1. September 2010 by Kari Calder.

Summer generally slows down home sales in Saskatoon as many people are off enjoying our few nice months out of the year. Whether it be at the abundant lakes we have in Saskatchewan or families taking vacations out of province, every Friday it seems the roads are packed to get out of the city of Saskatoon.

From August 23-August 30th there were 136 new listings hitting the  Saskatoon real estate market, down from 178 and 146 the 2 weeks prior. Saskatoon home sales were also up with 91 Saskatoon houses for sale going last week from 74 and 71 in the 2 weeks before.

We have a total of 1385 properties for sale in Saskatoon. There are 814 houses for sale in Saskatoon and 571 condos for sale in Saskatoon (or other not single family dwellings).

There are 1261 properties for sale near Saskatoon.

If you are thinking of listing your house for sale in Saskatoon give me a call. If you are thinking about buying a house for sale in Sasktoon I also work with a lot of buyers. I am a very active realtor in Saskatoon so that means I am up to date on what is happening each week in the Saskatoon real estate community.

Kari Calder
Century 21 Conexus Realty Ltd
Saskatoon
653-8222

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

1. September 2010 by Kari Calder.

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

Posted in Saskatchewan, Saskatchewan News, Canada Real Estate, Canda Real Estate News, Saskatchewan Real Estate, Sellers, Saskatoon, Current Market, Buyers, Saskatoon Real Estate | No Comments »

26. August 2010 by Kari Calder.

After my last post I didn’t think I could complain much about the traffic in Saskatoon, but here I am! Apparently congestion on Saskatoon streets will get worse before it gets better. With another bridge closed indefinitely I am starting to advise my Saskatoon home buyers if they are looking at houses for sale in Saskatoon they may want to stay on the same side of the river as where they work!! Pretty sad when you are looking at houses for sale in Saskatoon that you have to depend it on the river as our average commute is probably about 15 minutes anywhere in the city.

The Saskatoon Star Phoenix has reported that the “Traffic Bridge” or, more commonly known as Victoria Bridge, has been closed indefinitely. Not only are they closing it to vehicles, they have now closed it to pedestrians. It is even in danger of collapsing under its own weight.

Saskatoon residents have made it clear that demolishing the bridge is not an option at several public open house sessions. In 2005 City Council approved a $700,000 fix which was intended to give another 20 years of life to the iconic bridge. It was a bandaid and the problems now being discovered run deeper than deficient truss systems.

This also affects one of our most popular summer events, the Fireworks Festival in Saskatoon for the Labour Day weekend. They will have to figure out where to send the fireworks from as, if they try to do it from another bridge, that will just further congest the city and make it less enjoyable to viewers. The show will go on…it is the after effects of the road delays that will frustrate the Saskatoon public even further.

Kari Calder
Saskatoon Realtor (r)
Century 21 Conexus Realty Ltd
653-8222

Posted in Saskatchewan, Saskatchewan News, Saskatchewan Events, Saskatoon News, Saskatchewan Real Estate, News, Saskatoon Events, Saskatoon | No Comments »

25. August 2010 by Kari Calder.

Residents of Saskatoon, be happy with our commuting time even during construction season. As a Saskatoon realtor I get a bit annoyed during construction season as I sometimes get caught up in traffic or can see the Saskatoon house for sale that I want to show my Saskatoon home buyer but I can’t quite get to the house for sale in Saskatoon by car…which is why we have feet! I recently read an article in the Star Phoenix where thousands of vehicles going to Beijing were in a traffic jam-for some up to 9 days!?

The reason for their traffic jam is the same as our traffic slowness, maintenance projects. Trucks that have been carrying more than 8 tonnes of cargo (coal or fruit) are responsible for damaging the roads. The don’t expect the delays to be up until mid-September.

Many of the drivers passed the time sleeping, reading, texting (can this be considered texting while driving? Lets hope for their sanity no!)

But, these traffic jams have been good for some. Hotels have popped up along this stretch of road as it is known to be problematic.

Traffic won’t get any better in Beijing. According to one traffic official the amount of new cars on the road in Beijing increases 1900 per day. The average speed of a car during morning commuting hour is 14.5 mph and by 2015 it is expected to drop to 9 mph. Los Angeles has similar traffic issues but their average speed during the morning commute is 20 mph.

The Chinese are developing what they call a “super bus” which would straddle 2 lanes of traffic and allow cars to drive underneath which would transport as many as 1400 commuters. It is expected to be tested for the first time in coming months. Wouldn’t a train be easier and safer?

SO the next time a Saskatoonian complains about their 20 minute commute be thankful we aren’t in Beijing!

As a Saskatoon realtor I drive a lot showing houses for sale in Saskatoon so I tend to get a bit cranky if I get caught up and am even a few minutes late for an appointment. The next time I am out showing houses for sale in Saskatoon I will be happy that I am a realtor in Saskatoon and not trying to sell real estate in China!

Kari Calder
Saskatoon Realtor (r)
Century 21 Conexus Realty Ltd

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

20. July 2010 by Kari Calder.

A new study indicated that spending habits in Saskatchewan were almost triple that of the national average in 2007-2008. I do believe this had something to do with Sasktaoon home owners and Saskatchewan home owners in general finding a new found wealth when their existing houses in Saskatoon essentially doubled in value.

Some of this spending had to do with earning better wages, but a lot had to do with over-exuberance and the negative world market didn’t seem to affect us here until December 2008.

The tallies for 2009 have not been finalized yet but it is the belief that most people held off on the over-spending once the reality of the global economic crisis hit home. During 2007-2008 it appears Saskatchewan consumers were the only ones in Canada who weren’t sitting on their wallets. As a Saskatoon realtor I saw this evidence with my many people looking to buy a house for sale in Saskatoon who were looking to buy 2nd properties for sale in Saskatoon as revenue.

While some of the people spent their money wisely on new houses for sale in Saskatoon or to use the equity from their existing homes in Saskatoon to buy condos for sale in Saskatoon or revenue properties for sale in Saskatoon, there were a lot of low income people younger people who spent their money on things like vehicles and tvs instead of on something with some return, such as a mortage in Saskatoon. It seems the other group was young families with relatively high incomes who were purchasing houses for sale in Saskatoon within their appropriate price range.

I can say that I helped many people buy houses for sale in Saskatoon during that time frame and most had the right idea. If you are looking to buy a house for sale in Saskatoon let me know as I would love to help you with your Saskatoon real estate experience!

Kari Calder
Saskatoon Century 21 Conexus Realty Ltd

Saskatoon, Sk

653-8222 

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

20. July 2010 by Kari Calder.

I was just on facebook and saw a note from one of my Saskatoon real estate clients/friends who was victim to ‘card skimming’. I am not sure how much money she lost but I do hope that she is reimbursed as she is a wonderful person who works very hard for her money. As a realtor in Saskatoon  I meet many people and stay in touch with as many as I can and it is so hard to hear about a wonderful individual being stolen from. So not fair.

There was an article on News Talk CKOM about the card skimming. Apparently a number of members from Affinity Credit Union were affected but there is not yet a report of how many people were affected or how much money was stolen.

I am glad that I took the weekend off real estate in Saskatoon (well, the weekend from showing my first time home buyers in Saskatoon some houses for sale in Saskatoon) to go home and avoid the latest debit card scam that affected a few of my friends here in Saskatoon.

Apparently they do have someone in custody so I hope that karma and the law gives them what they deserve!

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

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

20. July 2010 by Kari Calder.

This past weekend I was able to get away from the busy Saskatoon real estate market to spend time with my family in Estevan, Saskatchewan and be there to support my mother, Saskatchewan Author, Marie Donais Calder.

To learn more about her books, visit her website at http://www.mariedonaiscalder.com/

For a schedule of events you can visit http://www.mariedonaiscalder.com/events.html

My mom has written a series of books about Post World War II and the life of her father, Edmond Donais, and the first one has been published by a Canadian Publisher. She has been working on these books for over 10 years now and her first book launch in her small home town was a great success.

Her perseverance and dedication have paid off. As a realtor in Saskatoon I have learned a lot from my mother and have been lucky enough to have a mom with such a great attitude. It is most often through the influence our parents that we become who we are and I know I couldn’t be such a successful real estate agent in Saskatoon if I didn’t have such great parents.

So congrats to my mom! She has several dates booked for her other signings around the province so contact me if you would like more information.

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

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

5. July 2010 by Kari Calder.

I wrote  a blog on my Century 21 website a year ago based on several articles that were in the paper about practices by some alarm companies.  I was contacted on Canada Day by one of the US companies referred to in the articles and threatened with a law suit.  I am a small fish but apparently my blog goes a long way as I ticked a lot of people off (hence the bullying phone calls and 3 or 4 letters from bulldogs at these companies and their lawyers). To be honest, it has reinforced my belief that consumers need to be aware of the reports about foreign alarm companies reportedly operating in Saskatchewan. As a realtor in Saskatoon I believe that my clients need to be aware of any reported and/or potential property related scams or unscrupulous businesses. In addition to raising awareness of potential problems related to home ownership my practice has always been to refer clients to Saskatoon locally owned and operated companies in order to avoid the potential pitfalls of dealing with foreign companies.

Some other links to consider when shopping for alarm companies:

http://www.thestarphoenix.com/Pinnacle+Security+falsely+claims+member+Better+Business+Bureau+Saskatchewan/3162647/story.html

http://blogs.consumerreports.org/home/2009/06/burglar-alarm-scam-door-to-door-salesman-ane-driggs-utah-better-business-bureau-ron-walters-security.html

http://smallbusiness.yahoo.com/r-article-a-40962-m-7-sc-31-avoiding_alarm_scams-i

http://www.chrisd.ca/blog/13373/home-alarm-security-scam-manitoba/

Here is the EDITED version of the blog that caused so much ruckus and controversy.

I was recently contacted by one of the owners of a local security company as the Better Business Bureau of Saskatchewan has been receiving hundreds of complaints about home security ’salespeople’ that have been going door to door and misrepresenting security companies in Saskatoon and Regina. I saw these young men (from Alberta by their plates) going door to door this past weekend. They didn’t stop at our house perhaps because we had a security sign on our front step and it was not a local security company so they likely couldn’t find it on their list. We did the old trick of putting up a sign without having an alarm-now we have Reed Security as I trust them!

I had a neighbour with a local company’s sign on their lawn who told me that these guys told them they were with that company…but I know all of the sales people there and this was not the case.

These US based companies are reported to operate under several names but may be linked and the names mentioned in the articles can easily be accessed on the internet. Do a google search and see for yourself, but it is my opinion based on my experience and the information available to me that signing up for an alarm plan, or any other plan or product for that matter, should be avoided if it is the result of high pressured sales tactics. Stick with your locally trusted companies and don’t be pressured by unscrupulous sales people from any company who show up at your door.

Here is a link that warns Saskatoon consumers:

http://www.thestarphoenix.com/Business/warns+public+about+high+pressure+sales+tactic/1683942/story.html

(Apparently they got to the Star Phoenix too as this article appears to be removed)

I am advised that these salespeople may see your security company sign and tell you that they work for that company and then try to give you a “Free upgraded” alarm system, but this upgrade will actually cost you about $45/month and it isn’t through your current supplier. They also reportedly try to name drop and tell you that your neighbour X has upgraded their system, even though they probably did not and I have heard they especially like to go after seniors.

Be aware of these high pressured sales tactics.

SO that was the blog that started this whole thing and my lawyer agrees that as a Saskatoon Realtor and as someone my home buyers in Saskatoon trust to help set them up with quality people that it is reasonable for me to want to warn my Saskatoon home buyers of any reported and/or potential scams or questionable businesses, especially first time home buyers in Saskatoon.

When choosing and alarm company it is always advisable to do your due diligence by checking out the companies you wish to deal with (ie: do they have a local office, have they been reported to the Better Busineses Bureau, do they have local references…). If you do choose to use any company that is not locally based it is always prudent to do your own due diligence and get references but ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS ask them for the business cards before allowing them to even speak to you and ask them to leave any contracts and documents with you for your review before you agree to anything.

Good luck consumers! Hopefully this post by a small fish realtor in Saskatoon won’t warrant more threats as I do believe in freedom of speech!

Kari Calder
Century 21 Conexus Realty Ltd
Saskatoon
653-8222

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

17. June 2010 by Kari Calder.

My sister in Regina, Sk just sent me an article from the Regina Leader Post as a way to poke fun as we live in competing cities (Saskatoon vs Regina-a no brainer to me of course!) This article was about cell phone usage in vehicles.

From January 1st until May 15th Regina police have issued 66 tickets and 17 warnings to Regina drivers who were using their cell phones. In that same time frame Saskatoon police issued 407 tickets and 112 warnings. Whether that means that we are offending more or that our police force is actually making a bigger effort I am not sure. As a Saskatoon real estate agent I know that there are times that I need to talk and drive-but I did get a vehicle with blue tooth capability so that I am not talking real estate in Saskatoon and risking getting into trouble!

While people are still talking on their cell phones in Saskatoon at a steady rate at least the accidents appear to be going down. There has been a decrease by 20% in collisions in the city. As a Saskatoon realtor I spend so much time in my car that I see pretty much everything and nothing surprises me. Showing people houses for sale in Saskatoon on a daily basis means loads of time all around the city and I tend to watch how people drive. I do agree that there are some drivers out there who are just terrible-doesn’t matter if they have a cell phone in their hand or not!!

Contact me for all of your Saskatoon real estate needs as I am a very active Saskatoon real estate agent and I would love to talk to you about buying a house for sale in Saskatoon or about selling your house for sale in Saskatoon.

Kari Calder
Century 21 Conexus Realty Ltd
karicalder@sasktel.net
653-8222

Posted in Saskatoon News, Saskatchewan News, Saskatchewan Real Estate, Buyers, News, Current Market, Saskatoon Real Estate | 1 Comment »

12. April 2010 by Kari Calder.

I was off to Regina, Sk last week for the annual Century 21 Awards ceremony for Saskatchewan Century 21 Agents. We had some great speakers and a lovely awards ceremony and I was proud to see my fellow Saskatoon realtors(r) winning awards. Approximately 70% of Saskatoon Century 21 Agents won an award and Century 21 Conexus Saskatoon in the Top 10 for all of Canada for production.

It is always exciting to watch my fellow Saskatoon real estate agents winning their awards and being recognized for their hard work and dedication. Our job is much more than just selling houses for sale in Saskatoon, it is a lifestyle. Most people don’t understand the hard work and sacrifice it takes to be a successful real estate agent in Saskatoon or anywhere for that matter. While we don’t get paid by the hour, there are many people who treat realtors (r) in Saskatoon as they do and don’t appreciate the hard work that goes into this lifestyle. They often see that we are driving around Saskatoon and surrounding area in nice vehicles and aren’t stuck in an office all day long. They don’t see the late nights, running out at all hours, missing time with family and friends so that you can ensure you get your clients their dream house for sale in Saskatoon or to ensure our clients selling their homes in Saskatoon get the best offer. Our vehicle IS our office most of the time so it should be nice and comfortable! So thanks to my colleagues dedication and hard work there were many of us who won awards for selling homes for sale in Saskatoon and we beat out much of Canada with our productivity and hard work.

I knew that I was a Century 21 Centurion Award winner but I didn’t know that I was #49 in the company for units sold and #69 in the company for overall production until today. I am an energetic Saskatoon real estate agent who loves what I do so I am proud of my success and proud to be a realtor (r) in Saskatoon. We have a great city with a great energy and I love to call Saskatoon home.

Thank you to all of my clients, friends and family for your support, understanding, and your open ears when I need to vent my frustrations or exlaim my excitement!! I am happy to be a top producing agent in a great company as Century 21 Saskatoon has a strong team of support staff and Saskatoon real estate agents who work as a team even though we are each individuals.

Kari Calder
Century 21 Conexus Realty Ltd
Saskatoon, Sk
karicalder@sasktel.net

Posted in Saskatoon News, Saskatchewan News, Canada Real Estate, Buyers, Personal, News, Current Market, Saskatoon Real Estate | 1 Comment »