Archive for the ‘Saskatchewan Real Estate’ Category

Saskatoon Real Estate Current Market – February 12, 2009

Thursday, February 12th, 2009

Despite a slow second half of the year for Saskatoon real estate in 2008 it appears that 2009 is starting out strong. In Saskatoon we have had 331 homes sold or with solid conditional offers on them between January 1st and February 12th, 2009. This is still very much a buyer’s market and we still have over 1100 home listed MLS in Saskatoon, but people are starting to buy again after what seemed like a very long and dry time from August-December. Houses were still being sold in this period but with all of the inventory you barely noticed the sold signs. I think everyone has seen many more sold signs on Saskatoon homes in the past 2.5 months than they did for the previous 4 months.

This is a great time to get in and buy for the first time or to purchase revenue properties or to ‘move up’ if you are looking to increase the size of your home. I believe by 2010 our market will be completely balanced again as the inventory will be cleaned up. We can then expect an increase in house prices in Saskatoon, although overly optimistic people think that things will go up earlier than that with our still strong Saskatchewan economy. But that is just my opinion and feeling!

If you have any questions or comments about the Saskatoon real estate market feel free to contact me at anytime!

Kari Calder
Saskatoon Real Estate Agent
Century 21 Conexus Realty Ltd

Housing Sales to Rise Again in Saskatoon

Thursday, December 11th, 2008

Saskatoon’s housing market is expected to be one of the few that comes out ahead in 2009. Re/Max representatives have been quoted as predicting Saskatoon’s real estate market will see the highest percentage increase in sales units for 2009 out of 22 major markets. Regina’s real estate market is expected to stay the same, matching this year’s sales.

Of course, Canada’s housing market performance will depend on economic performance, says Michael Polzier, of Re/Max in Ontario/Atlantic Canada. Until consumer confidence is regained, the housing market in Canada will not be remedied, but if inventory levels remain stable this could happen as early as spring. The lower interest rates also stimulate home-buying activity. The new interest rate along with the abundance of product make this a great time to buy a house in Saskatoon and other areas. The average Saskatoon home price is expected to end up at approximately $289,000, up 24% from last year and it is expected to creep up even closer to $300,000 in 2009.

Although unit sales (number of houses sold in Saskatoon) are down from 2007, they should rise slightly in 2009. High inventory levels played a role in the Saskatoon housing market. New houses in Saskatoon and speculation also affected the inventory levels, but we should see a more balanced market in 2009.

One of the reasons for the increased demand for housing in Saskatoon for 2009 is that there will be more job opportunities in Saskatoon at higher income levels which will attract people from out of town and out of province. Also, thanks to improved economy in Saskatoon, more people will return from out of province.

We won’t see vast increases in house prices in Saskatoon next year, but a more conservative increase once the inventory gets back to normal. Our Saskatoon real estate market is now stabilizing. There are some that still expect house prices dropping further in Saskatoon, but we are starting to see houses selling in Saskatoon much more quickly and there are many more sold signs in the past 2 weeks than there had been in a few months.

This is a great time to pick up a bargain in Saskatoon!

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

Great Investment Opportunity In Oxbow Saskatchewan

Friday, November 28th, 2008

Kari Calder with Century 21 Saskatoon would like to mention that she is also helping to promote a small, but very nice, development in Oxbow, Saskatchewan. Why Oxbow you may ask? This small town approximately 30 minutes away from Estevan and close to the US and Manitoba border has seen many people moving in and nearby with the Bakken Oil find in that region, but they don’t have many houses for sale there and especially not many new houses.

The houses that we are building start at over 1300 square feet and go up over 1500 square feet for bungalows on 100×150 foot lots. These lots come with restrictions, so when purchasing a house in Oxbow, Saskatchewan you have the guarantee that there will not be a trailer plopped down next to you. Not all developments come with restrictions, so with this you know your property value will not go down due to poor planning. There are very few lots available and this development has been sold out. The developer will be building 5 houses here for buyers to choose from with 2 ready to move in to right now and a third expected very shortly.

To visit additional information on this development please visit: www.oxbowrealestate.com

Real estate in Saskatchewan is still quite strong in general with many people moving into the province as we still have jobs to fill. There are a lot of houses listed in Saskatchewan currently and buyers seem to be holding off for prices to drop further, however there are still people moving here that need good solid houses in Saskatchewan, so we are offering a good solid investment in South East Saskatchewan in the heart of the Bakken Oil find.

We expect that in the next 2-3 years Oxbow will be booming once the price of oil goes back up, so this is a great chance to get in for a good price. Recently a trailer just sold for over $200,000 here and these houses are starting at only $250,000 for a good solid home and a huge lot where you can store all of your toys and build a shop or your dream garage.

So for all of your Saskatoon real estate needs and any of your Saskatchewan real estate needs, call or email me and I will be happy to help.

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

FINTRAC – Anti Money Laundering

Sunday, August 10th, 2008

As you go to purchase a home in Saskatoon or sell a home in Saskatoon, you will find something different than if you bought or sold a house in Saskatoon before July. All agents must gather your identification in the form of photo ID now when you are buying or selling a house in Saskatoon. This is the same across Canada, but Saskatchewan realtors are ahead of many other provinces. This is mandatory compliance for Realtors® and every agent must follow these rules.

So far I have not had any issues with my clients, but I have heard of a few people who were previously looking to buy a house in Saskatoon just ‘disappear’. It is astounding how much money has been laundered in Canada through residential real estate. In our booming Saskatoon market I fear how many transactions took place with drug, prostitution or any other illegally obtained money. Finally, instead of leaving it to the ethics of real estate agents in Saskatoon, the government is making it mandatory to be prudent and ensure that the people we are dealing with to purchase and sell homes in Saskatoon are being monitored to help put a stop to money laundering. There is never a good reason to launder money and this illegal act is often the result of things that tear families apart and this money can also be used to finance terrorist activities. I was shocked to learn that certain events of 911 could have been funded with as little as $300,000.

So, if your Saskatoon real estate agent does not ask for your ID when you are purchasing or selling a home in Saskatoon, you should remind them or ask them why they are not complying. If they are not aware of the compliance issues or are not following them, they risk major fines but they also put other people at risk.

For more information on FINTRAC or purchase a home in Saskatoon, be sure to contact me!

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

Saskatoon Real Estate Prices Surpass Edmonton

Saturday, April 5th, 2008

The city of Saskatoon real estate market has reached a new peak in the first quarter of 2008.  All recent numbers indicate that the average cost of a home in Saskaton is now more expensive than the city of Edmonton.  A standard bungalow in the city of Saskatoon sold for an average of $340,000 in the first three months this year.  This is a 50 per cent raise in only one years time in Saskatoon.  In Edmonton the average price of a standard bungalow was $330,000 which is a drop of 4.9 per cent from the same time last year.  Two-story homes in Saskatoon on average are selling for $395,000 while in Edmonton they are selling for $363,707.  There is only one category where Edmonton is still more expensive than Saskatoon which is condos.  In Edmonton an average condo is selling for $235,000 while in Saskatoon they are selling for $220,00 but rising fast.  It is projected that the Saskatoon real estate market in all aspects will surpass the Edmonton real estate market by the second quarter of this year.

This is great news for existing Saskatoon home owners as they have earned a lot of equity in their homes.  This does however make it much more difficult for first time buyers or low income families.  The Saskatchewan economy is the fastest growing in Canada and it does not appear to be slowing down anytime soon.  The government of Saskatchewan are recording record profits and spending as well almost weekly we are hearing about new multi-billion dollar projects happening in our province.  The biggest issue that people trying to get involved into the Saskatoon real estate market face is that wages have not kept up to the cost of real estate prices.  In cities like Edmonton and Calgary the average household income exceeds Saskatoon’s by a fair amount.  We need to see an increase in wages to be able to maintain our current growth.  As more companies relocate to Saskatchewan we will start to see a more competitive job market resulting in higher wages.

If you currently own Saskatoon real estate or real estate in the surrounding towns such as Warman then this is your market.  If you are interested in selling your home be sure to contact me and I will provide you in depth information on the current market.  I can provide you a free home evaluation as well will ensure you get top dollar for your Saskatoon property.

To read more about this topic visit the Saskatoon Star Phoenix.

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.

New Listing 2339 St. Patrick Avenue

Sunday, March 16th, 2008

2339 St. Patrick Avenue

Be sure to check out this beautiful east side bungalow close to the river.  This home in an excellent location in the Exhibition area.  This home provides a great location within walking distance to enjoy all of the events at Praireland Park.  This home was built in 1923 but has been taken care of extremely well and is in immaculate condition.  There have been extensive upgrades done throughout the home including the kitchen, new 4 piece bathroom, newer windows, fresh paint, upgraded lighting, vinyl siding and so much more!  The basement includes a den and large living room with new flooring along with laudry, storage and is roughed in for a future bathroom if desired.  The home has a beautifully landscaped yard with a wrap around deck and even includes a white picket fence!  Be sure to visit my website for additional pictures and information 2339 St. Patrick Avenue.

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

Don’t Leave Money On The Table

Sunday, March 2nd, 2008

With Saskatoon real estate being as hot as it is we have seen a huge influx of people looking to sell their home.  It is important to know the market you are selling to before you look at listing your home.  Many people have tried “For Sale By Owner” in Saskatoon only to find out later that they could have sold their home for significantly more.  Some people prefer to sell their home privately believing they will save money.  In some instances they do, but in a real estate market as hot as Saskatoon’s many people are leaving money on the table.  By working with a Saskatoon Realtor ® you have access to a much larger buying audience as well your home will be professionally marketed.  Buyers tend to be much more comfortable using a realtor as it is one way to protect the biggest purchase of your life.
If you are thinking about selling your home in Saskatoon be sure to read up on why to use a realtor before you think of selling your home yourself.

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