Archive for May, 2008

Saskatoon Neighbourhood Pleasant Hill Receives Funding For New School

Friday, May 16th, 2008

For those of you who currently live in the Pleasant Hill neighbourhood in Saskatoon or are possibly looking to buy real estate in this area, you will be happy to learn that funding for a new school has been provided.  The Saskatchewan provincial government has committed to provide $8.3 million to be used for the construction of a new St. Mary Community School.  This new school will also include a day care and a wellness centre.  The city of Saskatoon has also committed to providing $500,000 in addition to the Saskatchewan government contribution.

The existing St. Mary school in Pleasant Hill is part of the Saskatoon Catholic School board and for years has been over crowded and not adequate for the students needs.  On several occasions the Catholic school board in Saskatoon have attempted to get work done on the school without success.  This announcement of new funding will provide for a new school to be built and better serve the students and residents of Pleasant Hill.

With the addition of this new school, real estate prices in Pleasant Hill will probably increase as well.  Pleasant Hill has traditionally been known as a rougher area of the city but with changes like this on the horizon, things will change in a hurry.  If you are interested in either buying or sell real estate in the Pleasant Hill area or anywhere in Saskatoon be sure to contact me and I’ll be happy to work with you!

To read more about the new school in Pleasant Hill click here.

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

New High-End Condo Project Announced For Broadway Area

Friday, May 16th, 2008

The Meridian Development group announced on Thursday, May 15th that it will be developing a commercial/residential condo project on Broadway Avenue in Saskatoon.  This will be a high-end condo project aimed at the higher end buyer.  The project itself will consist of 24 condo units with three of those being penthouse units priced around $1.3 million dollars the smaller units are estimated to start around the $450,000 mark for 1,200 sq ft.

This will be a unique development for the city of Saskatoon and with the growing Saskatoon real estate market will be a nice addition.  There are various other high end condo projects throughout Saskatoon but this one will also incorporate commercial space on the first floor of the unit.  The large penthouse units will include huge hidden private terraces just above the main floor commercial space.  The condo project will be located on the corner of Broadway Avenue and Ninth Street.

As the Saskatoon real estate market continues to grow we will continue to see new and unique developments like this go up around the city.  If you are interested in learning more about the Saskatoon condo real estate market be sure to contact me and I will be happy to assist you.

For additional information on this story visit the Saskatoon Star Phoenix article.

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

Saskatoon Real Estate Market Update – May 12, 2008

Wednesday, May 14th, 2008

Our Saskatoon Real Estate market has seen a great increase in listings over the past month. We have at least 500 single family dwellings actively for sale on Saskatoon MLS and 218 active condos in Saskatoon. In small towns outside of Saskatoon there are at least 500 listings on the market as well.

People are wondering if this means that prices will drop in Saskatoon. While we are seeing people reducing the prices on their homes for sale in Saskatoon, the market is not going down in Saskatoon. Our economy in Saskatoon and Saskatchewan is very strong and the forecast in the next 10 years looks outstanding, but many people were expecting spring to be as crazy as it was last year so too many sellers held off listing until now and it appears to have backfired on them.

It is just a matter of time before some of these listings get cleaned up, but for now it means that we have a balanced real estate market in Saskatoon once again and that is hard for sellers to understand and cope with. While some people are willing to move on the price, many sellers are still not motivated to negotiate on the prices… especially builders in Saskatoon. So that being said, it is a great time to buy a house in Saskatoon as you can get what you want and you may be able to get it for a bit less than list price. If you are interested in buying real estate in Saskatoon, be sure to contact me and I would be eager to assist you any way I can!

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

What Saskatoon Real Estate Zoning Means

Wednesday, May 14th, 2008

The Saskatoon real estate market can be confusing at the best of times, but then there are all the codes that come along to confuse you further. These codes reflect Saskatoon residential real estate, commercial real estate in Saskatoon has other codes that you can ask me about.

In Saskatoon Real Estate, here are some of the most common Zoning Codes that you will see:

  • R1-large lot for one unit dwelling
  • R1A-normal lot for one unit dwelling
  • R1B-small lot for one unit dwelling
  • R2-one and two unit dwellings
  • RMHC-mobile home court district
  • RMHL-mobile homes on individual sites
  • R2A-low density residential infill district for one and two unit dwellings
  • RMTN-townhouse residential district
  • RM1-low density (1-4 units) multiple unit dwellings
  • RM2-low/medium density multiple unit dwellings
  • RM3-medium density multiple unit dwelling
  • RM4-medium/high density multiple unit dwelling
  • RM5-high density multiple unit dwelling

When looking at purchasing real estate in Saskatoon zoning can be important depending on what your future plans are for the lot and depending on what is currently in the house. If you are in a Saskatoon neighbourhood that is zoned R1 and you have 3 suites, the city of Saskatoon can enforce the zoning laws if they find out you have 3 suites. They can enforce you to take the suites out (which is generally removing the kitchens in them).

So this should make the zoning in Saskatoon a bit more clear, but you can always look at the City of Saskatoon’s website for a more in depth look before purchasing real estate in Saskatoon.

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

Mexico Real Estate Investment Seminar POSTPONED!

Wednesday, May 14th, 2008

Please note that the Mexico real estate investment seminar scheduled for May 15th has been postponed due to a scheduling conflict.  We will be rescheduling this for June so keep checking back for updates.  If you are looking for information on Mexico real estate investment prior to our seminar please feel free to contact me at my Saskatoon real estate website.  I have a section for investors there and have information about the Serena Marina & Golf Luxury Residences that are located in Mazatlan, Mexico.  For this and any other real estate questions, please feel free to contact me anytime.

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

Mexico Luxury Real Estate Investment Seminar!

Thursday, May 8th, 2008

Serena Marina & GolfI want to invite anyone interested in real estate investing to attend a seminar that will be happening on Thursday, May 15th at 7pm.  Ed Machart and I will be putting on this great event with a focus on a new luxury Mexico real estate investment project we are currently working on.  The project is called the Serena Marina & Golf Residences and is located in beautiful Mazatlan, Mexico.  This is one of the most prestigous developments in Mexico and has the unique feature of being located on a brand new golf course designed by a world famous designer as well right on its own exclusive marina.  If you are an avid fisherman or golfer this high end luxury property is definitely something you will want to check out.  We have had the opportunity to visit the project in person and meet the developer and were extremely impressed.  When attending this event you will also have the unique opportunity to meet the sales manager from Mazatlan yourself.  To find out more information about the Serena Marina & Golf Residence project be sure to visit the Mexico Investment Real Estate section of my website.

Date: May 15, 2008
Time: 7:00pm (doors and sign in will commence at 6:30)
Location: Heritage Inn, Saskatoon (See Map)

E-mail kari@hotspotinvestments.ca to register for this event or for additional details.  We look forward to seeing you there!

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

Gasoline Prices Rise In Saskatoon

Thursday, May 8th, 2008

Yesterday I posted an article about Tips On Saving Gasonline, it appears that this came at the exact right time.  Yesterday gas prices in the city of Saskatoon hit $1.31.  This is the highest gas prices have ever been and is a direct result of oil hitting over $120 a barrel.  The price increase started at some gas stations yesterday and was slowly spreading over the city.  It is expected that by today gas prices across Saskatoon will hit the $1.31 mark.  Saskatoon and Regina are two of the most expensive cities in Canada to buy gas in right now.  With the upcoming long weekend gas prices could creep up a few more cents.  I have a hard time understanding why gas prices keep going up so quickly considering we are hearing about how oil companies are making record profits.  The higher the gas prices go up the more the tax dollars are generated as well.  You would expect that the government might come in and do something.  It doesn’t like gas prices will decrease anytime soon and could be as high as $1.50 a litre by the summer.  Be sure to keep an eye out for cheaper gas.

You can read more about the gas increase at the Saskatoon Star Phoenix website.

Also read How To Find Cheap Gas In Saskatoon.

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

How To Find Cheaper Gas In Saskatoon

Thursday, May 8th, 2008

With gas prices increasing in Saskatoonit is important for consumers to realize that they have options in finding cheaper gas throughout the city.  You can’t expect to save a ton of money but as a Saskatoon home owner, every little bit counts.  It is predicted that gas prices will shoot up over the next 3 months to almost $1.50 a litre and this often happens during the day before people get off work.  Usually there are a few gas stations that will wait until the following day but eventually they all go up.  Below are some tips on how to source out cheaper gasoline in Saskatoon.

Use The Internet – there are many websites on the net like saskatoongasprices.com that will provide you information on the current price of gas for many of the gas stations across Saskatoon.  The information is updated pretty regularly so if you are looking for the cheapest place to fill up, check out this website.

Consider A Reward Card – Many companies offer reward cards and they all differ slightly.  Some companies like the Saskatoon Co-op offer rewards so basically at the end of the year you get a % back in all the purchases you’ve done with them.  Other gas stations work in conjunction with Air Miles (which anyone buying real estate with a Saskatoon Century 21 Realtoris eligible for as well) and other reward programs. 

Take Advantage of Coupons – With gas prices going up you will start to see stores taking advantage of this and trying to offer you deals to get you into the store.  On more than a few occasions I have seen coupons from Superstore offering .20 cents off a litre with a grocery purchase of $200 or more.  Other companies offer deals like this as well, just be sure to keep your eyes open.

These are only a few ways for Saskatoon home owners and anyone else to save money on gas.  It will be important to take note of these.  In many cases you can use multiple methods at one location.  For example, at Shell you can use an Air Miles card and you can also pay with a credit card that produces Air Miles so essentially you are doubling up.  You can redeem Air Miles for gas, trips, electronics and a whole variety of things.  If you have additional tips be sure to include them!

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

Baby Boomers Creating New Real Estate Trend

Thursday, May 8th, 2008

The baby boomer generation is leading the pack in a new real estate trend across both Canada and the United States.  Baby boomers are people born between 1946 and 1965.  This age group essentially makes up one third of Canada’s population.  It appears that with many baby boomer children moving away from home or buying their own homes, that many of them are downsizing their current homes.  In the Saskatoon real estate market we have seen a large increase of both the baby boomer and older generations downsizing their homes.  Without children in the house the demand for space has decreased dramatically.  Less space in a house means less work and therefore frees up your time to take on other interests.  There has been a huge increase of people moving into townhouse complexes as well as condos as yard work, snow removal and other tasks are taken care of you by your condo board.

Another trend that is happening is that many baby boomers upon retiring are selling their homes and relocating else where.  Many are relocating to warmer climates or else purchasing a seasonal home else where in the world and spending only summers in Saskatoon.  This provides people the best of both worlds.  This trend will continue as the baby boomer generation continues to retire.  If you are interested in selling your existing home or downsizing, or even interested in seasonal international real estate be sure to contact me and I will be happy to help you!

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

Tips For Saving Gasoline

Wednesday, May 7th, 2008

If you are familiar with my blog or know me, you know that I am very passionate about the environment and am always looking at ways to do my part.  I enjoy providing all of my Saskatoon real estate clients and everyone else information on being more environmentally friendly.  Most times, being environmentally friendly also means that you will save money in the long run as you often use less energy, water, etc.  With the recent increase in gasoline prices I thought it would be a perfect time to provide some tips on saving gasoline.

  • A lot of people like to drive over 100km/h on the highway these days but the Canadian Automobile Association claims that driving 120 km/h burn approximately 20% more fuel than when you drive at 100km/h.  In turn driving 90km/h will save you an additional 10%, although I don’t recommend driving below the speed limit as it tends to upset some people.
  • Cruise control is your friend on the highway.  If you have cruise control use it as much as possible as it will keep your speed constant and save fuel.
  • If at all possible don’t run your AC in your car while driving.  It takes a lot of extra energy to run your AC and can eat up an additional 20% of your fuel consumption as a result.
  • Ensure your tires on your car have proper air pressure.  Under inflated tires is a big cause of reduced fuel efficency.
  • Remove unnecessary weight from your car.  I know that many people tend to leave heavy objects in their car even when they are not using them.  I don’t know how people I know that keep sand bags in their trunks year round for winter driving.  The extra weight will eat up your gas mileage.
  • If you have overdrive on your automatic vehicle, be sure to use it at higher speeds.
  • Avoid idling your car for long periods of time.  It takes less fuel to start your car than it does to leave your car idling for 10 seconds.  If you are in a drive thru that is taking a long time, shut off your engine or even if you are just running in somewhere for a quick second.  Do not turn off your car though while in traffic.
  • Plan your trips and avoid areas where you know there will be delays in traffic.  A good example is if you know there is going to be construction on your regular route to and from work, go online and look at alternative routes.  They could possibly save you time and gasoline.

I am always interested in hearing more ways to help the environment and do your part.  If you have any tips be sure to contact me and I’ll post them on my blog.

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