding situation, it is no longer the norm. We are back to a FCFS (first come first serve) market that makes the buyers much happier as they don’t have to just take a stab in the dark at a price. They can generally bid lower than the asking price and there is the possibility of negotiating. If you are looking to buy a house in the near future, now might be the time as sellers are generally a bit antsy as they may not be as educated about the market as they should be. Their agent should explain to them what the market is doing, however people get a number in their head of what they want for a price and it may be totally unrealistic. They may be judging it on what their neighbour got for their house a few months ago and thinking they should get the same, but as bidding is almost phased out people KNOW what to offer, they don’t pull a number out of a hat and hope that someone else doesn’t bid higher than them (not having ANY idea how many people and for how much people are bidding)So congrats buyers, you are now back in the drivers seat (but don’t be too cocky, this isn’t always the case depending on what you are looking for, your agent should be able to advise you on competition, and if they can’t contact me!)

Kari Calder
Saskatoon Real Estate Agent
Century 21 Conexus Realty Ltd.
www.karicalder.com

Media – Fact or Fiction?

Friday, October 12th, 2007

You know that you shouldn’t always believe the media, right? That is a mere understatement! Recently in the news the media stated something to the effect that average house prices have decreased in the past month. This caused some people to get upset, worrying that they overpaid for their properties. This is probably not the case (although in the seller’s market we just experienced there are a lot of people who ‘bid’ more than the probably should have just to get a house).

What the media does not tell you is how people come about getting the ‘average house price in Saskatoon’. They do an average, taking all of the properties that sell in a period of time and tally up the gross property value and divide it by the quantity of homes sold. What is neglected to be taken into consideration is the TYPE of residential property sold. Consider this, in one month if 100 houses sell and 75 of those are big new houses in S1 and 25 of those are apartment style condos (still considered residential), the average is going to appear to be extremely high…but in the next month those numbers are reversed and there are more condos selling (which was definitely the case due to the insane shortage of student housing) and only 25 large houses, the average is going to appear to have decreased. In reality, the market has not gone up or down, but the media just caught the tailwind and found out an average price overall.

Moral of the story, don’t always believe what you hear in the news, but we all already knew that, right?

As far as the future of real estate in Saskatoon…well, if I could tell you that for certain and I had a crystal ball, I would have invested all my money a year ago and I would be retired! We all wish we had the answer to that, but keep in mind, Saskatoon has a LOT going for it as a City and a lot more going on around Saskatoon, so we don’t see a decline, but a steady incline however probably nothing like we saw in the spring. Real estate is generally a safe investment in a thriving city like ours.

Kari Calder
Saskatoon Real Estate Agent
Century 21 Conexus Realty Ltd.
www.karicalder.com

Welcome to my blog!

Friday, October 12th, 2007

I have created this site to give people direct access to my experience as a Real Estate Agent in Saskatoon.  Please feel free to make comments or ask questions on my blog.  You are able to sign up on the blog and make comments at anytime.

Please feel free to send in topics, or specific questions and I will answer them as quickly as I can.  If you have any other specific needs or questions in regards to the Saskatoon Real Estate Market please feel free to contact me at anytime!

Kari Calder
Saskatoon Real Estate Agent
Century 21 Conexus Realty Ltd.
www.karicalder.com