One of the slower price ranges in April was the $200,000-$300,000 range which was down 3% from the previous year (however there were likely also less houses for sale in Saskatoon under $300,000 this year). The $300,000-$500,000 continued to be busy in April with sales in this range up 34% from the year before.

The average price for a house for sale in Saskatoon in April 2012 was just under $326,000 which is up 9% from 2011 however with the price range of $300,000-$500,000 being very active this also impacts the average house price in Saskatoon. The six month rolling average house price in Saskatoon is just $320,768 which is up from $298,183 in 2011.

There were 1145 houses for sale in Saskatoon by May 1st 2012 which is down 12% from the 1300 houses for sale in Saskatoon in 2011. Outside of Saskatoon there were 938 houses for sale which was also down from 2011 when there were 973 houses for sale in communities outside of Saskatoon.

The number of REALTORS in Saskatoon has jumped 9% since 2011. We now have 520 active Saskatoon real estate agents which is up from 475 in 2011 and up from 433 in 2010.

If you are interested in buying a house in Saskatoon and you don’t yet have a Saskatoon REALTOR working for you, get in touch with me as I would be happy to help you with your purchase. If you are thinking about selling your house in Saskatoon I would be happy to discuss what I have to offer.

Kari Calder
Saskatoon Real Estate Agent
Century 21 Fusion
kari@saskatoonrealestate.net

By being awarded the “Thumbs Up” by Trusted Saskatoon means a lot to me as your Trusted Saskatoon REALTOR. I have been in the business for 5 years and believe that I have done a pretty good job of making a name for myself by being a Saskatoon real estate agent people can trust and rely on. While I understand that I can’t make everyone happy all the time as long as the majority are happy with the value and expertise I have brought to their largest purchase or largest sale, I have done what I have set out to do…all the while getting to know my Saskatoon real estate clients.

Trusted Saskatoon is not just a business directory where any business can list. They do their research and call references (up to 20) and will not allow you to be part of the group if the feedback is not as high as their standards. There are two other great Saskatoon REALTORS involved with Trusted and I am happy to be the third member to have achieved the Trusted “Thumbs Up”.

If you are looking to purchase a house for sale in Saskatoon or looking to put your house for sale in Saskatoon contact me to see what I can offer you and be confident that my years of experience combined with the Trusted Thumbs Up means I will take care of you and your Saskatoon real estate needs.

Thank you to my previous Saskatoon real estate clients who spoke so highly of me to the team at Trusted Saskatoon. I appreciate your business and your friendships.

Kari Calder
Saskatoon Real Estate Agent
Century 21 Fusion
kari@saskatoonrealestate.net

It was announced in the Saskatoon Star Phoenix on the weekend that there will be a new middle school opening and is under construction. This will be a middle school, which is rare in our province, as normally our schools run from K-8 and 9-12. They presently aim to accomodate Grade 4-8 at this new school that will be attached to the new 100,000 sq ft rec complex, The Legends Centre. The project is approximately $21.5 million dollars and will be able to comfortably fit 700 students. There are currently 750 students in Grade 6-12 and 769 students in Kindergarten to Grade 5 in the Warman schools. This is about 130% capacity, so kids are crammed in and students have to take staggered bathroom breaks, cram into computer labs and spend less time in gyms than they should.

September may be an issue as the elementary school has been growing at about 6% per year and the high school by 8%. This means about 50 more students to each already overcrowded school in September.

The new school’s location is ideal for leasing space from the Legends Centre for use of one of the two indoor soccer fields. These fields can also be used for sports such as tennis, badminton or basketball. The town library will also be part of the school building and the 400 seat theatre in the school will be available for rent by other community groups.

With Warman being one of the fastest growing communities this is imperative. Real estate in Warman is always steady as it is still a nice town to commute from (although the town has surpassed the requirements to become a city according to our latest statistics with a population of 7048.

As a real estate agent in Saskatoon I often show properties in Warman as it is so close to the city. I have sold many homes in Warman to people who commute to the city.

If you are thinking about buying a house for sale in Saskatoon or surrounding areas, Warman is definitely a nice community to consider (especially if you don’t yet have kids in school-once the new school is built it will be even more popular). Once this school is finished I think we will see more real estate in Warman selling faster as the school situation is definitely a concern for my home buyers.  If you need an experienced REALTOR in Saskatoon or surrounding areas please check me out as I would love to help you purchase a home for sale in Saskatoon or area.

Kari Calder
Saskatoon Real Estate Agent
Century 21 Fusion
kari@saskatoonrealestate.net

For a full list of businesses check out the On Broadway website. You can literally find everything you need on or just off Broadway Avenue. Antiques, Art, Bakeries, Bars, Butchers, Florists, Footwear, Health & Wellness, Theatres and Travel. This is the ‘artsy fartsy’ district of Saskatoon and very popular for a wide variety of reasons.

This condo for sale in Saskatoon features 2 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms. Master bedroom is large and has a 3 piece bathroom and walk-in closet. For guests or an office you have a second bedroom as well as a 4 piece bathroom. This condo for sale in Saskatoon has seen many upgrades such as new wood flooring in dining, kitchen and living room, upgraded granite in the kitchen including an eating bar, new lighting throughout (including professional removal of the ‘sunshine ceiling’), new counters/sinks and hardware in both bathrooms as well as ceramic tile flooring.

This unis is a top floor condo in a popular building with an elevator, rec/games room, underground parking and extra storage. If you are looking to buy a house or condo for sale in Saskatoon this is a great opportunity. Whether you are downsizing, a first time buyer looking for easy living, if you are a parent looking for your kids while they attend the U of S or College or if you are an investor this a great opportunity for move in ready. If you are looking for a trusted REALTOR in Saskatoon call or email me.

Kari Calder
Saskatoon Real Estate Agent
Century 21 Fusion
kari@saskatoonrealestate.net

At the end of March we had 1053 houses for sale in Saskatoon which was down 66 units from the year before. All price ranges have been busy but the activity in homes for sale in Saskatoon priced over $350,000 was up 140% from 2011 and compared to last March sales in $450,000-$500,000 was up 243%. This also affects the average house price in Saskatoon which was up 9% to just under $319,000. These higher range houses for sale in Saskatoon that are getting offers is what is helping to drive the average house price in Saskatoon upwards.

Saskatoon’s real estate market continues to be what we call ‘balanced’ but certain price ranges tend to be hotter than others and with lower supply and high demand this means we aren’t balanced in all ranges.

At the end of March we had 1000 houses for sale in Saskatoon and surrounding area with 631 actual properties for sale in Saskatoon and 494 sales.

If you are considering buying a house for sale in Saskatoon or a condo for sale in Saskatoon call or email me as I would love to help you with the largest purchase of your life. If you are thinking about selling your house in Saskatoon call or email me to find out how using my full service can get you the best exposure for your home. I am a trusted Saskatoon REALTOR with 5 years of experience and over 300 clients helped.

Kari Calder
Saskatoon Real Estate Agent
Century 21 Fusion
kari@saskatoonrealestate.net

The forecast shows that from 2013-2016 Calgary should lead, followed by Edmonton and Saskatoon. Senior economist, Rob Wiebe, says “Saskatoon has been red hot” and is not surprised that Saskatchewan’s economy has been boosted by resource extraction and a good agricultural picture. There is a lot of demand for food and of course with potash helping produce food this plays into the demand. We also have the Bakken Oil field in Southern Saskatchewan and nuclear is being re-examined so our Uranium reserves continues to play a role.

Saskatoon is doing things to keep up with the growth and to prepare for further growth such as a new art gallery, River Landing, a new police station and water treatment plant. The economic boom has also fuelled a population explosion in Saskatoon, up 10,000 from 2011 our new population is 270,000. Due to the demand of food, fuel and fertilizer Saskatoon should continue to see growth and our positive migration is an important forecast for the future. We are seeing approximately 500 people a month move to Saskatoon and I can see this in the Saskatoon real estate community as well.

Real estate in Saskatoon is as busy as ever with demand for both houses for sale in Saskatoon and rentals in Saskatoon. I have been getting more requests lately for rentals, however I do not deal in property management so hopefully I can flip some of these would be renters into Saskatoon home buyers.

If you are thinking about purchasing a house for sale in Saskatoon there is no time like the present as demand will continue to increase and supply will continue to be tight as Saskatoon home builders cannot keep up with the demand.

Kari Calder
Saskatoon Real Estate Agent
Century 21 Fusion
kari@saskatoonrealestate.net

Baydo Development Corp, a locally owned and operated land and real estate developer in Saskatoon, will be building a 75,000 square foot commercial and residential building which is a key project for Willowgrove. Their intention is to have space for small shops plus residences above the stores. The plans have a 25,000 square foot main level with 10 retail stores and the top 2 floors will consist of 48 one and two bedroom residential units which have a projected sale price of $180,000-$220,000 and their plans are to make these rental units.

Their plan is to make this as eco-friendly as possible and having solar power to preheat the boilers which should work for temperatures as low as -15 degrees which means lower than normal operating fees. The project is meant to be started this spring and finalized by September, 2013.

They already have a small convenience store for one of the spots and are looking for boutique-style stores such as a coffee shop, salon, small clothing store, etc.

There is one more property for sale in Willowgrove that is slated for the same type of development and Evergreen has similar plans for the same type of development. While most lots for sale in Willowgrove have been sold and construction of single family homes in Willowgrove is coming to an end there are still a lot of multi-family dwellings being constructed.

As a REALTOR in Saskatoon who has sold many houses in Willowgrove I am pretty excited that there is just one more thing to offer the residents. Just another great reason to buy a house for sale in Willowgrove as our neighbourhood is rounding out.

Kari Calder
Saskatoon Real Estate Agent
Century 21 Fusion
kari@saskatoonrealestate.net

About 2 weeks ago I had a call from another Saskatoon real estate agent to report that he just had a similar scam happening with his name and email address and one of his houses for sale in Saskatoon and he wondered what he could do. Thankfully the public and many local Saskatoon REALTORS were already aware of this ridiculous attempt to defraud innocent people so I am hoping no one fell for the scam attempt using his name.

The biggest thing to do is to keep aware of scams and to prevent them from working. If people are sending money to these fraudsters they will keep on doing what they are doing…because it works! The more awareness we can bring to the public and to REALTORS across Canada and the US the less likely it should be that anyone falls for these scams. Similar to the letters all of us have received in the mail about a rich relative passing away in some faroff land and needing money sent to pay lawyers so that you will receive your inheritance, these scams take fresh twists and turns so educating yourself and those around you is important and you shouldn’t get complacent. I recently received a letter in the mail, so not just email, that someone bothered to spend the money to post from Malasyia, to try to get money from me for an inheritance. Why are they spending money on this? Because it works so they cast the net wide and see which suckers they can find. The same goes on any of these real estate scams.

Many people still continue to ask me why someone would send money? Who would be that stupid they ask?  As a Saskatoon REALTOR I have actually rented out my own personal townhouse in Saskatoon more than once to people who have not seen it as they were renting from a distance. They sent me a personal cheque for the deposit and to hold to townhouse. It is not unlike what the scam artists are asking people to do…except sending money by wire transfer to someone out of country should be a massive red flag. If you aren’t from Canada though and don’t know how the system works this may not sound that unusual or as a red flag.

Keep reminding people to be vigilent. REALTORS across Canada, be aware of any suspicious calls or emails that ask about renting one of your listing and be sure to do some digging about the source and report the activity to police and the website providers where the ads are occuring. The best thing we can all do is keep reporting these types of fraud so they don’t work and these criminals move on. People’s money, homes, reputations and safety are all at risk with this scam so help spread the word. Saskatoon REALTORS, keep spreading the word and being aware as others here are starting to get used despite the media coverage.

Kari Calder
Saskatoon Real Estate Agent
Century 21 Fusion
kari@saskatoonrealestate.net

BMO, Bank of Montreal, was the first Canadian bank to bring in the 2.99% five-year term in January this year and other banks soon followed this with the same rate over four years. Banks are battling for market shares so these wars are not unusual however RBC has signalled a strategic retreat in this ongoing war. The Bank of Canada warns that households are overleveraged with home purchases.

While it is a great time to buy a house for sale in Saskatoon, consumers should be aware to not overspend as interest rates will inevitably go up. Using an experienced and trusted Saskatoon real estate agent is imperative. Even if the bank is willing to lend you $500,000 you may feel more comfortable spending $400,000 to give you some wiggle room when the rates go up as this means your payments also go up.

The danger with too many people overspending is that, when rates go up and they find they can no longer afford their home in Saskatoon or other areas, there will be a flood of houses for sale in Saskatoon and other markets. Luckily, the Saskatoon real estate market shows no signs of slowing down. Quite the contrary. Overall though it is a risk to Canada’s economy, not just the real estate market in Canada.

It is just advisable for any prudent Saskatoon home buyer to live within their means and leave some room for increasing rates or a change in your finanical status. It should be common sense but many Saskatoon home buyers and consumers in general have champagne taste on a beer budget and end up overspending or spending more than they should. As a Saskatoon real estate agent I always ask my clients what they are pre-approved for and then what they are comfortable spending as these are two totally different things. I do sometimes have Saskatoon real estate clients who want to spend more than they are approved for as well but this is why the lenders and CMHC have tightened their reins, to protect the buyers and the lenders.

If you are thinking about purchasing a house for sale in Saskatoon give me a call and I can recommend some great Saskatoon mortgage brokers. Once you have your pre-approval sorted out I would be happy to have a client meeting to discuss your needs and wants and then start shopping for a house for you and your family. It is important to have an experienced and trusted Saskatoon REALTOR to protect the largest purchase of your life so get in touch with me to take care of the process for you.

Kari Calder
Saskatoon Real Estate Agent
Century 21 Fusion
kari@saskatoonrealestate.net

Next to this building is a healthy-eating cafe/restaurant that will feature items that are specific to dietary needs such as gluten-free and nut-free. The top floor of the Adilman building has also been leased and a retailer from Broadway will be relocating to the space attached to the Adilman building. These movements show that Riversdale is on the path to revival. It takes time but inevitably we will need more real estate in Saskatoon like these spaces so options like these for young entrepreneurs are great.

Hopefully these changes in Riversdale will help restore the area and change the perception of this location. Residents and businesspeople alike have been waiting for a long time for this change and it is starting to take shape.

Saskatoon real estate in both commercial and residential is changing to help enable new businesses and new opportunities. If you are looking to take advantage of Saskatoon real estate contact me.

Kari Calder
Saskatoon Real Estate Agent
Century 21 Fusion
kari@saskatoonrealestate.net