Archive for March, 2008

Earth Hour 2008 – Did You Remember?

Monday, March 31st, 2008

Last night, people around the world made a statement by turning off all of their lights in their home for 1 full hour between 8pm and 9pm. Major cities across the world participated including smaller cities like Saskatoon.  Check out this YouTube video of Toronto celebrating Earth Hour 2008.

The city of Saskatoon stated they were going to participate in Earth Hour.  I am unaware if they actually did or not as I stayed in my own home, having a dinner by candlelight. I know other organizations like Innovation Place urged their tenants to participate and shut down their office lights during this time.  As I mentioned I stayed home during Earth Hour but was curious on how many people in my area would participate.  At around 7:55 I was very happy to see other Saskatoon home owners in my neighborhood start turning off the lights in their home.  On my street alone I counted at least 10 people shutting off their lights at around 8:00pm.  It was easy to see quite a few people with candles glowing in their homes.  It is great to see Saskatoon as a community take part in such a strong statement. Feel free to comment and share on your Earth Hour experience!

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

Century21.ca Named Top 10 Website

Sunday, March 30th, 2008

Recently, Century 21 Canada launched a new website to better provide our clients an easy to use website for all of your real estate needs.  Recently this website was named one of the top 10 real estate websitesby Joel Burslem, founder of Future of Real Estate Marketing.  Every Century 21 real estate agent in Canada has their own mini-website located on the larger Century21.ca website.  Be sure to visit Kari Calder – Saskatoon Realtor to see the new website and layout.

As a Saskatoon real estate agent I am committed to using as many marketing resources as possible when selling your home.  With saying that I maintain several websites and submit your listing to several more for maximum exposure when selling your home.  Internet Marketing has changed the way that I as a Saskatoon Realtor can market your property.  Saskatchewan is currently leading Canada in population growthand as a result there are many people relocating to Saskatchewan.  This is a whole new market that will be using the Internet to search for homes prior to relocating.

If you are interested in selling your home be sure to contact me and I can provide you a detailed marketing plan on how I will market and sell your home.  For all other Saskatoon real estate needs be sure to contact me!

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

Century 21 Renews Contract With Air Miles

Friday, March 28th, 2008

There are many benefits when working with a Saskatoon Century 21 real estate agent, but one that no other Saskatoon Realtor can offer is providing their clients Air Miles.  Century 21 Canada is the only real estate organization in Canada that offers Air Miles.  Just recently Century 21 signed their renewal contract with Air Miles to ensure they continue to provide this great benefit to their clients.  If you are unfamiliar with the Air Milesprogram, it is a great program that is free to join.  Essentially when you purchase items at Air Miles sponsors you earn points that you can later redeem for everything ranging from gift certificates for gas to flights to your favorite destinations.  When purchasing a home with a Century 21 Saskatoon Real Estate agent you earn 2 Air Miles Reward Miles for every $1000 property value you buy or sell.  As you can imagine this adds up quite quickly and is a huge bonus for people buying and selling property.  Be sure when buying or selling a home in Saskatoon or the surrounding area to work with a Century 21 Realtor and earn Air Miles to put towards anything from a new item for your home or towards your dream vacation.  Be sure to contact me to find out additional information on the Air Miles Reward Program and the Saskatoon real estate market!

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

Saskatchewan Population Fastest Growing In Canada

Friday, March 28th, 2008

The population of Saskatchewan was the fastest growing in Canada in 2007 according to a recent article.  The Canadian national average for growth in 2007 was 1.1 per cent and Saskatchewan in 2007 had a 1.7 per cent population growth.  This is Saskatchewan’s largest population growth in one year since 1952.  As of January 1, 2008 the estimated population of Saskatchewan is 1,006,644.  In 2007 there were also 6,950 more people that moved from Alberta to Saskatchewan than from Saskatchewan to Alberta.  The total amount of people that moved to Saskatchewan in 2007 is estimated at over 16,000 people.  As a Saskatoon real estate agent I can confirm that in Saskatoon alone we have seen a huge influx of people moving here and especially from Alberta.  Our province provides an affordable and quality lifestyle most people can’t achieve anywhere else in our country.  I am currently working with several people relocating back to our province that moved away years ago.  Many of them still have family here and are looking at coming back to be closer to family and also enjoy the quality of life Saskatoon provides its residents.  The Saskatoon real estate market is a direct indicator at the success our province has experienced as well as the population growth.  The vacancy rate for both residential and commercial property are at the lowest points they have been in for years.  The Saskatchewan economy is extremely strong and there are no signs of it slowing down.  If you are interested in getting involved in the Saskatoon real estate market be sure to contact me and I will be able to provide you in depth information on our current market and provide you an idea of what is available.

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

Saskatoon Home To Canada’s Next Great Prime Minister

Wednesday, March 26th, 2008

Saskatoon is home to Canada’s next great Prime Minister!  Alika Lafontaine was awarded this title on Sunday night on a CBC sponsored show hosted by none other than Rick Mercer.  Alika is a 25 year old Saskatoon resident who also happens to be a local doctor.  During the television show he competed in a debate against 3 other people up for the title.  He was asked several questions about current national issues by a panel of prior Canadian Prime Ministers including Kim Campbell, John Turner and Paul Martin.  Alika was announced the winner by in-studio voting of the audience.  Besides bragging rights Alika was also awarded $50,000.  He said that he contributes his success to the support he received at home with his family.

It is always great to hear people from Saskatoon make national news and especially something as great as this.  The province of Saskatchewan is leading the country in some many areas ranging from real estate, economic growth to now future leaders of our country.

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

Saskatchewan Economic Growth Will Lead Canada

Wednesday, March 26th, 2008

According to a report from the Canada West Foundation, Saskatchewan’s economic growth will lead Canada this year.  The report outlines that virtually every sector in Saskatchewan’s economy is expected to grow.  This does not only include mining, construction, and agriculture but also includes real estate, research, and retail sales.  The report also outlines that Saskatchewan is the best suited province to overcome and not be affected by the current American recession.  This is mainly due to the variety of goods and services our province produces over other provinces.  Saskatchewan is a unique province in that we have an abundance of natural resources that now only after years people are starting to explore and utilize.  We have already started to see the growth of our market and the way most people have felt it is the big increase in real estate costs across the province.  The Saskatoon real estate market is leading the entire province and country in growth.  As our economy continues to grow and expand more and more people will relocate to Saskatoon and the rest of Saskatchewan to try and benefit from it.  This is an excellent time to be living in Saskatoon.  If you don’t live in Saskatchewan but are interested in investing in real estate here be sure to contact me and I will be more than happy to assist you!

Click here to read the entire story from the Star Phoenix.

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

Saskatoon Home Owners – Earth Hour 2008

Wednesday, March 26th, 2008

Earth Hour is a global event organized by the World Wildlife Federation.  On March 29th at 8pm until 9pm millions of people around the world will do one very simple thing which will deliver a powerful and symbolic message about the need to address global warming.  Starting at 8pm on the 29th people around the world will turn off their lights in their home and businesses for 1 hour.  This includes things like televisions, computers, etc.  I think this is an amazing idea and it unites everyone in the world that believes that global warming is a real threat that needs to be addressed.  I encourage all Saskatoon home owners and everyone else in Saskatoon and the surrounding areas to take part in this event.  This is an amazing opportunity to contribute to the overall success of an important message.  Be sure to tell friends and family of this event.  Some people may think what can I possibly do for an hour without the lights on?  As for myself I plan on spending the night with a few friends and lighting a few candles and just enjoy some quality time with them.  Be sure to spread the word around about Earth Hour and do your part as a Saskatoon home owner and turn your lights off on March 29th from 8pm to 9pm.  Be sure to check out the video at You Tube!

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

10 Energy Saving Tips For You And Your Saskatoon Home

Tuesday, March 25th, 2008

Unlike many places in North America, Saskatoon has 4 very distinct seasons.  As a result there are many things you as a Saskatoon home owner can do to lower your utility usage and save money.  Below are a list of 10 ways for you to save money in your day to day lives.  As you know owning and operating a home can be expensive at times especially in the winter heating it and in the summer cooling it.  Why not take a bit of extra time and follow the the tips below to not only save you money but to also contribute to saving the environment.

  • Make an effort to turn off all lights and appliances when you leave a room and they are not in use.  Many people often leave on lights as they travel through their home without turning them off.  Another big one is the television.
  • In the winter at night or during the day when you are not at home, turn down your thermostat to 18 degrees celsius.  This will make a significant difference in your heating bill in the winter.
  • Take advantage of Saskatoon’s sunny winters and during the day in the winters be sure to keep your blinds open.  Although it’s -40 outside the sun will provide a bit of additional warmth in your home.  During the summer be sure to keep your blinds and windows closed.
  • Regularly clean your furnace filters, vacuum them once a month if you can.  This will provide better air flow for your furnace which means it will have to work less.
  • Plan out your trips prior to leaving the house when driving.  If you can make your trips out in your car multi-purpose trips this will lower the amount you need to drive and will lower the amount of gas your car consumes.
  • When washing cloths use cold water and ensure you wash full loads of laundry.  Every store now carries cold water detergent so by using this and cold water to wash your cloths you will see a difference in your utility bills.
  • Try not to let your car idle for more than 10 seconds at a time unless you are in traffic.  Starting your car uses less fuel than letting it idle for 10 seconds.
  • Unless it is an extremely cold Saskatchewan night try to only plug your car in for a couple hours before you intend to drive it.  Block heaters do consume a lot of energy.  If you have a garage it is definitely worth insulating it as this will reduce the time your car will need to warm up.
  • When cooking try to use small appliances for smaller meals.  Microwaves, toaster ovens or slow cookers are a good substitution for a single meal than using the entire oven.
  • When cooking food on your stove be sure to use pots that cover the entire stop-top element.  Many new stoves have the ability and technology to switch the cooking surface.  By using a pot that covers the entire surface you will save energy.

These are just a few tips to save you money in your day to day living.  As a Saskatoon Realtor I will continue to provide information to people on how to lower your utility costs.  If you are like me saving money is always a good thing! 

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

Saskatoon Gardenscape 2008

Monday, March 24th, 2008

Trade show season is starting to heat up in the city of Saskatoon.  The Saskatoon home and garden show was only a few weeks ago and was a huge success.  This coming up weekend which is an excellent complimentry trade show to the home show is Saskatoon GardenScape 2008.  This show is the third largest of its kind in Canada and will be held at Prairie Land Park.  The main purpose of the show is to provide information for those people who are interested in horticulture and outdoor living. There is tons of information and booths showing people everything from sprucing up your yard to the latest in gardening.

Landscaping and the general overall exterior and interior appearance of your home is extremely important when looking to sell your home in the Saskatoon real estate market.  Because the Saskatoon real estate market is currently so busy it is important that you make the best first impression with your home to potential buyers.  Buyers don’t have the luxury of visiting the properties several times and getting to know it better.  As a seller you want to have as much interest in your property as possible so by doing some landscaping or decorating the appeal of your home will increase.  You can visit my website for ideas and tips on home renovations to increase the value of your home as well.  If you are interested in selling your home in the Saskatoon or surrounding area real estate market I would be delighted to speak with you.  I can provide you in depth information on what to realistically expect for your home as well provide you some easy and simple tips and tricks to increase the value of your home and attract more interest.  For all of your Saskatoon real estate selling needs be sure to contact me!

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

SaskPower Providing Saskatoon Homeowners More With Technology

Monday, March 24th, 2008

It is great to see Saskatoon utility providers like SaskPower embrace technology and use it to not only benefit their clients but also to be more environmentally friendly.  Saskatoon home owners and renters now have the ability to find all of your account details online by signing up at: mypoweraccount.saskpower.com.  There are many benefits by creating an online account that include:

  • Ability to check your current balance.
  • Compare previous power bills and usage.
  • Review your current power consumption and change your power usage accordingly to save money and power.
  • Sign up for equalized monthly payments.
  • Sign up for paperless billing which is not only convienent but also environmentally friendly!

Within the next few years I believe we will start to see more and more companies moving to this format.  It is a great alternative for homeowners and makes our busy lives that much easier to manage.  I know for myself, since signing up with my My Power Account I enjoy using it far more than I ever did recieving just a regular bill in the mail!

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