Christine Lelond : REALTOR®, ABR®, SRS®, RENE : Archived blog posts for : July 2025

In real estate, if there is a small shot, you make it a POWER SHOT.

Posted on July 31, 2025 by Christine Lelond - REALTOR®, ABR®, SRS®, RENE

Congratulations to my newest VIP Kelly on your ABR® 1st home purchase!!!

As a life-time renter, you were finally fed up and reached out for help from a mortgage broker to see if home ownership was possible. Your mortgage broker just happened to be Amber Wake, TMG, one of the most skilled mortgage brokers in Saskatoon. Not only did she secure your pre-approval, she referred you to me and connected us together. You were in great hands and powerfully supported on every angle as you entered the buying market in the most competitive price range. After our buyer consultation, you were now ready and all we needed was to get your perfect house, of which the market was going to make us work HARD for. The market SUCKED for good options and I wasn’t going to let you buy just any house. Your 1^st home needed to one that would be worth your investment, provide equity return and be a safe/prideful place to live. Turns out, 3^rd times the charm when it came to your experience. House 1: Great deal - BAD house – RUN!!! ; House 2: Great house – Outbid, 2^nd place - nothing we could do☹; House 3: Ideal house, but outside your approved price range and barely 2 days on market…HOWEVER, being the ABR® Realtor® I am, I dug a little deeper into this house and made some calls. Though it was a long shot, with a skillfully created power offer enforced by Amber & Myself, you just might get it. In real estate, if there is any shot, you take it and so one POWER SHOT later, you are the proud owner of this amazing house at an incredible value and despite everything, you were still within your preferred purchase & move-in deadline. #VICTORIOUS✊#RENE

Thank you so much for choosing me as your ABR® Realtor®. Trusting and following all my advice & guidance throughout this very emotionally challenging process to ensure your success. Welcome to being a home owner! This home is more than you ever thought was possible for you and it brings me such joy to have made this your reality. May it bring you pride & joy for years to come as you make it your own and build memories within its walls. As your personal Realtor®, know I will always be here to help whenever you, your friends and family need. ✌️

BIG Thanks to my professional power partner, who started all this, Amber Wake, TMG. Your referral of my services and being able to accomplish the most incredible deadlines needed in the power play offer, was a huge reason this was possible. We are the #POWERTEAM and it is always an honor and pleasure to work with you to provide exceptional quality client service and make real estate dreams come true. Thank you for your referring words of recommendation of my service. Your support means so much. Thanks for liking how I sell real estate. ❤️

Shout out thanks to amazing Samuel Bergerman, Bergerman Law in association with Burlingham Cuelenaere Law Office, who completes the tripod of power professionals on Kellys’ team, who once again provided exceptional legal expertise.

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The Ghost in Your Home: Eavesdropping Voice Assistants

Posted on July 23, 2025 by Christine Lelond - REALTOR®, ABR®, SRS®, RENE

Smart assistants such as Alexa, Siri, and Google Assistant have become everyday staples in many homes thanks to their convenience. However, if you aren’t cautious, voice assistants may end up listening to conversations unintended for them. So, how can you prevent this from happening?

Understand how the assistant is programmed to turn on (e.g., wake words like “Alexa, Ok Siri”) and how it’s turned off. Recordings are usually sent to the manufacturer’s servers, and employees may listen to them when managing quality assurance. It’s wise to check the settings on your device and opt out or limit the data sharing.
Delete old recordings or check if there’s an auto-delete option.
Read privacy policy updates.
Have separate password-protected accounts for each person in your home if possible. Set a passcode for your email if you can, and for online shopping, turn off voice ordering when you are done.
Create strong passwords (longer is better, as well as a mix of upper and lower case letters, symbols, and numbers). Another layer of protection is to use multi-factor authentication.
Research how to better secure your router, such as by setting up a VPN.

Striking the balance between convenience and privacy requires using all the layers of protection you can. You can still have anomalies, so it’s wise to be mindful of sensitive conversations around voice assistants.

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Defending Against Garden Pests Naturally

Posted on July 8, 2025 by Christine Lelond - REALTOR®, ABR®, SRS®, RENE

Sometimes, uninvited guests show up in your garden, leaving your plants fighting to survive. For some chemical-free ways of fighting off these pests, let’s dig in.

Healthy soil precedes healthy plants, so mix in organic compost to fertilize your plants so they can better withstand pests.

Choose plants based on the amount of sunlight exposure to your garden, so they don’t weaken and become more vulnerable to pests. Plant strong-scented plants that repel pests such as marigolds, chives, thyme, mint, and lavender. These plants also attract pollinators which help to fertilize your garden. Plant a variety of plants so pests don’t concentrate in one area (e.g., alternate vegetable rows with pest-repelling plants). Another tip is to rotate your vegetable crops annually to confuse pests and keep the soil healthy.

If you detect pests early enough, remove the leaves of the infected plants. If the whole plant is infested, remove it from the garden to prevent the infestation from spreading. You can also include plants that attract the predators of the pests attacking your garden.

Another defence against pests is row covers, which let water and sunlight in, but keep pests out. Just be sure to lift them off for a few hours every morning to allow pollinators in.

Good luck, and may the pests avoid your garden!

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STRONG JUNE SALES FUEL CONTINUED RECORD PRICE GROWTH

Posted on July 3, 2025 by Christine Lelond - REALTOR®, ABR®, SRS®, RENE

Saskatchewan reported 1,768 home sales in June, marking it the third busiest June on record. June sales were up six percent year-over-year, and nearly 15 percent above long-term, 10-year averages.

Despite economic headwinds and persistent supply challenges throughout the first half of 2025, Saskatchewan’s housing market closed the year’s second quarter with sales consistent with 2024 levels. Notably, 2024 was the province’s second strongest year of sales on record.

While monthly sales remain strong, a year-over-year gain in new listings contributed to a modest inventory gain in June. However, with nearly 1,100 of the 5,215 units available at the end of June already conditionally sold, only 4,144 active units remain at the beginning of July, while inventory levels remain over 40 percent below the 10-year average.

“We’ve now seen monthly sales levels outpace the 10-year average for two whole years; that’s an incredible story that Saskatchewan is telling right now,” noted Association CEO Chris Guérette. “Near-record sales in 2024 and the strong start we’ve seen in 2025 – all while navigating the worst inventory challenges we’ve seen since 2007 – it’s beyond impressive.”

Above-average sales and ongoing inventory challenges continue to support price growth across the province. In June, the provincial residential benchmark price hit an all-time high of $370,700, up from $369,500 in May and eight percent higher than June 2024.

In addition to a new record provincial benchmark price, the cities of Humboldt, Martensville, Melville, Moose Jaw, Swift Current, Regina, and Warman recorded record benchmark prices for the second consecutive month.

“We’re seeing record price growth for a second consecutive month - as high as 16 percent year-over-year in some markets - which speaks to the supply and demand challenges we’re experiencing right now,” said Guérette. “Despite these challenges, we’re encouraged by consecutive months of strong housing start figures and remain hopeful that supply relief is on the way.”

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Regional Highlights

The Prince Albert, Regina-Moose Mountain, Saskatoon-Biggar, and Yorkton-Melville economic regions reported year-over-year sales gains in June, with sales levels well above long-term, 10-year averages.

As seen in prior months, the Regina-Moose Mountain (2.76 months of supply) and Saskatoon-Biggar (2.01) continue to experience the tightest market conditions in the province.

Price Trends

All Saskatchewan communities reported year-over-year price gains for the second straight month, while seven set new benchmark price records in June.

Moose Jaw led the way in year-over-year price growth, with prices nearly 16 percent higher than in June 2024. Other notable gains included Humboldt (15 percent), Melville (11 percent), Meadow Lake (10 percent), and Prince Albert (9 percent)

City of Regina

Regina reported 402 sales in June, up over six percent year-over-year and nearly 17 percent above the 10-year average.

568 new listings (up eight percent year-over-year) hit the market in June, contributing to a modest inventory increase from May. However, of the 818 units available at month’s end, 207 are conditionally sold and expected to exit the market, leaving Regina with only 611 active units heading into July.

Tight market conditions continue to drive record prices in the Queen City, as June’s benchmark price of $343,200 (up eight percent compared to June 2024) eclipsed the previous high of $340,800 in May.

City of Saskatoon

Saskatoon reported 575 sales in June, the second-largest number of sales on record for the month. June sales were up seven percent year-over-year and 22 percent above long-term, 10-year averages.

New listings rose 18 percent year-over-year, with 789 new listings hitting the market in June. Despite the rise in new listings, inventory levels remain 45 percent below historical averages for this time of year. Of the 937 units available at month’s end, over one-third are conditionally sold, leaving only 600 active units heading into July.

Saskatoon’s streak of record benchmark gains ended in June, as the Bridge City reported a benchmark price of $432,700, down from $433,700 in May but still over seven percent higher than June 2024.

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In real estate, if there is a small shot, you make it a POWER SHOT.

The Ghost in Your Home: Eavesdropping Voice Assistants

Defending Against Garden Pests Naturally

STRONG JUNE SALES FUEL CONTINUED RECORD PRICE GROWTH

Christine Lelond

REALTOR®, ABR®, SRS®, RENE

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