21. July 2008 by Kari Calder.

I have to admit that Taste of Saskatchewan is one of my most favorite events of the summer…well, of the entire year! I enjoyed it a total of 6 times this year. I moved back to Saskatoon several years ago and any time I have new clients who move to Saskatoon I always like to tell them about TOS. It is one of the best events and there are always great bands, great people watching, and great food put on of course by Conexus Credit Union, and as I work for Century 21 Conexus in Saskatoon, I figured I should make sure to support it as much as possible. There were 30 restaurants from Saskatoon that took part in the event. One of my new favorites, Cactus Joes, had incredibly tasty sweet potato fries. Taste of Saskatchewan gives everyone in Saskatoon the ability to sample at many of our tones of restaurants and is a great time for people who are new to our beautiful city to check out great places to eat and enjoy live entertainment, to sit with strangers and enjoy the food and hopefully some conversation with some of our friendly Saskatoonians.

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

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

9. June 2008 by Kari Calder.

This weekend on June 6th, many of the Saskatoon public pools opened.  Although this past weekend was a bit cooler than it has been the last few weeks there were still a lot of people visiting the pools.  The following pools are now open as of June 6th.

• George Ward Pool
• Riversdale Pool
• Kinsmen Play Village

On Monday, June 9th these pools will open their doors for the summer season.

• Lathey Pool
• Mayfair Pool

Be sure to visit my website for detailed information on Saskatoon neighourhoods and some of the amentities the different neighbourhoods offer.  You can also visit the city of Saskatoon website to get additional information on the park and leisure activies offered by the city throughout the year.

Kari Calder
Century 21 Conexus Realty Ltd.

Posted in Saskatoon News, Saskatoon | No Comments »

9. June 2008 by Kari Calder.

Nutana Collegiate is a Saskatoon high school that has been long overdue to get some renovations.  The school is reaching its 100 year anniversary and has been given $8.5 million dollars in government funding to be applied to a wide variety of renovations that the school desperately needs.  These renovations will include everything ranging from mechanical & electrical services to the installation of an elevator for accessibility for disabled individuals.

Nutana Collegiate is the oldest high school in Saskatoon and was the first secondary school established.  It also served as the first home for the University of Saskatchewan in 1910 until 1912 until the long term campus was developed.  Nutana has a long history in the city of Saskatoon.

For those of you that are either looking to buy or sell real estate in the Nutana neighbourhood, this is excellent news.  With the Saskatoon real estate market becoming a stabilized market again it is important to take note when big changes like these take place in your neighbourhood.  Nutana is a sought after area due to its close proximity to the Broadway, which offers a host of small speciality shops.  People also really enjoy Nutana because you are right close to the river and also the downtown core of the city.

If you are interested in either buying or selling real estate in the Nutana area or anywhere else in Saskatoon or the surrounding areas, be sure to contact me and I would be more than happy to assist you.

To read more about this story, visit the Star Phoenix article.

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

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

9. June 2008 by Kari Calder.

For those of you who currently live in Saskatoon, you are well aware of the red light cameraon Circle Drive in the north end of the city.  This camera has generated more than just a few tickets but has also helped reduce accidents and bad driving through this area which previously was notorious for accidents.  In the first year alone the camera handed out more than $460,000 worth of tickets and cut people running the red light by 92 per cent. 

The city of Saskatoon has approved the installation of 2 more red-light cameras in the city.  The first camera will be installed on 8th street and Preston Avenue.  This intersection is a major one in the city of Saskatoon as it is the major go through road between College and 8th.  The second camera will be installed on 51st Street and Warman Road.  Both of these intersections have a history of people running red lights and as a result a lot of accidents happening.

With the city of Saskatoon growing, we will continue to see more additions of this.  As any city grow more strain is put on traffic and it seems that people drive a little bit more aggressive.  These cameras are planned to be installed by the end of the summer so be sure to take note and drive safe!

For more information on this story be sure to check out the Star Phoenix article.

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

Posted in Saskatoon News, Saskatoon | No Comments »

2. June 2008 by Kari Calder.

WestJet announced late last week that starting in September of this year they will start to offer direct flightsto Las Vegas from Saskatoon.  Previously the only way to get to Vegas via WestJet was to fly to either Calgary or Edmonton and then catch a connector flight.  This is just one more sign that Saskatoon is making its mark and attracting large companies to bring more services to our city.

Initially WestJet says that the flights will be seasonal and only operating in the fall, winter and early spring.  This tend to be the busiest times for people to head done to Vegasand escape the Canadian winter.  If the service is popular than we could see it potentially running year round.  Recently WestJet also added a direct flight from Saskatoon to Toronto.

Saskatoon is in huge a huge growth phase, which can be shown by the Saskatoon real estate market.  As our city continues to grow more services such as direct flights that once weren’t an option will become readily available.  I know I for one am excited about the addition of flights to our city.

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

Posted in Saskatchewan News, Saskatoon News | No Comments »

2. June 2008 by Kari Calder.

About a month ago I was contacted by CBC National to speak about the real estate market in Saskatoon and to set them up with one of my many clients from Alberta that was migrating to Saskatchewan. I was thrilled at the opportunity and put them in touch with one of my candid and fun clients; I had many to choose from though, it was hard! But I put them in contact with one of my clients who, when I asked ‘Why are you moving to Saskatoon” he quoted “We are following the money!” so I figured he and his wife would be the best ones to talk to.

Just last week I met up with one of the producers who came out to Saskatoon to do a story on real estate in Saskatchewan and how the Saskatoon real estate boom has affected everyone; good and bad. I spent a few hours with him over 2 days and we had a blast. He wanted to learn about housing prices in Saskatoon and how they changed over the past 16 months so we did a few drive bys in different locations to go over the prices from late 2006 and early 2007 until now. I am hoping they don’t put too negative of a spin on how real estate has impacted Saskatoon and Saskatchewan as I would say that most of us notice when the media grabs on to our market boom and that almost scares people away. Some people think we have maxed out, but with the mining sectors doubling in size in the next few years, people have to move here from somewhere! Sure right now we are experiencing more listings than we have seen in the Saskatoon real estate market for over a year, but we are finally in a more balanced market again. People are dropping some of their prices to be more appropriate, but that doesn’t mean house prices are falling in Saskatoon. So for people who are thinking of investing in the future of Saskatoon and looking for properties to rent to the loads of people who have no where to live, this is a great time to buy a home in Saskatoon. Buyers and investors don’t have to buy without seeing, they have the luxury now of choosing from a few properties for sale in Saskatoon. So, for those who are scared to buy as they are fearing a recession from the US, I say you must be more aware of what is happening in Saskatchewan’s economy as it is strong and unlike the US in any way!

So, I will post another blog when I know the story will be aired!

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

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

16. May 2008 by Kari Calder.

For those of you who currently live in the Pleasant Hill neighbourhood in Saskatoon or are possibly looking to buy real estate in this area, you will be happy to learn that funding for a new school has been provided.  The Saskatchewan provincial government has committed to provide $8.3 million to be used for the construction of a new St. Mary Community School.  This new school will also include a day care and a wellness centre.  The city of Saskatoon has also committed to providing $500,000 in addition to the Saskatchewan government contribution.

The existing St. Mary school in Pleasant Hill is part of the Saskatoon Catholic School board and for years has been over crowded and not adequate for the students needs.  On several occasions the Catholic school board in Saskatoon have attempted to get work done on the school without success.  This announcement of new funding will provide for a new school to be built and better serve the students and residents of Pleasant Hill.

With the addition of this new school, real estate prices in Pleasant Hill will probably increase as well.  Pleasant Hill has traditionally been known as a rougher area of the city but with changes like this on the horizon, things will change in a hurry.  If you are interested in either buying or sell real estate in the Pleasant Hill area or anywhere in Saskatoon be sure to contact me and I’ll be happy to work with you!

To read more about the new school in Pleasant Hill click here.

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

Posted in Saskatoon News, Buyers | No Comments »

8. May 2008 by Kari Calder.

I want to invite anyone interested in real estate investing to attend a seminar that will be happening on Thursday, May 15th at 7pm.  Ed Machart and I will be putting on this great event with a focus on a new luxury Mexico real estate investment project we are currently working on.  The project is called the Serena Marina & Golf Residences and is located in beautiful Mazatlan, Mexico.  This is one of the most prestigous developments in Mexico and has the unique feature of being located on a brand new golf course designed by a world famous designer as well right on its own exclusive marina.  If you are an avid fisherman or golfer this high end luxury property is definitely something you will want to check out.  We have had the opportunity to visit the project in person and meet the developer and were extremely impressed.  When attending this event you will also have the unique opportunity to meet the sales manager from Mazatlan yourself.  To find out more information about the Serena Marina & Golf Residence project be sure to visit the Mexico Investment Real Estate section of my website.

Date: May 15, 2008
Time: 7:00pm (doors and sign in will commence at 6:30)
Location: Heritage Inn, Saskatoon (See Map)

E-mail kari@hotspotinvestments.ca to register for this event or for additional details.  We look forward to seeing you there!

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

Posted in International Real Estate, Saskatoon Events, News | 1 Comment »

8. May 2008 by Kari Calder.

Yesterday I posted an article about Tips On Saving Gasonline, it appears that this came at the exact right time.  Yesterday gas prices in the city of Saskatoon hit $1.31.  This is the highest gas prices have ever been and is a direct result of oil hitting over $120 a barrel.  The price increase started at some gas stations yesterday and was slowly spreading over the city.  It is expected that by today gas prices across Saskatoon will hit the $1.31 mark.  Saskatoon and Regina are two of the most expensive cities in Canada to buy gas in right now.  With the upcoming long weekend gas prices could creep up a few more cents.  I have a hard time understanding why gas prices keep going up so quickly considering we are hearing about how oil companies are making record profits.  The higher the gas prices go up the more the tax dollars are generated as well.  You would expect that the government might come in and do something.  It doesn’t like gas prices will decrease anytime soon and could be as high as $1.50 a litre by the summer.  Be sure to keep an eye out for cheaper gas.

You can read more about the gas increase at the Saskatoon Star Phoenix website.

Also read How To Find Cheap Gas In Saskatoon.

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

Posted in Saskatoon News | No Comments »

8. May 2008 by Kari Calder.

With gas prices increasing in Saskatoonit is important for consumers to realize that they have options in finding cheaper gas throughout the city.  You can’t expect to save a ton of money but as a Saskatoon home owner, every little bit counts.  It is predicted that gas prices will shoot up over the next 3 months to almost $1.50 a litre and this often happens during the day before people get off work.  Usually there are a few gas stations that will wait until the following day but eventually they all go up.  Below are some tips on how to source out cheaper gasoline in Saskatoon.

Use The Internet - there are many websites on the net like saskatoongasprices.com that will provide you information on the current price of gas for many of the gas stations across Saskatoon.  The information is updated pretty regularly so if you are looking for the cheapest place to fill up, check out this website.

Consider A Reward Card - Many companies offer reward cards and they all differ slightly.  Some companies like the Saskatoon Co-op offer rewards so basically at the end of the year you get a % back in all the purchases you’ve done with them.  Other gas stations work in conjunction with Air Miles (which anyone buying real estate with a Saskatoon Century 21 Realtoris eligible for as well) and other reward programs. 

Take Advantage of Coupons - With gas prices going up you will start to see stores taking advantage of this and trying to offer you deals to get you into the store.  On more than a few occasions I have seen coupons from Superstore offering .20 cents off a litre with a grocery purchase of $200 or more.  Other companies offer deals like this as well, just be sure to keep your eyes open.

These are only a few ways for Saskatoon home owners and anyone else to save money on gas.  It will be important to take note of these.  In many cases you can use multiple methods at one location.  For example, at Shell you can use an Air Miles card and you can also pay with a credit card that produces Air Miles so essentially you are doubling up.  You can redeem Air Miles for gas, trips, electronics and a whole variety of things.  If you have additional tips be sure to include them!

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

Posted in Saskatoon News, Saskatoon | 1 Comment »