No matter what you think of snakes, you must agree that they have a unique way of dealing with worn-out skin. When the time comes, they simply shed it — like an old jacket — revealing a fresh new skin underneath.

Your home's roof doesn't have that advantage! So, when the shingles wear out or become damaged, you need to have them replaced.

Unfortunately, it's not always easy to determine whether your shingles need replacement right away, or whether you can hold off for another year. Assuming your home has the most common type of shingles — asphalt — here's what to look for:

• Corners upturned on some shingles.

• Missing shingles. • Shingles lifting during high winds and not settling back into place (flat) within a day or two.

• Heavy accumulation of shingle debris (particles) in the gutters.

• Shingle bits and pieces found on the ground around your home.

• Spots on your roof that still look wet a day or two after a rainfall. (This could be a sign of water infiltration into the felt or even the roof deck.)

If you have any of these signs, be sure to have a roofing contractor take a closer look.

Before investing in a new roof, be sure to check with the retailer or contractor who supplied the original materials. Your shingles might still be under warranty.

Bottomline: Don't delay. You don't want to wait until you hear drip drip drip before taking action!

Saskatoon and region continued to show growth in the residential real estate market. Sales of 230 in the city were up 9% from 211 in February 2019, and the region saw sales grow 11% from 283 last February to 314. Sales were above the 5-year average of 295, but still below the 10-year average of 338. Year to date (YTD), sales were up over last year; 9% in the city, from 412 to 449, and 8.6% in the full region from 556 to 604.

Sales dollar volume was also up. In the city there was a 3.2% increase of $73.7M over last February, and in the region, last month’s $93.5M sales were up 7.4% over 2019’s $87.1M. YTD sales dollar volume was up 10% in the city to $145.1M and up 7.6% in the region to $183.7M.

The number of new listings decreased in both the city, down 2.7% from 481 to 468, and in the region, down 3.2% from 709 to 686. The 2,588 active listings in the region were down from 2,699 in 2019 and the 5-year average of 2,781, however still above the 10-year average of 2,494.

The sales to listing ratio in Saskatoon is 49%, and 46% in the region. Balanced market conditions exist in the 40-60% range, while below 40% is considered to favour buyer’s, and over 60% suggests a seller’s market.

Homes were on the market an average of 82.9 days in the region, up from 69.4 days at the same time last year, and 73.7 days in the city, up from 58.5.

The average home price in the city was $320,249, down 5.3% from $338,268 at this time in 2019. The MLS® Home Price Index (HPI), a more accurate measure of housing price trends, however, is up 1.1% from $282,500 last year to $285,600. In the region, the average home price was down 3.2% to $297,724.

“We see the trend of increased sales and decreased listings continue in Saskatoon and region,” says Jason Yochim, CEO of the Saskatchewan REALTORS® Association (SRA). “If this continues, we anticipate seeing prices increase. Upcoming changes to the mortgage stress test rules this April will likely start to positively affect our residential markets, as well, and we should see more potential home buyers qualifying for mortgages and subsequently entering the market.”  ~ March 2020 SRA News Release 

Looking for sound market advice?  As REALTOR® and Nationally Accredited Buyer Representative - ABR®, Seller Representative Specialist - SRS® and Real Estate Negotiation Expert - RENE, I can provide you with this advice. Call today.

Let's face it. Planning events, even exciting ones like an overseas vacation, can be stressful. So, it's not surprising that some homeowners — even those thrilled about moving — can slip into "worry mode" when putting their property up for sale.

Unfortunately, this anxiety can make the process of selling an unpleasant experience. Who wants that? So here are some things you can do to reduce selling stress and enjoy the adventure.

• Understand the selling process. The more you know about the steps involved in selling your home, the less mysterious — and, therefore, less stressful — it will be.

• Give yourself the time you need. Feeling rushed and stressed comes from trying to do too much in too little time. Even if you're selling quickly, it's important to block off sufficient time in your calendar for the things you need to do. 

• Take care of yourself. As television psychologist Dr. Phil often points out, you can't give what you don't have. When it comes to selling your home, that means you need to eat well and stay healthy, so you have the energy you need throughout the process.

• Make your home attractive to buyers. That not only means tidying up and doing a little home staging, it also means setting the right listing price. Nothing eliminates the stress of selling more than having flocks of qualified buyers interested in your home.

• Get the help you need. You don't have to do everything on your own. That's why working with me is so advantageous. I take care of the many details for my clients so that they can enjoy the journey.

Sure, there are going to be a few stressful moments. However, the process of listing and selling your property, while looking for your next dream home, can be an exciting experience. Let me help you. Call today.

Two of the biggest stressors for DIYers are projects that cost too much or take too long. Unfortunately, there’s no sure way to guarantee that one or the other (or both) won’t happen. But there is a lot you can do to minimize the probability.

When budgeting, a big mistake DIYers make is not considering the little things. For example, you might budget for drywall panels but neglect to include the cost of nails, tape and plaster. It's easy to overlook these small items thinking they won't add up to much of an expense. But often they do. In fact, for many renovation projects, the little things account for up to 20% of the cost.

Another expense that is often overlooked is taxes. When you find a bathtub you like for $399, be sure to budget for what you'll actually pay out-of-pocket. Also, don't forget possible delivery expenses.

A budgeting tip many experts recommend is to price everything you need and then add 10%. That gives you a buffer.

Regarding scheduling, consider whether or not you've done this type of project before. If you're laying hardwood floors for the first time, there's a learning curve. You'll likely take two or three times longer than you would if you were more experienced.

Even if you have experience with the type of project you’re undertaking, it's human nature to underestimate how long it will take. So, if you feel confident you can install that sink in an hour, give yourself two.

A lot of this, of course, is common sense. But if you take a common sense — rather than an optimistic — approach to budgeting and scheduling, you'll stand a much better chance of your DIY project going smoothly.

Imagine you're looking for a new home. You have a list of all the features you want, just like you would have a grocery shopping list. However, when you explore the homes currently on the market, none meets all your criteria.

What do you do? You have a few good options.

First, you can take a second look at your list. Does your new home need every single feature on it? Are there one or two features you can do without? For example, can you settle for a smaller kitchen assuming the property has everything else you want?

Often, buying a home that's close to perfect is perfect enough.

Second, consider what features you might be able to add to a home later, by way of a renovation or other improvement. If a property doesn't have a finished basement, for example, you might be able to get that done down the road. Indeed, there are probably many features you can add later to an otherwise desirable property.

Finally, consider the current level of activity in the local real estate market. Is it likely that a lot of new homes will be coming on the market soon? If so, your perfect home may come up on the market within the next few weeks.

Maybe even tomorrow!

In that situation, make sure you arrange to get immediate alerts for newly listed homes that meet your criteria. You'll want to jump on each new opportunity before other buyers learn of the listing.

The good news is, in most cases you should be able to find and buy a great home, with most — if not all — of the features you want.

As you can probably guess, when you're preparing to move, you'll need boxes and tape — and, perhaps some bubble-wrap or old newspapers to use as protective wrapping for delicate items.

But that may not be all you need. Take a look at this list and see if you'll want any of these on hand while you’re packing or on moving day.

 • Color markers for labeling boxes. (Tip: Color coding boxes by room will make unpacking much easier.)

• Stretch wrap to protect larger items that can't fit into a box. 

• Small plastic bags to store dis-assembled parts, such as sofa legs, cabinet hardware, etc. (You don't want to lose them!)

• Moving blankets to protect floors.

• A dolly or hand truck to move heavy items. (You can rent these.)

• Mattress moving bag. This helps prevent stains and tears during your move. You can also buy specialty bags for sofas and tables.

• Reusable foam furniture sliders, to protect floors when furniture needs to be pushed into place.

• Foam corner protectors. This prevents furniture with sharp corners from banging and damaging other items during a move.

Planning ahead and having the right packing materials on hand will make your move less stressful and, hopefully, damage-free!