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 »

6. August 2010 by Kari Calder.

The Saskatchewan Region Association of Realtors has reported that Saskatoon home sales have softened in July 2010 compared to July 2009 where it was down 18 %. The overall year to date numbers of real estate in Saskatoon that has sold is down 4%. The most active price range for houses for sale in Saskatoon that have been sold is between $300,000 and $350,000. It is important for Saskatoon home sellers to know that every house for sale in Saskatoon will eventually sell, it just comes down to price and how your Saskatoon realtor markets it for you.

Despite the small slow down of Saskatoon real estate the average selling price has gone up since the same time last year by over $6000. July’s average Saskatoon house sale price was $289,715 this year. The average year to date selling price is up 5% from 2009 at $290,515. So it is still a great time to list your house for sale in Saskatoon with a Saskatoon realtor such as myself!

By the end of July Saskatoon home buyers had 1334 properties to choose from which was a decrease of the number of houses for sale in Saskatoon from June when we had 1412 houses for sale in Saskatoon.

With favorable interest rates and steady job growth in and around Saskatoon our Saskatoon real estate market demand remains steady but it is a much more balanced market than before and Saskatoon real estate market conditions appear to be picking up again in August already.

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

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

4. August 2010 by Kari Calder.

Last week I listed 2 houses for sale in Saskatoon and have already had an offer on one of the houses for sale in Saskatoon.

The first Saskatoon house for sale is a mobile home in Sutherland. This mobile home is almost 1100 square feet and features 3 good sized bedrooms, large living room, kitchen/dining, separate laundry, full bathroom, and 2 porches. Large deck on the front and a small yard space at the back. List price is $32,900 with lot fees of $614/month (includes taxes, snow removal, water, sewer, garbage pick up, cable). This property for sale in Saskatoon is close to the U of S.

The second house for sale in Saskatoon that I listed last week is a great semi-detached home in Sutherland as well. This home is a 10 minute walk to the U of S and features 3 bedrooms up + a bedroom in the basement with a 3 piece ensuite. This house for sale in Saskatoon is connected by only the shed in between so no common walls between units.

This house for sale in Saskatoon received an offer the first week by another Saskatoon realtor with Century 21 Saskatoon. Century 21 Saskatoon does a unique thing with ‘caravan’ at our weekly meeting and if you are looking to sell your house in Saskatoon this bonus often helps you get your property sold faster. Where else can you be guaranteed that your house for sale in Saskatoon will be seen by 10,15 or more Saskatoon realtors within the first few days of it being listed?

If you are looking to sell your house in Saskatoon contact me for your Saskatoon Real estate needs and for more information and to find out how I can service you and the difference it makes by listing your house with a realtor in Saskatoon who cares and who delivers service.

Kari Calder
Century 21 Conexus Realty Ltd
Saskatoon, Sk
www.karicalder.com

Posted in Sellers, Listings, Buyers, Current Market, Saskatoon, 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 »

27. May 2010 by Kari Calder.

As a real estate agent in Saskatoon it can be both easy and hard to take any time off but it appears I have been taking a break from my Saskatoon real estate related blogs! With having recently moved to our new house in Willowgrove life has been unpredictable and my house has been filled off and on with trades people. I am at the point where it just seems normal to have some random trades person walking through as I am trying to do my day to day Saskatoon real estate business!

I have listed several houses for sale in Saskatoon and a house for sale in Martensville as well as I am listing a house for sale in Warman later today.

I will blog more with details on each property for sale in Saskatoon separately, but as an intro I have:

A 2 bedroom 1 bathroom condo for sale in Saskatoon in Lakewood area on Herold Road. 2 parking spots! $219,900

A 6 bedroom, 3 bathroom side by side duplex for sale in Saskatoon close to the U of S. Over 2100 square feet and fully developed up and down for $489,900.

A 4 bedroom, 3 bathroom bungalow with double attached garage and a huge double detached garage/workshop. This house for sale in Martensville is listed at $384,900.

A 2 bedroom, 1 bathroom revenue house for sale in Varsity View at $225,000. Varsity View is the area closest to the University of Saskatchewan.

I have 2 new listings coming up this week; a house for sale in Warman and a house for sale in Silverwood Heights in Saskatoon.

If you are a buyer looking to buy a house for sale in Saskatoon inventory is good right now. If you are looking to sell your house in Saskatoon contact me.

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

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

26. April 2010 by Kari Calder.

We have recently moved again within the city of Saskatoon so blogging has been put on the backburner. It has been a busy month for real estate in Saskatoon so packing the house for sale in Stonebridge was left until the last minute…which means unpacking has been interesting! I am a Saskatoon realtor (r) who works with enough Saskatoon first time home buyers and Saskatoon home sellers that I know better, but when it comes to yourself it is easy to give advice and not take it!!

We moved from our house for sale in Stonebridge to our newly built house in Willowgrove. We were fortunate with the weather as it was the sunniest and hottest Friday in the past 3 weeks (freak snow storm the Friday before and rain this past Friday, so our moving day was GREAT!)

With more houses for sale in Stonebridge I have recently reduced the price of 107 Robertson Cove to $389900 from $399900. This is a great house for sale in Saskatoon as it is almost new and the landscaping is done including the driveway and walk way. In the muddy weather of spring I value the finished driveway more than you can imagine after moving into my new mud pit of a yard in Willowgrove. There are many houses for sale in Willowgrove and many new houses being built in our area that makes for muddy streets and sidewalks…not much fun for me or the dog as having a dog and a new house in Saskatoon means a muddy house!

We are also already missing the ameneties in Stonebridge as our runs to Home Depot have been on a huge increase with the work of our new house. We used to be a 5 minute drive from our favourite spots; Home Depot, Wal Mart, Winners Home Sense and for food-Wok Box! Now it takes about 15 minutes from our new house in Willowgrove but we still run over to Stonebridge to get most things as the amenities there are better than anywhere else in the city of Saskatoon it seems.

If you are looking to buy a house in Saskatoon or to sell your house in Saskatoon I would love the opportunity to earn your business. I am a motivated and active Saskatoon Realtor (r) who loves what I do so I hope to be able to help you with all of your Saskatoon real estate needs.

Kari Calder
Century 21 Conexus Realty Ltd
www.karicalder.com
653-8222

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

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 »

5. April 2010 by Kari Calder.

I am very happy to hear that something came in under budget for once in Saskatoon. This one has a great impact on all citizens of Saskatoon, but also on real estate agents in Saskatoon as we drive around the city so much showing houses for sale in Saskatoon and listing houses for sale in Saskatoon and area.

In an article in the Star Phoenix last week it was stated that Graham Construction and Flatiron Construction Corp. would be awarded the most expensive in Saskatoon’s history for a public project. In the end, the cost will be between $30 million and $40 million below the estimate given 4 years ago.

Completion is slated for October 2012 and as a realtor in Saskatoon I cannot tell you how excited I am about that! It will save time when driving around with my Saskatoon home buyers showing them houses for sale in Saskatoon.

The one thing I am not looking forward to, as a real estate agent in Saskatoon, is the contruction zones in certain Saskatoon neighbourhoods and the inevitable slowing down of traffic and detours while the bridge is being built.

The other area that is proposed to get a makeover is the intersection of Circle Drive and Preston Avenue. With the amount of new homes in Stonebridge and the huge increase of population in Stonebridge, this intersection is getting overwhelmed and unsafe.

If you are interested in buying one of the houses for sale in Saskatoon or if you are just starting to get a feel for the Saskatoon real estate market, contact me for all of your Saskatoon real estate needs. If you are thinking about selling a house in Saskatoon I would love the opportunity to show you why it would be best to put your house for sale in Saskatoon with me as your Saskatoon real estate professional.

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

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

26. March 2010 by Kari Calder.

The province of Saskatchewan population has hit an all time high in 2010 with 1,038,018 people living in the province. We have seen an increase of 15760 people since the same time in 2009. The largest factor is the net international migration which was 8571 people. This is the highest number of immigration to Saskatchewan from international areas since records were started in 1946. I have been working with several first time home buyers in Saskatoon who have come from areas like Russia and the Ukraine. They are looking for houses for sale in Saskatoon that will accomodate themselves but also their families at a later date. Some of my first time home buyers in Saskatoon from the Ukraine are bringing over their parents in the next few months.

The only 2 provinces that saw a higher increase in growth were British Columbia and Nunavut. PEI was the only province that saw a loss of people (152 people lost).

With the number of houses for sale in Saskatoon that we started with in January 2009 compared to the number of houses for sale in Saskatoon in January 2010 the net migration is evident here.

It seems people are moving out west as the highest rate of growth was in the four Western Provinces which recorded higher than normal growth, obviously including Saskatchewan.

We welcome these new home buyers in Saskatoon and I look forward to helping more people buy houses for sale in Saskatoon in 2010. Unfortunately, as a realtor (r) in Saskatoon I cannot speak Russian or Ukrainian but I do have some previous clients who have purchased a home for sale in Saskatoon through me who would likely help if needed! I enjoy being a real estate agent in Saskatoon and love helping people find their ‘new’ house in Saskatoon.

Kari Calder
Century 21 Conexus Realty Ltd
Saskatoon, Sk
653-8222
www.karicalder.com

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