Archive for the ‘Saskatchewan’ Category
Tuesday, May 24th, 2011
I just read an article that made me smile and I wanted to pass it along. With all of the negativity, greed, selfishness, rudeness, etc that we endure in a day this article reminded me of my own youth and high school grad. Feels like a lifetime ago because it essentially is!
The Princess Shop, located here in Saskatoon, was featured in the Star Phoenix today. The purpose of this Saskatoon store is to let every girl feel like a princess at grad and not let the dollar amounts that are normally daunting to someone who is not mid to upper class take away from the experience every teen deserves.
Some of the girls are single moms, some of them are totally on their own but still want to succeed and take part and this program gives these girls something they otherwise would not be able to attain. Started in 2007, 2 local Saskatoon women held their first fundraising event in 2008 and that helped give them the momentum to support 39 graduates and it has escalted from there. They got the idea from a program on Oprah.
They are inspiring! As a Saskatoon real estate agent there are many opportunities to volunteer in Saskatoon and I have been volunteering on a financial basis for Easter Seals which is a great program, but I have been looking to find the right opportunity for me to volunteer some of my time as well and this looks like a great place to start! Realtors in Saskatoon often have hectic and crazy schedules that are completely unpredictable but there are other times when we can give more of our time to great causes and I think this one is fantastic!
As a female real estate agent in Saskatoon I recognize the need for mentorship and I really think what this program is about is wonderful. Congrats to the girls who had the vision to start this program and to the girls who have benefited from it!
Posted in Personal, Saskatchewan, Saskatchewan Events, Saskatoon, Saskatoon Events, Saskatoon News | 1 Comment »
Monday, May 9th, 2011
Make way for more condos for sale in Saskatoon’s east side as the iconic stone house on the corner of Clarence and College was demolished this week.
The owner is considering a lawsuit against the city. The City, along with the new owner of the property Remai Ventures Inc, made the decision to demolish the house this past week. Claiming the ground had softened and causing the house to lean it was considered a liability and there was no indication as to when it would be moved so the decision was made. A moving company lifted the home six weeks prior but due to the house not conforming with the neighbourhood in which it was intended to be moved to, the city denied the move. The second location chosen by the owner was impossible for now due to low lying power lines and washed out roads.
Two adjacent properties were pillaged by Habitat for Humanity for reusable items before the demolition. The owner is very discouraged and claims that the home was renovated in 2006 and is upset about the environmental impact and felt it could have been given to help with the homeless people or people in need.
As a Saskatoon real estate agent I drive the city everyday and drive by this home many times a week and I, for one, felt this structure was an eyesore and I am happy to see it gone. It was a unique home in Saskatoon for sure but not an attractive one!
Now there will be new condos for sale in Saskatoon once these east side units are built. Currently there are other condos for sale near the U of S and the prices reflect their high end nature so I am very curious to see what these ones will be like. Location location location!
If you are looking for a condo for sale in Saskatoon contact me as I help many people buy condos for sale in Saskatoon every year and am very familiar with the Saskatoon real estate market.
Kari Calder
Century 21 Conexus Realty Ltd
Saskatoon, Sk
653-8222
Posted in News, Saskatchewan, Saskatchewan Real Estate, Saskatoon, Saskatoon Events, Saskatoon News, Saskatoon Real Estate | 1 Comment »
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
Posted in Buyers, Canda Real Estate News, Current Market, Saskatchewan News, Saskatchewan Real Estate, Saskatoon, Saskatoon News, Saskatoon Real Estate | 1 Comment »
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
Posted in Buyers, Canda Real Estate News, Listings, Saskatchewan, Saskatchewan News, Saskatchewan Real Estate, Saskatoon, Saskatoon News, Sellers | No Comments »
Friday, December 17th, 2010
At this time of year the people of Saskatoon really step it up and try to help those less fortunate. This is all part of the 5th annual “Stuff the Bus” campaign. The food bank feeds over 15,000 people a month, over half of whom are children.
Century 21 Conexus Saskatoon and Conexus Credit Union, Conexus Insurance, and Centum Mortgage Direct in Saskatoon have teamed up and donated $800 cash and SEVEN HUNDRED pounds of food!!! WOW!
I am proud of my fellow Saskatoon real estate agents and proud of Century 21 Saskatoon for exceeding our goals-something we achieve on a regular basis. Our goal was to beat last year’s $150 cash and 500 pounds of food so we exceeded it beyond expectation. The cash donations are very important for the purchase of milk, meat and produce.
So way to go Century 21 Conexus Saskatoon and way to go Saskatoon in general for what looked to be another successful year.
Kari Calder
Century 21 Conexus Realty Ltd
Saskatoon, SK
653-8222
Posted in Saskatchewan, Saskatchewan Events, Saskatchewan News, Saskatoon, Saskatoon Events, Saskatoon News | No Comments »
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
Posted in Canada Real Estate, Canda Real Estate News, News, Saskatchewan, Saskatchewan News, Saskatchewan Real Estate, Saskatoon, Saskatoon Events, Saskatoon Real Estate | No Comments »
Wednesday, December 8th, 2010
It has been rumoured for years that the vacant land across from Wright and Kenderdine Rd in Saskatoon’s Arbor Creek may be getting a school. Owned by Dundee Realty this site has been designated for future schools however there has been a formal request by the developer to turn this into a new residential housing site for Saskatoon’s east side. The company has already begun the process to rezone the sites making 45 residential lots available in Arbor Creek for single family homes according to the Saskatoon Star Phoenix today. It would be great to see more lots for sale in Arbor Creek but at what cost? Having lived near the future site myself I can see the benefit for new home buyers in Saskatoon as you can get a brand new house in a well established area so I am sure there will be a huge demand for the lots.
Instead it appears that the public and catholic school systems are putting their efforts into Willowgrove.I have helped a few people buy houses for sale in Willowgrove that will be near these schools that ARE going in. The Catholic school board has already removed Arbor Creek from its five-year capital plan for the division. Unfortunately many homeowners near the ‘proposed’ school site in Arbor Creek chose that location for the future potential. They have already been waiting a long time and by now most of their small children are likely in high school!
Land for Saskatoon new home construction is limited and expensive to begin with, especially on the east side. This land will be in huge demand so I have to give it to Dundee, they know how to develop better than the city does in my opinion.
If you are looking to buy or sell real estate in Saskatoon give me a shout! I would be more than happy to help find you the perfect house.
Kari Calder
Century 21 Conexus Saskatoon
653-8222
Posted in Current Market, News, Saskatchewan News, Saskatchewan Real Estate, Saskatoon, Saskatoon News, Saskatoon Real Estate | No Comments »
Wednesday, December 1st, 2010
The Saskatoon real estate market has seen the listings coming down steadily in the past few weeks. There are currently 1085 houses for sale in Saskatoon (or condos) down from 1125 last week. We only had 92 new houses for sale in Saskatoon hit the market last week which is down from 115 the week before.
There were 83 houses for sale in Saskatoon that sold last week, down as well from last week where we saw 92 houses sell in Saskatoon. This was up from 56 the week before so it appears that the market has picked up.
There are 1037 houses for sale in the surrounding Saskatoon region. I have been out showing houses for sale around Saskatoon and have noticed that the out of town market seems to be getting busier as well.
If you are thinking about buying or selling a house in Saskatoon or around Saskatoon give me a call as I would be happy to help you out!
Kari Calder
Century 21 Conexus Realty Ltd
Saskatoon
653-8222
Posted in Buyers, Current Market, Listings, Saskatchewan, Saskatchewan News, Saskatchewan Real Estate, Saskatoon, Sellers | No Comments »
Monday, November 29th, 2010
Well, there are 2 sad things to report today; the Saskatchewan Roughriders and the passing of Leslie Nielson. Our Saskatchewan boys played hard but Montreal played harder and proved themselves to be the true champs this year. Saskatoon was a quiet town after the game. I went to 2 different houses to watch the game, both Saskatoon real estate clients of mine, and saw the enthusiasm dwindling.
Many people probably don’t even know that Leslie Nielsen was actually a Saskatchewan boy, born in Regina in 1926. He played over 220 characters and appeared in over 100 films and 1500 TV programs.
Monday is a day for mourning here in Saskatchewan with those 2 things combined.
Kari Calder
Century 21 Conexus Realty Ltd
Saskatoon, SK
306-653-8222
Posted in News, Personal, Saskatchewan, Saskatchewan Events, Saskatchewan News, Saskatoon News | No Comments »
Friday, September 24th, 2010
According to an article from the Saskatoon Star Phoenix there are more cars than people in Saskatoon. This was the same in 2007. As a real estate agent in Saskatoon I obviously have a car. A car being singular. I can’t do my job without a car.
Our population in Saskatoon is around 220,000 people but there were almost 229,000 registered vehicles in our city. There needs to be a shift as our roads are becoming more congested and only approximately 21% of people do not drive their cars to work. The national average is 28% and it is believe the goal should be more like 30%. It is a hard thing to accomplish though as our only other mode of transportation in Saskatoon is the bus.
It is said that during the past 10 years the number of trips across the Circle Drive bridge jumped by more than 20,000 a day and the commute time has doubled. As a Saskatoon real estate agent I have noticed this drastic change in the amount of time it can take me to get to appointments.
Some of the reasons for the increase in cars has to do with the weath of the city. Many more teenagers now have their own cars in Saskatoon. There are also likley more people out in the work force and the multi-vehicle family is now the norm.
The city of Saskatoon has added a universal bus pass to students, brought in a bus pass program for employers, upgraded the transit network to add rapid routes, and and upgraded bike network? Come on! If we lived in a city that wasn’t -50 in the winter that $2M may have been well spent but I have to say that wasn’t the smartest use of money and I don’t usually have a big opinion on things the city does. Everything else though, great! Will it make a difference? Not likely.
Here are some stats from SGI (Saskatchewan Government Insurance)
Year-People vs Vehicles
1945-42000-6000
1965-106000-39000
1985-176000-128000
2005-206000-197000*
2009-219000-229000*
*including seasonal vehicles
Driving in this city has been less carefree and much more stressful, even in the past 5 years. I have been a Saskatoon real estate agent for over 3 years now and I can tell the difference even in 3 years of spending so much time on the roads. If you are thinking about buying a house for sale in Saskatoon and you want to speak to an experienced Saskatoon real estate agent give me a call and let me make your Saskatoon home buying process successful and enjoyable…even with our traffic!
Kari Calder
Century 21 Saskatoon
653-8222
Posted in Buyers, Current Market, Environment, News, Personal, Saskatchewan, Saskatchewan News, Saskatoon, Saskatoon Events, Saskatoon News, Saskatoon Real Estate | No Comments »