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Sask. continues to grow
Statistics Canada just released a new report that Saskatchewan’s population could top 1.5 million people by 2038.
Stats Canada issues its population projections every five years, outlining seven possible scenarios for population growth in Canada and the provinces. Its projections for Saskatchewan range from the province having a population of anywhere from 1,174,000 people to 1,527,000 people by 2038. The lower growth projections are based on population trends dating back to Saskatchewan’s zero-growth period of the 1990s and early 2000s, while the higher growth scenarios are based on Saskatchewan’s strong population growth trends in recent years.
Stats Canada issued it’s last population projection in 2005 and 4 out of the 6 scenarios saw SK decreasing it’s population over the next 25 years. Even the most optimistic scenario saw SK growing to 1,064,000 by 2031. Today, the population sits at more than 1,120,000 people.
Saskatchewan is continuing to grow and remain strong. Over the past seven years the population has grown by 120,000 people.
If you are thinking of making a move to Saskatoon or area, contact me and I will be dedicated to making your move a smooth one.
Kari Calder
Saskatoon real estate agent
Century 21 Fusion
Saskatoon real estate market update August 2014
The August 2014 Saskatoon real estate market sales has increased from 2013 where 375 houses for sale in Saskatoon sold. This year we saw the market increase it’s sales with 395 houses in Saskatoon selling for the month of August.
The average home price in Saskatoon did see significant changes from last year with the average house price at $352,842 for 2014. This is up 2.9% from last year’s $342,964 in August.
Currently, the average time to sell a house in Saskatoon has increased slightly from July’s 37 days to 41 days.
By the end of August, homebuyers in Saskatoon had 1,542 homes to choose from with 439 of those being condos for sale in Saskatoon.
Listing inventory in Saskatoon has increased with 764 new house listings in Saskatoon in 2014 while in 2013 we saw 740 new units placed on the market, signifying a small increase of 3.2%.
If you are looking for a qualified and experienced Saskatoon real estate agent, contact me for more information or to set up a meeting to discuss the current market and all your real estate needs.
Kari Calder
Saskatoon Real Estate Agent
Century 21 Fusion
Delay for some Saskatoon schools
Some Saskatoon schools are running behind construction schedule for the 2014/15 school year. Crews are working hard on renovations at Holy Cross High School so it will be ready for Tuesday, when classes are due to resume. Painting and finishing work is nearing completion and they are hopeful there will be no delays in the common areas.
Saskatoon’s largest Catholic high school has been going through a roughly $21-million renovation process over the last few years. A new student common area has been completed, as well as an industrial arts classroom. However, a new gym is still under construction and will not be in use at the start of the school year. Some areas will be continued to be blocked off to facilitate the major construction but the major areas will be open and ready for the new school year.
That isn’t the case for the new elementary schools in Willowgrove, Holy Family and Willowgrove Elementary. Construction on the joint use schools has been delayed and officials are forced to re-route students to nearby schools until construction is complete, moving to Plan B.
Students enrolled at Willowgrove School will be transported to Ecole Forest Grove School and Dr. John G. Egnatoff School. Those slated to attend Holy Family will start their year at Father Robinson and St. Volodymyr School.
Morale is high in Saskatoon
The 2014 annual civic survey results were just released and Saskatonians are more satisfied with the overall services provided by the City than they were last year. 86% of telephone respondents and 79% of online respondents said they were satisfied or very satisfied compared to last year’s 83% and 73% respectively.
The perception of quality of life in Saskatoon has increased. Although morale seems to be lifted, the number one issue seen across the board was roads. Citizens feel that the City should keep road repair/maintenance at the top of the priority list.
The survey issued by the City of Saskatoon plays an important role in key decision making and allocation of funds. It dictates what is important to citizens and determines what really matters. After last year’s survey feedback, the City is now undergoing it’s most aggressive road work program Saskatoon has seen, a 47% increase from last year’s budget.
A notable increase in satisfaction of roadway construction and maintenance as well as snow clearing has been seen with this years survey. Also notable, an increase in satisfaction with traffic management and planning for growth and development.
Other highlights of the survey results include:
- Services rated of the highest importance include: quality of drinking water, repair of water main breaks, maintenance of major roadways and freeways, fire protection, and police services.
- The services that received the highest rating for performance include: quality of drinking water, fire protection, electrical services reliability, garbage collection, and police services.
- Respondents were divided with just over half showing support to a question specifically related to an $8.00 monthly charge to have snow removed from residential streets after it has been ploughed to the side.
- The City’s website continues to be an important information tool for citizens.
A total of 500 surveys were conducted over the phone and 801 surveys were completed online. You can view the entire survey at www.saskatoon.ca.
Kari Calder
Saskatoon real estate agent
Century 21 Fusion
Thinking of buying? NOW is the time to do it.
Saskatoon is experiencing a record high number of housing inventory, the highest it’s seen in 6 years! By the end of July, there are more than 1,600 properties listed for sale on MLS® and 1,585 properties as of today. That’s a 19 per cent increase in listings in the past year with sales dropping 9 per cent even though house prices have increased 3 per cent in the last year.
In other words, it’s a buyer’s market. Certain areas, such as some of the older neighbourhoods like Nutana, Buena Vista and westside neighbourhoods with homes priced under $500,000 are seeing quicker sales but generally speaking, with more options to choose from and less sales occurring, the buyer’s have the upper hand.
If you are considering buying a home in the next bit, contact me and I’d be glad to help you find your dream home.
Kari Calder
Saskatoon real estate agent
Century 21 Fusion
Saskatoon real estate market update for July 2014
The July 2014 Saskatoon real estate market sales has decreased from 2013 where 460 houses for sale in Saskatoon sold. This year we saw the market decrease it’s sales with 419 houses in Saskatoon selling for the month of July.
The average home price in Saskatoon did see significant changes from last year with the average house price at $364,484 for 2014. This is up 6.6% from last year’s $342,022 in July.
Currently, the average time to sell a house in Saskatoon has increased slightly from June’s 33 days to 37 days.
By the end of July, homebuyers in Saskatoon had 1,566 homes to choose from with 462 of those being condos for sale in Saskatoon.
Listing inventory in Saskatoon has increased with 932 new house listings in Saskatoon in 2014 while in 2013 we saw only 764 new units placed on the market, signifying a whopping increase of 18.9%.
If you are looking for a qualified and experienced Saskatoon real estate agent, contact me for more information or to set up a meeting to discuss the current market and all your real estate needs.
Kari Calder
Saskatoon Real Estate Agent
Century 21 Fusion
Why you should consider a move to Martensville
Everyone knows that Saskatoon is booming but sometimes people forget about the outlying communities, especially Warman and Martensville. If you’re looking to buy a home, consider Martensville as a budget friendly option compared to Saskatoon. Besides prices, here’s a few other reasons why:
- Martensville is located just 8kms north of Saskatoon. Just a short, 10 minute drive to city limits and to the north industrial area.
- Martensville was recently named the fastest growing city is Western Canada. 75% of it’s residents are under the age of 45.
- Many new home construction is occurring in brand new neighbourhoods in Martensville. Local builders include North Prairie Developments, D&S Homes, and Northridge Developments.
- A recent survey done found that residents scored quality of life, friendly people, and small-town atmosphere the top reasons they love living in Martesville.
- Martensville is brimming with opportunities for recreation and leisure. There are numerous parks with winding trails, sports and community centres, and an outdoor aquatic centre. In addition, the active volunteer community and numerous service programs all contribute to the City’s atmosphere.
- Besides rec and leisure activites, almost 30 events take place in Martensville each year including the Auto Clearing Motor Speedway which is a stop on the NASCAR circuit.
- Martensville has 2 elementary schools and a high school. Renovations are underway at the high school which will double the size of the school and include a state of the art recreational facility.
- Martensville is actively recruiting physicians and other health service providers and is proud to include services such as massage and chiropractic, dentistry, physiotherapy, optometry, and pharmacy to it’s ever expanding list of health services.
- Close to 400 businesses operate out of Martensville. Service industries, professional services, manufacturing, and transportation all call Martensville home.
- Just in the past year commercial development in Martensville has exploded. Recent additions include Tim Hortons, Dairy Queen, Canalta Hotels, Pharmasave, Taco Time, Co-op gas bar, and a new TRX RV business Park. Canadian Tire, McDonald’s and Marks Work Warehouse have also added their names to open soon.
Martensville is a great community and it’s proximity to Saskato and it’s unbeatable prices compared to the big city make it a smart choice. Call me if you are interested in learning more about what Martensville has to offer and about any of the developments currently underway or houses currently for sale in the area.
Kari Calder
Saskatoon real estate agent
Century 21 Fusion
Setting a new trend for Saskatoon
Construction is about to begin, setting a new trend for Saskatoon. A new mixed-use development is going to be built in Saskatoon’s Willowgrove area located in Willowgrove Square. Phase one for the mixed-use three storey building, named The Myriad, will house 25 residential and commercial units as well as a food court.
The Myriad will offer office space on the 2nd floor, retail space on the main, and townhouse style condos on the third floor. Each comes with surface parking and a basement storage area.
This project has close ties with Chinese investors and over 70 per cent of phase one’s spaces have already been purchased by Saskatoon residents and Chinese immigrants.
Completion for the project’s phase one should be done next spring. Completion for phase two is scheduled to be the end of 2016. It will be similar to the first phase but three times the size.
Mixed-use developments are relatively new to Saskatoon. The Banks, a project in Riversdale, features a similar opportunity for commercial and residential units housed in one space. The growing number of investment opportunities in Saskatoon just go to show you how just how much Saskatoon’s economy is thriving.
If you have questions about either of the projects at The Myriad or The Banks, please contact me and I’d be happy to find out more information.
Kari Calder
Saskatoon real estate agent
Century 21 Fusion
Stable housing prices forecasted for Saskatoon
Always the big question in real estate is ‘Will the price of the house go up or is the market deflating?’ That’s the million dollar question. There has been talk of some cities going through a possible price correction and although this may be a very real scenario in parts of the country, experts have recently said that Saskatchewan is unlikely to see any major price changes.
This past week, two financial agencies out of the US, Fitch Ratings and Morningstar Research, have said that Canada’s real estate market is 20-30 per cent over priced and that a significant correction is possible in the next few years. Bill Madder, CEO of the Association of Saskatchewan Realtors®, has stated that most of the increases have been noted in the Toronto, Vancouver, and Calgary markets. Those three markets continue to push the national house price average up.
The Canadian Real Estate Association said that sales in June are up 0.8 per cent from May with Vancouver and Montreal taking the lead. The national average sale price is also up, recording 6.9 per cent from June 2013 at $413,215.
Compare the Saskatoon real estate market. The average family home in Saskatoon was $361,770, up 2.14 per cent from January 2014. The average price has climbed modestly at 3 per cent even though the Saskatoon market has seen more than 7,000 listings in the first 6 months which was an increase of 15 per cent from last year and sales increasing 13 per cent to 3,249 units compared to last year.
The Saskatoon real estate market is holding strong. As long as our province continues to see positive economic growth, our housing sector will remain stable. Saskatchewan has top 3 wages of all the provinces in Canada and a very low unemployment rate along with job stability and diverse employment opportunities.
Kari Calder
Saskatoon real estate agent
Century 21 Fusion
Saskatoon real estate market update for June 2014
The June 2014 Saskatoon real estate market improved greatly from 2013 where 470 houses for sale in Saskatoon sold. This year we saw the market increase it’s sales with 529 houses in Saskatoon selling for the month of June.
The average home price in Saskatoon did see significant changes from last year with the average house price at $362,413 for 2014. This is up 6.6% from last year’s $350,175 in June.
Currently, the average time to sell a house in Saskatoon has decreased from May’s 36 days to just 33 days.
By the end of June, homebuyers in Saskatoon had 1,509 homes to choose from with 473 of those being condos for sale in Saskatoon.
Listing inventory in Saskatoon has increased with 907 new house listings in Saskatoon in 2014 while in 2013 we saw only 750 new units placed on the market, signifying a whopping increase of 20.9%.
If you are looking for a qualified and experienced Saskatoon real estate agent, contact me for more information or to set up a meeting to discuss the current market and all your real estate needs.
Kari Calder
Saskatoon Real Estate Agent
Century 21 Fusion
