Archive for the ‘Canada Real Estate’ Category

Saskatoon-High in Crime? Good Job CBC!

Saturday, August 6th, 2011

I love how, right on the heels of an article that people in Saskatchewan have a cheery outlook on our economy and that Saskatchewan’s economy will be doing better than the national average, CBC prints news that we have the highest overall crime rate (and of course Winnipeg as their economic forecast is also pretty good!)

It seems to happen often like this. One article will bring people looking for job opportunities in Saskatoon or Saskatchewan and as a result the newsmakers will print a downer article to make people question if their lives are at stake if they come to Saskatchewan!? Maybe I am just jaded about the news industry, but I see it happen quite often so I don’t think it is a mere coincidence. CBC writers who are more than likely not from Saskatchewan?

What they always fail to mention about our crime statistics and and number of murders is that they are typically gang related and happen in the core neighbourhoods so 95% of the population is not affected by it. I have had people looking to buy houses for sale in Saskatoon who were worried because of ‘news’ like this. I am always sure to take them into the areas they will want to avoid. They are small and people should not lump in the rest of the west side of Saskatoon as there are loads of beautiful neighbourhoods on Saskatoon’s west side.

This map of murders though shows a more accurate story http://maps.google.ca/maps/ms?hl=en&ie=UTF8&msa=0&msid=215928702728334129136.0004976527ab5a5294799&ll=52.136624,-106.675694&spn=0.072763,0.153714&source=embed 

Saskatoon, and Saskatchewan in general, is one of the leading markets for economy, real estate, etc so it isn’t surprising that we also get negative publicity. I have certainly lived and traveled in scarier places in the world so take what you read with a grain of salt…as always! Saskatoon real estate is still a great investment and will continue to be so in the future in my opinion.

Kari Calder
Century 21 Fusion
306-653-8222

Century 21 Conexus Changed to Century 21 Fusion

Friday, July 22nd, 2011

I should write about a change in Century 21 Saskatoon that took place on July 1. We went from working under a bank, Conexus Credit Union, to becoming owned by Saskatoon real estate agents in less than a month. This was a good move for everyone I feel. We had our hands tied with the beauracracy of working under a banking system since I became a real estate agent in Saskatoon over 4 years ago. Conexus has now, I believe, sold off all of the Century 21 franchises across Saskatchewan.

Three Saskatoon real estate agents (and 1 spouse) purchased the Century 21 Saskatoon franchise and we are now called Century 21 Fusion. We take pride in advancing with technology while excelling at Saskatoon real estate sales. Gary Busch and Barry & Sandy Chilliak are the new agent/owners of Century 21 Saskatoon (Century 21 Fusion).

Some people ask me if it is a conflict of interest to have our Saskatoon real estate company owned by realtors in Saskatoon but little do they know Century 21 was one of the only ones that was not owned by Saskatoon real estate agents. So, is it a conflict of interest? Only if the owners are cherry picking the best listings when people call our company and are looking for a Saskatoon real estate agent to list their home for sale in Saskatoon.

Do I mind? If I minded I would have packed up my bags and left! With my 4 year annivesary having just passed as being a Realtor in Saskatoon I have not wavered from Century 21 Saskatoon as I enjoy my colleagues and I see the advantage of working with such a cohesive company. We have different things to offer than other brokerages in Saskatoon so I’m proudly sticking with them.

Kari Calder
Century 21 Fusion
653-8222

Saskatoon Ranked # 6 but # 1 with me!

Wednesday, June 1st, 2011

Moneysense recently came up on the hottest real estate markets in Canada and Saskatoon was #6 on the list. Amazingly to me Regina was #2?! Those of us true Saskatoon people would always say that Saskatoon is waaaaaay better than Regina but according to this article in Moneysense they had other criteria.

Taking first place for the second year is Moncton, NB. Houses are affordable and incomes are respectable. It is about half the size of Saskatoon and growing. Average house price here was pegged at $163,000.

Second place, as mentioned, is Regina and mainly because of its economy and lowest unemployment rate in Canada. Average house price takes quite a jump to $260,000. Regina was recently made a new Asia-Pacific gateway with the opening of a large grocery warehousing and distribution hub which added 800 new jobs to the city.

Third, fourth and fifth were Fredricton, NB, Winnipeg, Man and Saint John, NB respectively. Seems like NB is the place to live!

Saskatoon comes in at number 6 and mainly because of Saskatoon’s hot economy. We received the highest mrks for growing industry and rock bottom unemployment rate. We are the world’s largest potash producer and are home the one of the world’s largest publicly traded uranium companies (Cameco) but we are also growing in the technology and health sciences sectors. Most people don’t realize the impact of Innovation Place on the city.

From there we have Gatineau, Que with its government workers, Charlottetown, PEI which now boasts more than lobster and potatoes with its gorgeous historical homes and low home prices, and 9th on the list is St. John’s, NL and offshore oil industry and a nicel processing plant near by.

This article doesn’t mean that these are the city’s that you will get the best deals. This article shows best economies and growth. Our Saskatoon house prices aren’t a deal but our economy supports the prices and with all the different sectors the Saskatoon economy should remain strong for years to come. Our Saskatoon real estate market is a busy one and right now it is a balanced market so that means it is neither a buyer’s market or a sellers market but that there is enough product for both.  

If you are looking to get into the Saskatoon real estate market I work with first time home buyers in Saskatoon, investors, clients looking to move up or looking to downsize. I work with all types of buyers and enjoy working with people to find their dream home or at least to find something suitable for their needs.

If you are looking to put your house for sale in Saskatoon let me tell you about the Century 21 difference and how I will do my best to get you top dollar for your house. Working with a Century 21 Saskatoon real estate agent who takes part in the weekly meetings and Caravan system are a huge benefit to getting your home the exposure it deserves.

SOLD! Busy month!

Friday, April 1st, 2011

I should take holidays more often! The day before leaving for Belize with my fiance I got an offer on one of my houses for sale in Dalmeny that I had since before Christmas. This Dalmeny house for sale was a good deal. Nice square footage, backing the school playgrounds, quiet street.

I also had sales finalized on my 2 Saskatoon townhouses for sale and one of them received its new owners while I was away. The Saskatoon real estate market has been busy which is quite normal for this time of year. Spring has sprung, the weather is warming and people are out buying houses for sale in Saskatoon as well as listing their homes for sale in Saskatoon.

I have had some wonderful clients lately and have helped several first time home buyers in Saskatoon purchase as well as helping several of my Saskatoon real estate clients sell and buy up.

If you are thinking about buying or selling in Saskatoon I would be happy to help.

Kari Calder
Century 21 Conexus Realty Ltd
Saskatoon, SK
306-653-8222

Mortgage rules to change in March

Wednesday, February 9th, 2011

This is a long overdue post mostly because I have been so busy showing Saskatoon homes for sale due to the change that I have not had time to write about it! I have also been busy showing houses for sale around Saskatoon as there are lots of great new homes for sale in Warman and Martensville.

As of March 18th, 2011 buyers will no longer be able to take advantage of a 35 year amortization period for their mortgage. This has meant an increase in Saskatoon first time home buyers and busy times for Saskatoon real estate agents.

While some people are opting to wait, there are others who will wait themselves out of being able to get into the Saskatoon real estate market. The Saskatoon real estate market is not so busy right now that we are seeing many competing offers, but it has certainly occurred when a great property comes up.

If you haven’t already done so, get down to see a Saskatoon mortgage broker so that you can take advantage of this. The mortgage rates are still low so it is a win-win for first time buyers in Saskatoon. There is still a lot of great product out there as well as plenty of new homes for sale in Saskatoon that a first time buyer can build sweat equity with.

If you don’t already have a Saskatoon real estate agent or you are not happy with the level of service from your Saskatoon realtor(r) give me a call and I would be happy to help you, whether you are buying a house for sale in Saskatoon or looking to put your Saskatoon house for sale I am here to be of service.

Kari Calder
Century 21 Conexus
Saskatoon
653-8222

Saskatoon Growing Faster Than Any Other Canadian Region

Friday, February 4th, 2011

As I am a Saskatoon real estate agent I see the amount of people coming in to look at homes for sale in Saskatoon but with my web presence I also get a lot of inquiries about rentals in Saskatoon (which I do not deal in as I am not licensed as a property manager).

Reading this article today in the Star Phoenix was no surprise to me. We passed Alberta for the first time in decades last year according to Stats Canada and Saskatoon is also now the youngest metropolitan area in Canada which bucks the Canadian trend of an aging population. I could add that it may have something to do with our older population heading out to warmer areas! Two of the other reasons cited are young families immigating here from other countries as well as our high aboriginal birth rate. Saskatoon’s average age is now 35.6 while the average age across Canada is 40. The oldest city is not where you would expect (British Columbia?) but actually Saguenay, Quebec with an average age of 45.

The Saskatoon region (which includes Warman, Martensville, Dundurn, and Dalmeny) has now reached over 265,000 people which is up 30,000 people since 2005. Vancouver was second for growth and Regina was third with their population now over 215,000.

One of the main reasons for Saskatoon’s growth is a large spike in international immigration with 3300 added just last year.

If you are looking to buy a house for sale in Saskatoon give me a call. I work with a lot of first time home buyers in Saskatoon so if you need the right direction I am here to help you.

Kari Calder
Century 21 Conexus Realty Ltd
306-653-8222

Interest Rates Have Gone Up

Thursday, December 16th, 2010

We have had some warnings the past few days that rate hikes were coming and I just got confirmation from Centum Canada Mortgages (the Century 21 affiliated mortgage brokers) that rates have indeed gone up to 3.79 for a 5 year term. If you are thinking about buying a house for sale in Saskatoon it doesn’t hurt to get your rate locked in and held.

The alarm was sounded on Monday by Bank of Canada governor Mark Carney as household debt has reached an all time high. These low interest rates are not here forever so he warns that we need to be more cautious. The tone indicates that he may be setting the stage for a rate increase next year.

Finance Minister Jim Flaherty says they will keep tightening mortgage lending rules as needed to keep credit growth in check.

As a Saskatoon Real Estate Agent I think it is great to take advantage of the current low rates to build your retirement portfolio and to get started in the Saskatoon real estate market but only if you feel secure in your job and in your earning potential as when it comes time to renew your mortgage after 5 years and you have been living close to your means or slightly above your means those rate changes will have a huge and sometimes life changing affect on you. Some people are forced to sell while others just look at different options like getting a room mate or a boarder. If you are thinking of putting your Saskatoon house for sale let me know.

There are other risks in our economy and the high dollar is not helping the Canadian economy. As consumers we like it (especially with the Saskatoon winter we are experiencing it is nice to vacation in the southern US with the dollar being at par!) Debt worries in Europe also affect us here so rate hikes may be held off according to some analysts as they believe there are bigger fish to fry.

Kari Calder
Century 21 Conexus Realty Ltd
Saskatoon, SK
653-8222

Fears of Housing Bubble-Overblown?

Thursday, September 16th, 2010

Housing bubble or no housing bubble? It seems the debates never end on these topics lately and it comes down to differing opinions and research techniques. In a recent article in the Star Phoenix it appears that rumblings are overblown. They use words like “seem” and “could” to protect their assets. There are some left-leaning groups who look at worst case scenarios and publish that we “could” see prices plummett by 20-38% in Canada’s major real estate markets with a best case scenario of 19-29%. Really? The catastrophic US meltdown saw a national drop of about 30%. One of our leading think tanks, the Conference Board of Canada, thinks no bubble, instead just a return to normal as salese were too high to be sustainable according to Mario Lefebvre.

Prices rose in July from June in 19 of the 28 Canadian cities studied and all had prices that were above last years levels. One has to keep in mind though that average house price in Saskatoon, and everywhere else, is simply determined by adding the cost of each home and dividing by the units sold. In Saskatoon in any given month we may see a greater number of high end houses for sale in Saskatoon that sell vs small basic condos for sale in Saskatoon. These change the average house price in Saskatoon drastically so I would imagine it is the same across the country.

Overall the actual experts find little cause for concern, but that doesn’t stop the negativity and part of my job as a Saskatoon real estate agent is to educate. There will always be negative people in the world and even in the Saskatoon real estate community who believe everything they read, but it must get exhausting as there are so many contractions in the media!

I cannot stress enough how unfair it is to look at the entire country of Canada and lump each community under one heading. There are so many factors even in Ontario and BC but unfortunately they are still seen as the beginning and the end of our great country. The prairies and especially Saskatchewan are starting to stand their ground as confidence grows. The 2 agreed upon places where prices may come down are Vancouver and Montreal as the prices have shot up out of control. Saskatoon real estate is still strong thanks to our many resources.

Interest rates also play a role as the 80’s and 90’s saw home prices staying between 3 and 4 times the median income yet now they are between 4.7 and 11.3. Interest rates should not be reaching 20% like they did back then as they are only increasing slightly. If you are in that 11.3 group though I would hope you have some extra money coming in! If you need information on getting a mortgage in Saskatoon let me know!

If you are thinking about buying a house for sale in Saskatoon and you have questions about the Saskatoon real estate market I would love to speak to you and help you in your Saskatoon home purchase (or Saskatoon condo!)

Kari Calder
Century 21 Conexus Realty Ltd Saskatoon
653-8222

Saskatchewan to Lead Canada in Economic Growth in 2010

Friday, September 10th, 2010

Finally! Some location appropriate news after all the doom and gloom CMHC newscasts lumping all of Canada under one heading. The Saskatoon Star Phoenix has printed an article today from Regina that sheds better light on our local markets and will reflect upon Saskatoon real estate markets.

According to the RBC, Saskatchewan is set to lead the country and a lot of that is due to the huge increase in Potash production. Our economic growth rate is predicted to be 6.3%. Potash production in Saskatchewan has increased 130% in the first 5 months of 2010 and is expected to make up for weakness in the oil and natural gas production sectors in our province. Due to the large cutbacks in potash production in 2009 Saskatchewan’s economy did see a contraction. As a Saskatoon real estate agent people from other parts of the world often ask what makes us so different. It is our diversity! These cutbacks hurt us but didn’t render us as bad as oil did to Alberta.

Had agriculture in Saskatchewan not been so negatively impacted by mother nature’s rains this year our growth would have been even higher. It is expected the growth in Saskatchewan will moderate in 2011 as GDP is still expected to rise 4.8% with continued growth in the global economy leading to an increase in energy production and agricultural output.

It seemed like there were less parents coming to buy condos for sale in Saskatoon for their kids for the school year this year than in previous years and a lot of that had to do with the bad farming year we experienced. Real estate in Saskatoon in general slowed down this summer but that is not abnormal for our summer months. Realtors in Saskatoon and Saskatoon home buyers/sellers all like to try to enjoy the short summers that we have!

Kari Calder
Century 21 Saskatoon
306-653-8222

CMHC-lumping all of Canada into one brief article seems hardly fair!

Wednesday, September 1st, 2010

While I hate waking up to read reports from CMHC about sales to slow, housing starts to weaken, and prices to possibly lower as they lump all of Canada into one brief report that scares people. Saskatoon real estate is healthy at the moment with people back from summer holidays and starting to buy more of the houses for sale in Saskatoon than throughout the summer. As a Saskatoon realtor I noticed less farmers purchasing condos for sale in Saskatoon this year than previous years for their kids attending the U of S but that was due to the record breaking rain falls in our province this year.

The Star Phoenix printed an article from Ottawa about CMHC commenting on sales and prices to go down. Most people are informed enough not to jump on the ‘oh my CMHC says it so it must be true’ bandwagen but there are a lot of consumers who still put their faith in everything the news says. If you listened and believed everything in the media you probably wouldn’t get out of bed in the morning!

While there are certainly cities that have forced the numbers down there are also many cities and provinces that keep the numbers from crashing entirely. Ontario and BC aren’t helping the Canadian real estate forecast as the introduction of the Harmonized Sales Tax have negatively affected the market.

You have to take all media with a grain of salt, especially when they continually lump all of Canada in one short article. It would be similar to stating that the crime rate in Canada is the same in every community…across the country! Or that the weather in Saskatoon is the same as the weather in Yellowknife.

We are in a balanced real estate market in Saskatoon and Saskatchewan continues to buck the trend. We have felt the impact of the global economic market but our industries keep us going strong. There are still investors looking for investment properties in Saskatoon who look to purchase real estate in Saskatoon (as growth, while moderate, is still expected). With the decrease in mortgage rates once again it is advisable to find a Saskatoon mortgage broker to get you set up and locked in as that mortgage decrease makes a big difference in the long run.

Before the Saskatoon real estate boom in 2007 if a home for sale in Saskatoon sold for more than the buyer originally paid a few years prior, Saskatoon home sellers were ecstatic. After Saskatoon real estate fees if people made $5000 they were more than happy when they sold their houses for sale in Saskatoon. I think that the general public needs to go back to how things were and not necessarily expect to have enough money for a big mortgage jump/down payment to purchase their new house in Saskatoon. It often takes buying and selling houses in Saskatoon several times to get into your dream home, not from your starter home in Saskatoon to your dream home in Saskatoon in one leap.

Some people think it is cheaper to rent than buy a house for sale in Saskatoon. If you do the math and you spend an average of $900/month on rent that works out to be almost $11,000/year so if you ended up buying a house in Saskatoon and then having to put your Saskatoon house for sale in a year if you bought and sold for the same price you would more than likely break even.

If you are considering getting into the Saskatoon real estate market as a first time buyer in Saskatoon or you are new to Saskatoon give me a call. If you are thinking of listing your house for sale in Saskatoon contact me to discuss my marketing and my Saskatoon real estate services.

Kari Calder
Century 21 Conexus Realty Ltd
Saskatoon, Sk
653-8222