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.”

###

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.”

###

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.”

Saskatchewan reported 776 sales in January, a year-over-year gain of 24 per cent and nearly 18 per cent above long-term, 10-year averages. The seventh consecutive month of above-average sales in the province was primarily driven by strong detached home sales in January.

Strong monthly sales were met with declining new listings, resulting in 4,562 available units in inventory in January, the lowest level reported in January since 2010.

Inventory levels declined by 18 per cent year-over-year and remain over 36 per cent below long-term, 10-year trends. As seen in prior months, much of the inventory decline was driven by homes priced below $400,000, a segment of the market that remains extremely competitive. Alternatively, properties priced above $600,000 experienced inventory relief in January, though more was needed to offset the declines in lower price ranges.

“Higher lending rates have driven many purchasers to seek out more affordable products, resulting in further inventory declines in the more affordable segment of our market,” noted Association CEO Chris Guérette. “January failed to bring new listing relief to this area of our market, and prospective buyers can continue to expect tight market conditions when searching for more affordable properties.”

Prices rose across all property types on a year-over-year basis in January, with the most significant gains occurring in row/townhouse-style properties. Saskatchewan reported a provincial benchmark price of $319,600 in January, up from $319,300 in December and nearly 1 per cent higher than January 2023.

“While real estate is local and market conditions vary based on property type, price range, and location – our biggest concern is the lack of inventory across many markets in our province,” said Guèrette. “Despite persistent inventory challenges, the predicted easing of lending rates and favourable economic conditions should continue to support stable demand for home ownership in Saskatchewan.”

###

Regional Highlights

All regions of the province reported increased year-over-year sales activity in January, with the largest gains occurring in the Regina Moose-Mountain and Saskatoon-Biggar regions.

Meanwhile, inventory levels remained below levels reported last year, resulting in many regions reporting declining months of supply. The Saskatoon-Biggar region continues to report the tightest conditions in the province, with under four months of supply.

Price Trends

January price movements ranged from a year-over-year increase of 10 per cent in Melfort, to a year-over-year decline of nearly 3 per cent in Swift Current.

The communities of Estevan, Humboldt, Meadow Lake, Melfort, Melville, Moose Jaw, North Battleford, Prince Albert, Saskatoon, and Weyburn all experienced year-over-year price gains – while Regina, Swift Current, and Yorkton experienced a slight decrease in prices.

City of Regina

The City of Regina reported 179 sales in January, a year-over-year gain of over 35 percent and 25 percent above long-term trends.

New listing growth in January was not enough to offset strong monthly sales, as inventory levels dipped by nearly 19 per cent year-over-year and remain over 33 per cent below the 10-year average.

The City of Regina reported a benchmark price of $301,900 in January, up from $299,800 in December and nearly 2 per cent below January 2023.

City of Saskatoon

The City of Saskatoon reported 245 sales in January, a year-over-year gain of 22 per cent and nearly 16 per cent above long-term, 10-year averages.

Strong sales relative to new listings prevented a significant change in inventory levels, which decreased by 26 per cent year-over-year and sit nearly 50 per below long-term, 10-year averages.

The City of Saskatoon reported a benchmark price of $372,800 in January, down from $374,100 in December and over 2 per cent above January 2023.

Imagine you’ve been waiting for the right moment to sell your home and you’re finally ready to list it. But, just as you’re about to put up the sign, you notice that a few other FOR SALE signs have unexpectedly popped up in the neighbourhood.

Chances are, you’ve heard the expression, “Your home is your biggest investment.” For most homeowners, that’s true. So, when you’re shopping for a new home, it’s important to consider the financial opportunity of any purchase. Ideally, you want a home that is likely to increase in value over time.

In other words, you want a home with a strong potential return on investment.

But dollars aren’t the only type of return you should look for in a new home. Real estate is unique in that the “emotional” return is just as important as the financial return — and, in some cases, even more so.

Say, for example, you’re thinking of moving to a neighbourhood that is closer to work. In fact, you’ll cut your commuting time by an hour each day. Financially, that return on investment means little beyond some savings on gas. However, the emotional payoff can be very high, especially when you consider what you can do with that extra hour each day. Imagine what it would mean to spend more time with your kids or workout out at the gym more often.

So, considering the emotional return on investment when you’re moving is essential. It has a huge impact on your lifestyle and your enjoyment of the property.

How do you factor that in when selling your property and searching for your next dream home?

When you see a listed home you like, make a list of all the emotional benefits of living there. That list might include having a park nearby, living closer to friends or family, having a home office that isn’t the kitchen table, having more space to accommodate a growing family, and so forth.

Then, factor that list into your decision of whether or not to buy.

Saskatchewan is reporting above-average sales for the sixth consecutive month, with 757 sales across the province in December, a year-over-year gain of 19 per cent and 13 per cent above long-term, 10-year averages.

Year-over-year sales gains in the second half of 2023 failed to offset earlier pullbacks, as the province is reporting a 3 per cent sales decline compared to 2022. While the year-to-date sales decrease was forecasted as the market returns to pre-pandemic sales levels, much of the decline was driven by slowing detached activity. Meanwhile, apartment and semi-detached sales levels improved and continue to contribute to strong monthly sales.

Above-average sales were met with a decline in new listings, resulting in declining inventory levels throughout the year. Inventory levels across the province dipped by over 16 per cent year-over-year in December and remain nearly 35 per cent below the 10-year average.

“Higher lending rates continue to push prospective buyers to seek more affordable options within our market, while inventory levels within that market segment remain extremely tight,” said Association CEO, Chris Guèrette. “When paired with declining new listings in more affordable properties, there simply isn’t enough inventory in lower price ranges right now.”

The shift toward more affordable products has increased price pressures for apartment, row, and semi-detached property types. Meanwhile, detached homes, which account for the majority of sales activity across the province, reported similar prices compared to last year. Saskatchewan reported a benchmark price of $319,300 in December, down from $324,400 in November and nearly 2 per cent above December 2022.

“Saskatchewan’s housing market continues to benefit from the economic success in our province, including a strong labour market and record population growth,” said Guèrette. “Supply challenges, specifically in the more affordable segment of the market, remain our biggest concern when looking ahead to 2024 and are likely preventing even stronger monthly sales numbers.”

###

Regional Highlights

Despite a slight dip in year-to-date sales across many regions of the province, year-over-year sales activity increased across all regions except for the Northern Region and remain significantly higher than long-term averages.

The decline in new listings across the regions in 2023 continues to drive inventory levels well below long-term, 10-year trends. The Saskatoon-Biggar Region (4.42 months of supply) and the Regina-Moose Mountain Region (5.43) continue to experience the tightest conditions in the province – while the Swift Current-Moose Jaw Region (8.65), Yorkton-Melville (8.84), and Prince Albert Region (8.43) saw a shift to more balanced conditions.

Price Trends

Benchmark prices varied across the province in December, as the communities of Humboldt (+6.2 per cent), Meadow Lake (+4.2), Melfort (+0.7), Melville (+4.8), Moose Jaw (+1.4), Prince Albert (+2.3), Saskatoon (+5.5), and Yorkton (+1.8) all reported year-over-year price gains.

In contrast, Estevan (-7.5 per cent), Regina (-4.1), Swift Current (-4.9), and Weyburn (-5.3) reported year-over-year price declines.

City of Regina

The City of Regina reported 188 sales in December, a year-over-year gain of nearly 25 per cent and 24 per cent above long-term trends.

Despite significant new listing growth in December, the number of new listings decreased by 12 per cent in 2023. This resulted in further reductions in inventory levels, which remain over 33 per cent below long-term averages in the Queen City.

Strong sales and below-average inventory were not enough to prevent price adjustments in December, as the City of Regina reported a benchmark price of $299,800, down from $308,500 in November and 4 per cent below December 2022.

City of Saskatoon

The City of Saskatoon reported 230 sales in December, a year-over-year gain of 14 per cent and 10 per cent above long-term, 10-year averages.

Strong sales were again met with a pullback in new listings, resulting in further inventory declines, as inventory levels in the Bridge City are nearly 45 per cent below the 10-year average.

Tight market conditions supported modest price growth in December, as the City of Saskatoon reported a benchmark price of $374,100, up over 5 per cent from December 2022.