4. February 2010 by Kari Calder.

Every Tuesday morning Century 21 real estate agents in Saskatoon get together for our weekly sales meeting to go over recent sales data, recent trends in Saskatoon real estate and just get caught up to date in general on the happenings in the world of fellow realtors(r) in Saskatoon.

Amongst the data last week were the announcements of the awards for production in 2009. I am proud of my fellow Century 21 Real Estate Agents in Saskatoon as 70% of us have been recognized for sales achievements in 2009.

With the slowing of the global markets, 2009 was slower than 2007 and 2008 so it is great to see so many real estate agents with Century 21 in Saskatoon doing so well.

Awards are broken down into 7 categories; Masters Silver, Masters Ruby, Masters Emerald, Masters Diamond, Centurion, Double Centurion and Grand Centurion. I am excited to say that I was awarded the Century 21 Centurion award for the second year in a row. There are 9 of us from our company who achieved Centurion status. Only 1 agent in the company was awarded the Double Centurion and this year we didn’t have any Grand Centurions, but I am sure 2010 may see someone achieve this.

Century 21 agents are also recognized for their donations to charities such as Easter Seals Canada and our Saskatoon real estate agents in Century 21 have been the most generous in the country with fundraising efforts and personal donations. It is a great company with wonderful values and I am a proud Saskatoon Century 21 Realtor(r). We have a great family of agents, managers and support staff.

If you are looking to buy a house in Saskatoon or to sell your house or condo in Saskatoon contact me!

Kari Calder
Residential Real Estate Specialist
Saskatoon Century 21 Conexus
www.karicalder.com

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

Posted in Saskatoon News, Saskatchewan News, Canda Real Estate News, Sellers, Buyers, Saskatoon, News, Personal, Saskatoon Real Estate | No Comments »

26. January 2010 by Kari Calder.

Yesterday I listed a condo for sale in Saskatoon on 3rd Avenue North in downtown Saskatoon. MLS 359045

This condo is a 1 bedroom 1 bathroom unit in a concrete building. The main advantage of a concrete building is sound, but there are also other benefits such as fire safety and safety in general. The unit is bright and open with neutral colours and features a sun room (not included in square footage). The City Park condo in Saskatoon means a quick walk to the river, U of S, City Hospital, and downtown. The condo for sale in Saskatoon is ideal for students, first time buyers, or older people looking for a condo for sale in a quiet and safe building with elevators and an amenities room. This unit has covered parking in the carport that is secure and features video surveillance.

There are many differences between buying a house for sale in Saskatoon and a condo for sale in Saskatoon. Make sure to speak to your real estate agent in Saskatoon about these differences or use a qualified Realtor, like myself, to help you purchase a condo or a house for sale in Saskatoon.

Kari Calder
Residential Real Estate Specialist
Century 21 Conexus Realty Ltd
Saskatoon
www.karicalder.com
653-8222

Posted in Sellers, Listings, Buyers, Personal, Current Market, Saskatoon Real Estate | No Comments »

22. January 2010 by Kari Calder.

As a real estate agent in Saskatoon I spend plenty of time on the road and sometimes am in a rush to meet clients to view houses for sale in Saskatoon and can be guilty of driving too fast, but yesterday’s tragedy on Circle Drive is a reminder to slow down.

Around 10am Thursday morning a young woman was killed on the freeway and a 30 year old man was seriously injured. The northbound vehicle on Circle Drive lost control and crossed the ditch into the southbound lanes and caused a head on collision.

According to the Saskatoon Star Phoenix article, investigators had to close down the southbound lanes on Circle Drive and the northbound lane was restricted to one lane until about 6:30 pm.

There were 7 accidents yesterday in and around Saskatoon according to MD Ambulance.

It is an unfortunate reminder of how precious life is and how you can’t take a moment for granted. Our hearts go out to the friends and family members of those involved in yesterday’s accident.

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

Posted in Environment, Saskatoon News, Personal | No Comments »

21. January 2010 by Kari Calder.

I have been fortunate enough to take a break from real estate in Saskatoon and go see some of the world this year. We went to see my parents, who purchased a condo for sale in Florida about a year ago, for Christmas. From there we went to Thailand for a few weeks and finally Cambodia before going back to Thailand and then home to Saskatoon. For those who know me at all, they know that travel is my passion (of course right up there with real estate!) but I kept tabs on the Saskatoon real estate market while I was away as that is my second passion. Its not a job if you love it, right? Although finding the time to catch up on my blog is a bit challenging!

While I was away the Saskatoon real estate market was a bit slow as it was Christmas holidays and offices were closed, but since the new year things have been steady. It appears that the current market is moving more towards a sellers market than a buyers market in some areas, but it is balanced in other areas. Last week we saw only 115 new listings of houses for sale in Saskatoon while the houses selling in Saskatoon were up to 52 (from 36 the week before). The total active houses for sale in Saskatoon is sitting at 696 with the single family homes for sale in Saskatoon down to 388.

My own personal inventory is down to just 1 listing as I sold all of the houses I had listed before I left for holidays, so I am ready to take on more listings! It is a great time to look at selling your house in Saskatoon.

If you are looking to buy a house in Saskatoon or are a first time home buyer in Saskatoon just starting to understand the process please contact me and I will be more than happy to help you purchase a home. There is no fee to use a buyer’s agent on a Saskatoon MLS listed property. There are many reasons to hire a professional Realtor (r) in Saskatoon to help you buy a home and protect your greatest investment.

Kari Calder
Residential Real Estate Specialist
Century 21 Conexus Realty Ltd
Saskatoon, Sk
306-653-8222
http://www.karicalder.com/index.html

Posted in Listings, Saskatchewan Real Estate, Sellers, Buyers, Current Market, Personal, Saskatoon Real Estate | No Comments »

9. November 2009 by Kari Calder.

For the first time since 1976 the Saskatchewan Roughriders The Saskatchewan Roughriders are the best in the West! Mosaic Stadium in Regina saw a sold out crowd of 30945 and hosted the game against the Calgary Stampeders, who we dominated 30-14.

Some fans, my mom and dad from Estevan included, have been waiting 33 years for a victory like this. The Riders still have one more victory to attain before moving on to the Grey Cup in Calgary on November 29, 2009.

It is a big thing for the team, for the city of Regina, for the province of Saskatchewan and for the fans to be the host of the Western final. So now it is between the Stampeders and the Eskimos to see who will be up against the Riders in the Western Final.

If there is one thing about Saskatchewan I can say it is we are all proud to be from Saskatchewan and we have fans right across the country. Yes, it gets stupidly cold here in the winter in Saskatchewan, but besides the weather our province is home to a lot of great things and I think any football player in the CFL will say that Saskatchewan fans are the most loyal! But, my opinion is a bit biased

Go Riders!

Kari Calder
Real Estate Specialist
Century 21 Conexus Realty Ltd Saskatoon

Posted in News, Saskatchewan News, Saskatoon News, Personal | No Comments »

2. November 2009 by Kari Calder.

E.D. Feehan High School, located in the Caswell Hill area of Saskatoon, will receive a major overhaul. E.D. Feehan’s enrolment dropped dramatically with the opening of a second Catholic high school in the city’s West side, Bethlehem High School.
The preliminary drawings were unveiled last week to allow more career training at the school. Renovations will begin in January, 2010 on the south end of the school’s main floor where those with intelluctual and/or physical disabilities are fully integrated.
The school has also received approval for a 50 spot day care centre. The preschool portion of the new day care will be ready for 30 preschoolers within about 6 months time. The second phase, which will accomdate 20 infants/toddlers, is expected to take longer.
Most of the work should be completed within 3 years, with the majority of the renovations taking place during the next 2 summers.
Post secondary  classes, such as a new “health campus”, will train students in the health care field and this is a joint venture with the Saskatoon Health Region and Gabriel Dumont Technical Institute.
The role of E.D. Feehan has changed and is now more of a community school and will create more opportunites for the community to use the school’s facilities. For example, the students in the school’s contruction program will be building a house at school for the Whitecap Dakota First Nation.
The provincial government is contributing $3.75 million and the school division is giving the remaining $1.25 million.

Kari Calder
Residential Real Estate Specialist
Century 21 Conexus Realty Ltd.

Posted in Saskatoon News, Personal, Saskatoon | No Comments »

1. November 2009 by Kari Calder.

Until recently, I was skeptical of the H1N1 virus that has been getting all sorts of hype in the media.

The story of the La Ronge girl who has battled with various health issues in her short 6 ½ years and was never able to speak, walk, or eat without being tube fed caught my attention. She contracted and died of H1N1 in the Saskatoon Health Care System. Her family is not blaming anyone or pointing fingers, but they are advocates for increased awareness and for setting an example of prevention efforts.

Her father, the general manager of a busy La Ronge Hotel, has come up with many ways to help prevent the spread of H1N1 in Saskatchewan. Between him and his staff, they came up with at least 30 ways to help prevent the spread of H1N1.

We all need to step up if we see people coughing, sneezing etc without covering their mouths at all or not properly covering their mouths (with their sleeve, shoulder, anything BUT their hands as that is one of the ways any air born disease can spread).

Walk away, in the opposite direction, from someone who doesn’t cover their mouth.

Speak up! If you are in the bathroom and see people not washing their hands or washing them properly, don’t care how you look but tell them! It is only education that can help prevent the spread of diseases in general.

Carry disinfectant on you and use it often.

Spray door handles in your home, office, anywhere you can!

At one Saskatoon open house an agent from Century 21 in Saskatoon told us about his experience with his clients. The people, whose house for sale in Saskatoon, actually put a chair at the front door with hand sanitizer and a note reading “If you wish to view our home, you must sanitize your hands before entering”. I thought this was very smart as, being a realtor in Saskatoon, there are so many times we are in and out of 10 houses or more in a day and constantly being bombarded with germs. I carry hand sanitizer in my car and use it often; also use it to wipe down my car steering wheel, handles, gear shift, radio buttons, etc. As a real estate agent in Saskatoon we are constantly in contact with people and shaking hands, it is a part of business.

I often offer hand disinfectant to my clients who are buying houses for sale in Saskatoon as it is generally in my car and some houses are not that clean! Some houses for sale in Saskatoon appear clean, but you can’t see those germs until it is too late.

So, the lesson is: don’t aid in the spread of H1N1 or any other disease, take care to wash your hands, cover your mouth properly, and disinfect yourself and family members and any physical locations you can.

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

Posted in Saskatchewan, Saskatchewan News, Saskatoon News, Personal, News, Saskatoon | No Comments »

25. October 2009 by Kari Calder.

Can’t get tickets to see KISS on November 10th? Feeling a bit too old to rock out anyways? You can see him speak at the Saskatchewan Young Professionals and Entrepreneurs luncheon on November 11th, the day after the Kiss concert in Saskatoon.

With great thanks to a friend of mine, Janea Bellay (who is also a great life and health insurance and mutual funds advisor in Saskatoon), SYPE has landed Gene Simmons to speak as he knows about business, marketing and he is also a great entrepreneur.

Way to go Janea!

For more information or tickets to this Saskatoon event, see below:

The business luncheon runs from noon to 1:30 p.m. at TCU Place, with doors opening at 11:30 p.m. The event includes a question-and-answer session with Simmons. Tickets cost $75 plus GST. They can be purchased at www.sype.ca/Saskatoon/home.html

Maybe I should go and see if Gene Simmons wants to buy a house for sale in Saskatoon . After all, his long time partner, Shannon Tweed, is from Saskatoon.

Kari Calder

Saskatoon Residential Real Estate Specialist

Century 21 Conexus Realty Ltd.

Posted in Saskatchewan Events, Saskatchewan News, Saskatoon News, Saskatoon Events, Personal | No Comments »

24. October 2009 by Kari Calder.

Hello to all of my blog subsribers! I must apologize for being out of the loop for a few months it seems. We had quite the summer here in Saskatoon. We sold our house in Arbor Creek, had to move in about 10 days after completion, and had to prepare our other house in Stonebridge.

With having a big dog and a cat as our children, it was necessary to get our new house in Stonebridge prepared by building a deck, fence, and landscaping. All in a matter of about 2 weeks. So, along with moving (and thankfully using a great local moving company, Geransky’s) and cleaning the house in Stonebridge after the tenants left a mess, we had plenty to keep us busy with the yard. Luckily we were able to hire a friend of mine from Estevan to help with the landscaping as he has a business here, Blue Collar Irrigation. They did such a good job even some of the new home builders in Saskatoon have started to use them.

We are slowly but surely getting settled, but it never ends! We are also in the process of building another new home in Saskatoon with Sanoma Homes. Our new home in Saskatoon will be located in Willowgrove.

In September we were away for almost 2 weeks to go to Boston to visit friends and take in a U2 Concert (life long dream!), then to New York City for sightseeing, and finally to Vancouver for the Century 21 National Conference and Awards Banquet where I received my Centurion Award for the 2nd time this year. At this conference they recognize Centurion Award Winners across Canada from 2008. It was great to meet so many new Century 21 Real Estate Agents from across the country.

The Saskatoon real estate market was extremely busy while I was away and the poor guy who I had watching my Saskatoon houses for sale had his hands full!

Posted in Personal, Current Market, Saskatoon, Saskatoon Real Estate | No Comments »

27. July 2009 by Kari Calder.

I learned something new today after discovering last week that my paint cans, after having been sitting on the concrete floor in the basement of my house in Saskatoon , started to leak. I noticed the leaking paint cans about a week ago and couldn’t figure out which ones were actually leaking. I moved a few of them onto a plastic bag and it seemed to just get messier. Just a gooey orangey brown mess! Of course, the only can of paint that I needed to use was one of the few that was the culprit. I have my house for sale in Saskatoon and I wanted to do a bit of touch up work to help sell the house in Saskatoon, but of course the only one that I absolutely had to have was one of the bad ones.

I took my paint colour, thankfully I still kept the leaking can, to Benjamin Moore paint in Saskatoon and told them what happened. The girl just smiled and said “where were you storing your paint” and I thought she was assuming I was silly enough to store it in my garage and, as we all know in Saskatoon, our garages freeze in the winter so we must store our paint indoors. I told her I kept it in the basement, so I was happy I wasn’t one of those sillies who thinks paint is okay in the cold garage. She asked about the flooring and I said it was concrete…then she asked if I had anything under the cans and I confirmed that I did not. That was the problem! She told me that concrete and paint cans don’t mix and that in some new houses the paint cans can be eaten away in as little as a week. I was amazed! I had no idea! I am relieved that I can clean up the mess and prevent any further issues but storing my paint on something other than concrete. Even a small buffer like a plastic bag should prevent the corrosion. As I have one of the many houses for sale in Saskatoon I know how important it is to have everything in good shape and any nicks in the walls fixed, but also to ensure that buyers don’t look at the staining on the concrete and mistake the leaky paint cans for water issues. As a Realtor in Saskatoon I was told by other Saskatoon real estate agents when I first started to be careful of signals like staining on the floor and rust from paint cans as that may indicate a leaky basement…but now I know that marks on the floor from paint cans don’t always mean that the house has had water issues…maybe they just had improper storage of their paint like I did! I will be telling all other new Saskatoon realtors that I speak to about my experience as this does affect houses for sale in Saskatoon and it does affect people’s perception of homes for sale in Saskatoon as it can scare someone away.

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

Posted in Sellers, Buyers, Personal, Saskatoon | No Comments »