Archive for the ‘Saskatoon Events’ Category

New Festival For Saskatoon

Wednesday, September 21st, 2011

Saskatoon welcomes its newest festival this weekend with the first ever Word on the Street in Saskatoon joining other Canadian cities from Halifax to Vancouver. The event began in Toronto in 1990. Organizers promise a fair-like atmosphere with plenty of family activities and a total of 29 writers will read from their works, respond to questions from the public and sign books. One of those readers is my mom, Marie Donais Calder, with her books series “The Other Side Series”.

She has published 5 books already in the series with the 6th one on its way, due to arrive in stores mid October. She will also be at the Saskatoon Public Library on Friday afternoon to present and read from her 5th book, “Torn”.

When it comes to library use and buying books, Saskatoon is at the top of national figures and our city is also home to writers of high achievement. There are 4 Governor General Award winners who live here as well as the Man Booker Prize winner and Griffin Poetry prize winner.

The exhibit will take place at the public library facilities and will be hosted in front of the Frances Morrison Library downtown and at City Hall, with the street in between closed and tents set up along the street. It will be sort of like a farmer’s market for books. The event is free and it runs from 11-5 on Sunday and the weather is supposed to be nice so hopefully the turn out is great! Unfortunately I am off with many of my Saskatoon Century 21 agent colleagues to our national convention in Edmonton where I will be receiving a Centurion Award for my Saskatoon real estate sales in 2010 so I will not be able to be here to support my mom and the community for this first time festival.

If you get a chance please stop in and support our city’s festivals as well as my mom!

Kari Calder
Century 21 Fusion
306-653-8222

Recycling News

Monday, September 12th, 2011

I am an avid recycler…so much so that when my inlaws come to my house they just leave all of their garbage on the counter so that they don’t put something in the wrong bin in my pantry. I recently made the switch to the single stream Loraas program, All Green Recycling, after being a Saskatoon Curbside client for over 5 years. Whenever I sell a house in Saskatoon and my new buyers take possession I would always give out a flyer for Saskatoon Curbside. Many of my Saskatoon real estate clients also used Curbside. The choice was due to the types of boxes used by both parties and, in a sometimes windy area of Willowgrove, Saskatoon Curbside’s containers weren’t securing my recycle so it would end up in my neighbours yard from time to time.

I wasn’t surprised to see today that Loraas bought out Saskatoon Curbside Recycling. I give Saskatoon Curbside a lot of credit for pioneering something in our city that should be mandatory in the first place so I hope that it is a good fit for both companies. It sounds like much of the management team will be absorbed into Loraas’s company.

Companies can still bid to the city for the recycling contract but I would hope that they would stay with Loraas as they are local and are doing a great job thus far in my opinion. It is just time to get recycling in EVERY home as it is disappointing to see my neighbours trash cans filled with cardboard, tin, etc. With the way the city of Saskatoon is growing we need to create less waste. The Saskatoon real estate market is a good indicator as to how many people are moving to our city every month and our Saskatoon real estate market has not slowed down so we can see the need for better infrastructure and waste management programs.

Kari Calder
Century 21 Fusion

Attempting to have a summer life in Saskatoon!

Tuesday, August 16th, 2011

As a Saskatoon real estate agent I am usually a little bit slower in the summer, but not this summer! The Saskatoon real estate market has been a busy one this year and I have not been able to slow down for a moment! It is amazing and sad at how fast time flies, especially the older you get. I now understand what ‘old people’ (when we were10 people my age seemed ancient!!) were talking about.

There have been many great festivals and events in Saskatoon already this summer. I am happy to say I was able to enjoy one of my favourites, Taste of Saskatchewan, at least twice. I love food so this is one not to miss. I actually bit the bullet and shared a Deep Fried Mars Bar with my fiance as well…I knew why we shared and why I hadn’t done it in 3 years shortly after biting in as it is the richest dessert I have ever eaten!

I am excited to say I will be heading to see Shakespeare on the Saskatchewan tonight for my first time ever! I did miss the Saskatoon Exhibition this year. Usually I like to pop in at least once to check things out but I was too busy selling houses for sale in Saskatoon this year to make it by even for an hour.

Now that summer is coming close to an end I am finding I need to make more time to enjoy the festivities but it is a fine balancing act with my career as a realtor in Saskatoon. Luckily I sleep less in the summer! The next festivity I will look forward to is Folk Fest this weekend.

Kari Calder
Century 21 Fusion
653-8222

Looking Forward to Cirque du Soleil’s Drallion!

Thursday, July 14th, 2011

I will be taking an evening off from selling houses for sale in Saskatoon tonight by attending a Cirque du Soleil show here in Saskatoon. I am sure I will still be checking my phone as I am a dedicated real estate agent in Saskatoon and somewhat a workaholic, but I won’t be out showing houses for sale in Saskatoon tonight.

A group of friends, my fiance, and myself have been looking forward to this evening for a few months. I actually only got to see my first true Cirque show in Vegas in May and I was BLOWN away! We will be attending the opening show tonight so hopefully they will have worked out any hiccups during their rehearsals.

Dralion runs tonight until Sunday at the Credit Union Centre in Saskatoon (aka Sask Place for those who know it as that!) I believe tickets are still available. It will be interesting to see how the performance and stunts differ from the stages that are built around the performances as this is a traveling act. At any rate, whatever they do it is all amazing to me as I give credit to the performers for their strength, agility, grace, etc.

It is great to see more shows coming to Saskatoon as our city’s population grows and the arts scene keeps on growing with it!

Kari Calder
Century 21 Fusion
653-82202

Saskatoon’s Very Own Princess Shop

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!

Iconic Stone House Demolished

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

Century 21 Comes Through Again

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

Interest Rates Have Gone Up

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

More Cars than People in Saskatoon?

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

One More Bridge Shut Down in Saskatoon-Great for Traffic!

Thursday, August 26th, 2010

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