Saskatchewan reported 1,642 sales in April, up 32 percent year-over-year and compared to long-term, 10-year averages. April marked the fourth consecutive month of above-average sales to open in 2024, resulting in year-to-date sales nearly 17 percent above last year. Sales levels improved across all larger regions of the province, with the most significant gains being reported in the Regina-Moose Mountain and Swift Current-Moose Jaw regions.

Despite a slight uptick in new listings, which supported a modest monthly gain in inventory across the province, inventory levels are down 16 per cent year-over-year and 40 per cent below long-term, 10-year trends. As seen in prior months, the sharpest decline in inventory is reported in products priced below $300,000, with some supply relief in homes priced above $500,000.

“Economic growth, employment gains, and record population numbers continue to support strong housing demand in Saskatchewan, resulting in a tenth consecutive month of above-average sales in April,” said Association CEO, Chris Guérette. “These factors are, without question, boosting housing demand – as evidenced through rising sales in the resale market and falling vacancy rates in the rental market.”

Saskatchewan reported a residential benchmark price of $339,800 in April, up from $334,500 in March and nearly five per cent higher than April 2023. Prices rose across all property types in April, ranging from a five per cent gain in detached and semi-detached property types, to a 13 per cent gain in apartment-style properties.

“With just over three months of supply provincially, our market continues to experience significant supply challenges. However, the conditions are far tighter in Saskatoon and Regina, with both markets reporting under two months of supply in April,” said Guérette. “We’re approaching uncharted territory in our two largest markets right now - it’s an incredibly challenging time for prospective buyers out there. If supply challenges persist, as expected, we will likely see further price gains in these markets.”

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Regional Highlights

Sales activity improved across the province's larger regions in April, with the most significant gain (60 per cent year-over-year and 23 per cent above the 10-year average) occurring in the Swift Current-Moose Jaw region.

Meanwhile, the two largest regions of the province (Regina Moose-Mountain and Saskatoon-Biggar) saw further inventory declines due to strong monthly sales. The Regina-Moose Mountain (2.61) and Saskatoon-Bigger (2.15) regions continue to report the tightest market conditions in the province.

Price Trends

Home prices trended up across nearly all regions of the province in April, with the largest monthly gain occurring in the Swift Current-Moose Jaw region, followed by the Saskatoon-Biggar region.

With prices over 11 percent higher than in April 2023, the city of Moose Jaw experienced reported the highest year-over-year price growth. Meanwhile, Saskatoon, Regina, Estevan, Weyburn, Melville, Humboldt, Meadow Lake, and North Battleford reported year-over-year price gains in April.
 

City of Regina

The City of Regina reported 424 sales in April, a year-over-year gain of over 50 per cent and 52 per cent above long-term trends.

Despite an increase in new listings, surging sales prevented any significant inventory relief. Regina reported a 30 per cent year-over-year decline, with inventory levels over 46 per cent below long-term, 10-year trends.

The City of Regina reported a benchmark price of $319,800 in April, up from $313,100 in March and nearly three per cent higher than April 2023.

City of Saskatoon

The City of Saskatoon reported 522 sales in April, a year-over-year gain of nearly 29 per cent and 34 per cent above long-term, 10-year averages.

Inventory levels decreased by 21 per cent year-over-year and continue to sit nearly 50 per cent below long-term, 10-year trends.  As a result, market conditions remain extremely tight in the City of Saskatoon, placing upward pressure on prices and likely preventing even stronger April sales numbers. 

The City of Saskatoon reported a benchmark price of $398,600 in April, up from $394,300 in March and nearly seven per cent above April 2023.

Let’s face it. We all get busy at times. Sometimes we get “crazy-busy.” The trouble is, if you’re thinking of selling your property, having a jam-packed schedule might make you want to put off listing until a later date.

And, who knows what the market will be like later in the year?

The good news is, you can sell your home, even if you’re busy. There are plenty of ways to reduce the time, effort and stress involved.

The first step is to find out what needs to be done. Make a list. Turn that list into a plan and get that plan down on paper. That way, the process won’t just live in your imagination — where it might seem much bigger and more intimidating than it really is. Instead, it will be realistic and practical.

The next step is to see what can be done by others. If your schedule is already hectic, you want to minimize what you do on your own and outsource where possible. For example, you could hire a cleaning company, junk removal service, professional stager, and/or tradesperson. Of course, you’ll need to weigh that expense against the time you’d save, but it is often worth it.

Staying organized is also essential. When you’re busy, effective organization tools — to-do lists, calendar, scheduling app, etc. — will be your best friends. The more organized you are, the more you’ll feel on top of things.

Finally, get talking to professionals who are going to be able to help you — and even shoulder some of the heavy lifting.

The bottom line? Don’t let being “crazy-busy” prevent you from taking advantage of the opportunity to sell your home.

When you’re preparing your home for sale, you obviously want your property to look its best for buyers. That means fixing things that are broken, and, possibly, making a few improvements.

But, how do you decide whether to invest in fixing or improving something versus just leaving it as is?

Say, for example, the walls throughout your home are a bit faded. (They’ve gone through a lot of living!) You can get all the dents and holes filled and repaint the entire place. That would definitely make a huge difference in how your property looks to buyers. Or, you can choose NOT to do that project in the hopes your home will “show” well regardless.

There are a few things to consider before making that decision:

• How much will the fix or improvement cost?
  
  
• How much better will your home look to buyers?
  
  
• Will the fix or improvement help sell your home faster?
  
  
• Will the fix or improvement help sell your home for a higher price?

Once you have those answers, you’ll be in a much better position to make that decision.

By the way, painting is almost always a smart move when preparing your property for sale. The impact can be dramatic, and the cost is relatively low.

Saskatchewan reported 1,183 sales in March, a 2 percent year-over-year decline and nearly 6 percent above long-term, 10-year averages. Despite a slight year-over-year dip in March sales, year-to-date sales remain 10 percent above levels seen last year. The strong start to the year was primarily driven by gains in the Regina-Moose Mountain, Saskatoon-Biggar, and Swift Current-Moose Jaw economic regions.

A ninth consecutive month of above-average sales in the province was met with declining new listings, preventing supply growth in March. As a result, inventory levels dipped by 15 per cent year-over-year and remain nearly 40 per cent below long-term, 10-year trends.

“Our province continues to report above-average sales despite persistent inventory challenges, which are approaching concerning levels in some of our major centres,” said Association CEO, Chris Guérette. “The busy spring market has arrived, and there simply isn’t enough supply in the more affordable segment of our market right now. Without question, it’s a difficult time for prospective homebuyers, specifically those searching for properties priced below $400,000.”

Tight market conditions across many regions of the province continue to support price growth, as Saskatchewan reported a provincial benchmark price of $334,500 in March – up from $330,800 in February and nearly 4 per cent higher than March 2023. While prices rose across all property types, the largest year-over-year gains occurred in apartment and row/townhouse-style units.

“While it’s important to note that real estate is local and market conditions vary throughout the province – the inventory crunch in certain markets is significant right now,” said Guérette. “It remains to be seen whether new listing relief is on the way, but all signs currently point to a challenging spring and summer market in Saskatchewan.”

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Regional Highlights

First-quarter sales activity improved across the province's larger regions, with the most significant gains (14 per cent year-over-year and 26 per cent above the 10-year average) occurring in the Regina-Moose Mountain region.

Meanwhile, in the two largest regions of the province (Regina Moose-Mountain and Saskatoon-Biggar), declines in new listings continue to be met with strong sales, resulting in steeper inventory declines and tighter market conditions.

Price Trends

Home prices trended up across most regions of the province in March, with the largest monthly gain occurring in the Swift Current-Moose Jaw region, followed by the Saskatoon-Biggar region.

With prices nearly 9 percent higher than in March 2023, the communities of Moose Jaw and Humboldt experienced significant year-over-year price growth. Meanwhile, Saskatoon, Regina, Estevan, Weyburn, Swift Current, Melville, Meadow Lake, and North Battleford all reported year-over-year price gains in March.
 

City of Regina

The City of Regina reported 312 sales in March, a year-over-year gain of over nearly 7 per cent and 23 per cent above long-term trends.

Strong monthly sales were met with a year-over-year decline in new listings, preventing any significant change in inventory levels. With just over two months of supply in the Queen City, persistent inventory challenges and above-average sales continue to place upward pressure on home prices.

The City of Regina reported a benchmark price of $313,100 in March, up from $310,600 in February and nearly 2 per cent above March 2023. 

City of Saskatoon

The City of Saskatoon reported 364 sales in March, a year-over-year decline of 8 per cent and 2 per cent above long-term, 10-year averages.

Inventory levels decreased by 21 per cent year-over-year and continue to sit nearly 50 per cent below long-term, 10-year trends.  As a result, market conditions remain extremely tight in the City of Saskatoon, which is placing upward pressure on prices and likely preventing even stronger sales numbers. 

The City of Saskatoon reported a benchmark price of $394,300 in March, up from $388,300 in February and over 5 per cent above March 2023.

If you want or need to sell your current home, one thing you might be wondering is, “How will we find and buy our next dream home?” Fortunately, there’s no mystery to how to do that. Simply follow the “golden rules”!

1. Create a profile. Decide what kind of home you want to buy. Consider the type of building, size, number of bedrooms, property features, and other details. When you have a clear idea of what you’re looking for, you’re more likely to find it. You’ll also be less likely to waste time seeing listings that aren’t a good fit.

2. Target ideal neighbourhoods. Where do you want to live? What areas are likely to be a good fit with your desired lifestyle? What sort of neighbours do you want? What area features, such as schools, do you need close by?

3. Pre-arrange any required financing. Will you need a mortgage? Make those arrangements in advance. That will give you peace-of-mind in knowing you’ll be able to buy the home you want. Also, a pre-arranged mortgage makes your offers stronger.

4. Get on an alert list. Not all new listings are advertised or posted online right way. So, arrange to be immediately alerted to new listings that match your criteria. That way, you’ll be first in line.

Following these tips will go a long way toward getting you into the home of your dreams.

It seems like every month there is a new website offering deals on everything from electronics to travel. In fact, the “coupon industry” is booming.

This trend has conditioned people, more than ever before, to look for bargains and become determined to pay well below the market price for merchandise. There’s nothing wrong with that. We all want a deal!

But when it comes to shopping for a home, bargain hunting can be a bad idea.

First of all, the real estate market is competitive. The overwhelming majority of homes sell for a price that is at, or close to, their respective market values. Your chances of finding a property that is listed significantly below its market value is slim to none.

Secondly, if you become fixated on finding a bargain, you may not notice all the great properties on the market that are within your price range and meet your criteria.

In other words, you may inadvertently pass on what may, in fact, be your next dream home. So when shopping for a new home, focus on finding the right property at the right price, not on finding a bargain.

Saskatchewan reported 999 sales in February, a 17 percent year-over-year gain and 24 percent above long-term, 10-year averages. Although February sales followed common seasonal trends in rising above activity levels from the month prior, the pace of growth was significant and well above levels typically seen for this time of year.

While there was a slight year-over-year increase in new listings, an eighth consecutive month of above-average sales prevented any supply growth – resulting in a 17 per cent year-over-year decline in inventory, with inventory levels sitting nearly 38 per cent below 10-year trends.

“Despite inventory levels being at their lowest point reported in February since 2006, strong detached sales are again leading another month of above-average sales in our province,” said Association CEO, Chris Guérette. “Buyers are acting swiftly when new supply comes onto the market, preventing any inventory growth – even more so in our larger centres. This strong demand is driving price gains in many markets across the province.”

Saskatchewan reported a provincial benchmark price of $330,800 in February, up from $319,600 in January and nearly 5 per cent higher than February 2023. While row/townhouse and apartment-style properties experienced the largest year-over-year price gains, the detached sector reported the highest month-over-month price gains in February.

“Though it is a small sample size right now, a month-over-month jump of over $10,000 in the provincial benchmark price is significant, with some markets reporting monthly increases in excess of $15,000,” said Guérette. “We’re quickly approaching a busy spring market, and the inventory situation in many markets across our province is showing no signs of improving. We’ll continue to monitor closely how these supply challenges are impacting prices.”

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Regional Highlights
Many regions of the province reported increased year-over-year sales activity in February, with the largest gains occurring in the Swift Current-Moose Jaw and Regina-Moose Mountain regions.

Inventory challenges continued in the two largest regions of the province, with the Regina-Moose Mountain and Saskatoon-Biggar regions reporting under four months of supply.

Price Trends
Prices trended up across most regions of the province in February, with the largest monthly gain occurring in the Saskatoon-Biggar region, followed by the Regina-Moose Mountain region.

With prices nearly 10 percent higher than in February 2023, the communities of Moose Jaw and Meadow Lake experienced significant year-over-year price growth in February. Meanwhile, Saskatoon, Regina, Estevan, Weyburn, Melville, Humboldt, North Battleford, and Prince Albert are all reporting year-over-year price gains in February.

City of Regina
The City of Regina reported 273 sales in February, a year-over-year gain of over 33 per cent and nearly 50 per cent above long-term trends.

While we typically see seasonal inventory gains in February, another month of strong sales resulted in a 25 per cent year-over-year inventory decline, with inventory levels sitting 40 per cent below long-term, 10-year trends.

The City of Regina reported a benchmark price of $310,600 in February, up from $301,900 in January and over 3 per cent above February 2023.

City of Saskatoon
The City of Saskatoon reported 309 sales in February, a year-over-year gain of 22 per cent and 20 per cent above long-term, 10-year averages.

Despite some new listing relief in February, strong sales prevented any inventory gains as the Bridge City reported a year-over-year inventory decline of 26 per cent, nearly 50 per cent below long-term trends.

The City of Saskatoon reported a benchmark price of $388,300 in February, up significantly from $372,800 in January and nearly 6 per cent above February 2023.

If you’re searching for a new home within a tight time frame or searching for an out-of-town property, you may not have time to make multiple visits. In fact, you might only get a chance to view a property once before deciding whether or not to make an offer. In that case, you’ll need to be sure to get all the information you need from that one viewing. The trick is to be prepared.

Before viewing a property, make a list of all the things you want to know about the home. If it’s an older home for example, you may want to know about possible maintenance issues. So, you’ll have questions about when you should expect that the roof, furnace or air conditioner will need to be replaced. If you’re concerned about bedroom space, you’ll want to bring a measuring tape and confirm the dimensions of those rooms.

Then, when you schedule the viewing, make it clear to the seller that you may need more time than the average buyer. Depending on the property, you may need an extra 30 minutes to an hour.

During the viewing, spend time exploring each of the rooms, especially those that are most important to you. Bring a notebook or use your smartphone to make notes. And, don’t forget to ask all of your questions.

Have you ever seen a product at a store and thought, “Whoa. That price is outrageously high. It’s just not worth it!” Conversely, you might have also reacted to another product with, “That’s awfully cheap. The quality must not be good.”