Current Market « Saskatoon Real Estate

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South Bridge Comes in Under Budget!!

Monday, April 5th, 2010

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

Province Hits a Record High in Population

Friday, March 26th, 2010

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

Red Light Cameras=More Accidents

Friday, March 19th, 2010

http://www.thestarphoenix.com/news/light+cameras+affect+crashes+intersection/2626442/story.html

Agreed!

As a realtor in Saskatoon I spend a lot of my day in my car. I had to get a new one(vehicle) to accomodate the handsfree law, which I am okay with although I think I am equally distracted by having a passenger beside me so whether or not I am holding a phone or a cup of coffee I don’t think it really matters, but it is now the law. Hopefully they will equip police cars in Saskatoon with the same technology as I do still see police, on occasion, on THEIR cell phones!

There was also recently an article in the Saskatoon Star Phoenix on the red light cameras in Saskatoon. While the number of major accidents decrease the number of smaller collisions has increased since it was installed in 2005. The most common accident we see at these intersections (and there are now 3) are rear-enders in which a chain reaction occurs. Hint to driver; when you are already half way through the intersection hammering on your brakes and attempting to reverse is likely still going to earn you a ticket! I think our city would be smarter by putting timing devices on these intersetions counting down until the light turns yellow. If they were more concerned about accidents and less concerned about making money from these logistical nightmares I think we would see them working together. As realtors in Saskatoon we spend so much time driving that we tend to see almost everything when it comes to driving and accidents.

As a Saskatoon Real Estate Agent I am constantly running to get to appointments with my clients who want to sell put their house for sale in Saskatoon or to meet my first time home buyers in Saskatoon to view homes. With technology these days, there is no need to show up late without telling someone, so that also means if I am running behind I can let them know and not have to run lights to get there on time. People are much more forgiving if you just let them know you are on your way and you value their time.

I recently had a new home buyer in Saskatoon that I worked with who was previously working with another real estate agent in Saskatoon. She switched due to the fact that he wouldn’t let her know he was going to be late, leaving her sitting in front of the houses for sale in Saskatoon for up to half an hour at a time waiting for him! She was a home buyer in Saskatoon who was very motivated to buy a house for sale in Saskatoon and this Saskatoon realtor (r) left her hanging…good for me though as I respect other people’s time!

If you are looking to buy a house for sale in Saskatoon or are looking to sell your house in Saskatoon I would love to hear from you!

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

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

More New Listings

Tuesday, March 9th, 2010

Just a heads up that I will be listing a few new properties for sale in Saskatoon that are worth a mention. I have 2 condos for sale in Saskatoon coming up in the next week and 1 house for sale in Saskatoon coming up in about 2 weeks. If you are looking to buy a house in Saskatoon or a condo in Saskatoon give me a call!

Details to follow but as a preview:

2 bedroom apartment style condo for sale in Saskatoon in Lakewood (built in 2006) with 2 parking stalls coming up this week at $224,900.

3 bedroom 3 bathroom townhouse for sale in Arbor Creek (developed basement) with 2 parking stalls around $260,000

House built in 2008 in Stonebridge Saskatoon, 3 bedroom, 2 bathroom, fully developed yard,deck,fence,driveway, walkway etc for under $400,000.

Stay tuned! Real estate in Saskatoon is moving so if you are looking to list your house for sale in Saskatoon call me! It is all about getting the best price in the least amount of time to prevent market damage and I am a very active Saskatoon realtor (r) so I am happy to work for you! Don’t leave money on the table or deal with tire kickers, Saskatoon real estate agents bring qualified buyers to your property for sale in Saskatoon so that we aren’t wasting your time.

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

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

New Listing on the River

Tuesday, March 2nd, 2010

I have a new listing located at 648 Spadina Crescent West in Saskatoon in the King George area. Don’t let the area deter you, the location is fantastic and it is RIVER FRONT! What a rare opportunity to own a sought after piece of land and a great house to go along with it!

This house for sale in Saskatoon can be seen on my website at http://www.karicalder.com/ and if you are a qualified buyer in Saskatoon (or would like to get more information on buying a house for sale in Saskatoon) you can contact me and I will get the process started for you.

This lovely home has 3 bedrooms, a loft currently used as a bedroom, and a main floor den that could also be used as a bedroom. It is 1791/3 and has many upgrades/updates including a newer kitchen with plenty of space.

Look over the beautiful Saskatchewan River from your 2nd floor balcony and enjoy the greenery of Victoria Park in Saskatoon. You are a short drive to down town Saskatoon and a hop skip and a jump away from the River Landing Project as well as the farmer’s market in Saskatoon and the Persephone Theatre.

Don’t miss this great opportunity! River front house for sale in Saskatoon, priceless! Still a great time to buy in this current market in Saskatoon.

Kari Calder
Century 21 Conexus Realty Ltd.
653-8222

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

Saskatoon Housing Unaffordable?

Thursday, January 28th, 2010

According to the Frontier Centre for Public Policy Saskatoon’s housing market has been deemed seriously unaffordable. We are at a rate of 4.6 (same as 2008) and that rate is on par with Calgary, Edmonton, Hamilton and Montreal.

How they figure this out is by taking the median house price in Saskatoon (the exact mid point between the highest and the lowest priced homes that sold in Saskatoon in the third quarter) and dividing it by the median annual gross income. The rate means that, to pay of your home purchase in Saskatoon, it would take 4.6 years of your entire salary to pay off a typical Saskatoon home.

This had definitely changed since the Saskatoon real estate boom of 2007, but it has changed across the country. The rate for paying off your house in Saskatoon was 2.0 in 2006, then in 2007 it went up to 2.6, then 3.5 in 2008 and now 4.6 in 2009.

Buying a house in Regina and Winnipeg are the most affordable markets out of the major markets across Canada. Vancouver is the most expensive market out of the 28 measured in Canada but it is also topping the charts out of 272 metropolitan areas in Ireland, the U.K., New Zealand, Australia, the U.S. and Canada. Victoria was also severely unaffordable at 7.4 but Ottawa is still moderately affordable with a reading of 3.8 up from 3.4 the previous year. I can help put you in touch with a realtor in Regina or any city if you are in need.

Affordability in Alberta homes has improved slightly; Calgary fell from 4.8 to 4.6 this year and Edmonton just slightly from 4.2 to 4.1. On the other side of the country Toronto went from 4.8 to 5.2. So ask yourself, would you rather live in Vancouver, Toronto or Saskatoon as the prices of homes for sale in Saskatoon is still more manageable, as is the commute time and the quality of life. If you are looking to buy a house or condo in Saskatoon contact me. I can set you up with a great Saskatoon mortgage broker or two to get you on your way.

These reports should be taken with a grain of salt however as any statistic should considering they aren’t looking at the entire picture of real estate in Saskatoon or anywhere else. They use limited data with small numbers which can easily be skewed.

Our market is trending towards being more of a sellers market so if you are looking to sell your house in Saskatoon contact me.

Kari Calder
Century 21 Conexus Realty Ltd
306-653-8222
karicalder@sasktel.net

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

Multiple Offers are Baaaaaack

Wednesday, January 27th, 2010

If a house for sale in Saskatoon is priced right and within a certain price range, you may have to deal with multiple offers and you may have to offer above list price to get the house you want.

The Saskatoon real estate market has picked up and inventory is low in certain price ranges and areas. I have been told of a recent listing that received several offers within the first day. One of the offers that was $5000 above list price was the lowest of at least 4 offers that he knew of on a Saskatoon house for sale on the east side. If you are thinking of buying a house or condo for sale in Saskatoon you need to have a Saskatoon realtor (R) dedicated to helping you buy a house in Saskatoon and one who can react quickly.

That doesn’t mean we can go back to overpricing homes and hoping for the best…today’s home buyer in Saskatoon is more savvy than even 2 years ago and a lot more cautious, so when selling your house in Saskatoon you still need to be on the mark with your prices and remember that most serious buyers will be using the professional services of a Saskatoon Realtor(r). If you are looking to sell your house in Saskatoon then contact me for more information.

I genuinely hope that we don’t go back to every listing receiving multiple offers, but I believe a lot of that was driven by investors whereas now if a good solid home hits the Saskatoon MLS and it is priced right, there will be enough interest to generate several offers.

Kari Calder
Residential Real Estate Specialist
Century 21 Conexus Realty Ltd Saskatoon
http://www.karicalder.com/AboutMe/testimonials.html

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

New Listing-Condo for Sale in Downtown Saskatoon

Tuesday, January 26th, 2010

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

BOC Interest Rates Unchanged

Thursday, January 21st, 2010

In the news on January 19th, 2010 it was stated that the government will keep the lowest practical rate of 0.25% until at least the middle of 2010.

In Saskatoon real estate we are still seeing a 5 year mortgage around that 3.99% mark which has been fluctuating slightly, but that seems to be a common rate with several lending institutions.

This means that you can still get locked into a 5 year mortgage for a very good rate or wait a few months with an open variable mortgage and then lock in before the rates start increasing, but beware that in 5 years your interest rates may change substantially so be careful to only buy a house in Saskatoon that is within your means and not at the very end of your means if you don’t have a job that will be giving you a raise accordingly! It is generally best to see a mortgage broker in Saskatoon to get the best rates.

As a realtor in Saskatoon I work with many buyers who have mortgage approval for much higher than they spend. I do have clients who do max out with their pre-approved amount, but they generally know that they will have a second income paying for the house (spouse, room mate, etc) or they know that their jobs are secure and their wage will increase.

Economic growth across Canada is still lagging a bit, but it is expected to be higher than originally expected in 2011. Our high Canadian dollar against the US dollar is hampering Canada’s recovery as exports are less desirable.

Saskatoon is always a bit different than the rest of Canada and our listing inventory seems to prove that people are buying houses in Saskatoon and the Saskatoon real estate market has been seeing a recovery.

Contact me if you are looking for a mortgage broker in Saskatoon to get you pre-approved to buy a house in Saskatoon. I have a few great mortgage brokers in Saskatoon who I work with who will get you the best rates and the best mortgage for your needs.

Kari Calder
Residential Real Estate Specialist
Century 21 Conexus Realty Ltd.
306-653-8222
karicalder@sasktel.net

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

Home from Thailand, back to Real Estate!

Thursday, January 21st, 2010

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

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