Premier “takes credit” for Saskatchewan housing boom
Saskatchewan Premier Lorne Calvert says that his government is “gearing up” for another advertising blitz in Alberta to promote our province as a great place to live, according to a front page story in today’s Star Phoenix.
While it’s hard to argue that a province shouldn’t promote its benefits abroad, someone seems to be unaware of the fact that Saskatoon home buyers are reaching their wits end trying to find a good home to buy. Many have made offers on a number of properties, often tens of thousands of dollars above the asking price, and they still find no love.
MLS® housing inventory dropped to a critically low level of approximately 250 listings by the end of 2006. Today there are 249 single-family homes and condos on the system, most of those already conditionally sold. We’re seeing sharp price increases in every category of housing with some increasing as much as 70% since the start of the year.
My question to Mr. Calvert? Where are we going to put them when they get here sir?
Somehow, it just seems like the wrong time to be “gearing up” with this particular campaign. Let’s hope that the government updates their creative message, at the very least. Premier Calvert’s claim, “If you have any home ownership in Calgary these days, you can sell here, buy in Saskatchewan and be free and clear with your mortgage, likely own a cottage, and maybe one of two rental properties” is getting a little old.
I’m always happy to answer your Saskatoon real estate questions. All of my contact info is here. Please feel free to call or email.
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Norm Fisher
Royal LePage Saskatoon Real Estate
12 comments so far. We'd love to hear your thoughts.
April 3rd, 2009 at 5:00 PM
If Mr. Trounce was still alive, he could probably fetch a tidy sum for his “character home”.
April 3rd, 2009 at 5:00 PM
Hilarious pic Norm! “A rare find” Let’s start the bidding at $280,000!!!
April 3rd, 2009 at 5:01 PM
The short sightedness of this government never ceases to amaze me. Like many others here, I have been trying to find a home in Saskatoon for some time now with little success. The current situation is disheartening to say the least; something that I have always look forward to in life, the possibility of owning a home, has become a stress inducing nightmare. I get sick to my stomach looking at the current market, and am slowly coming to the sad realization that as a single home buyer the only properties within my grasp are either going to in some serious need of some TLC or in an undesireable neighbourhood.
It is almost like the Calvert government is trying to drive away young people with his new “Move to Saskatchewan” blitz. Ironically enough, out of my group of peers the ones feeling this situation the hardest are the ones who have chosen to stay in Saskatchewan since graduation. We all studied at U of S, established businesses here in Saskatoon, and all feel very close attachment to the city and its people. Now that we are at the point in our lives where we feel comfortable making the move towards home ownership, we see that it has now almost become the privelege of a select few, and we are questioning whether Saskatchewan is now the right place for us to settle our roots. After looking for sometime for a house in Saskatoon, one of my friends, a prominent local artist, abandoned hope and eventually moved to Winnipeg to buy a house there for a fraction of the cost it would have cost here. This is the dilemna we are facing. This so called “new economy” is driving the housing prices up, but the majority of the people I have talked to see very little difference on their paystubs to help alleviate this huge rise in housing costs.
The double whammy is that the other 75% of my class that graduated and moved off to greener pastures in Alberta, are now selling their properties and returning home to buy up the already short supply of housing in Saskatoon. While it is great to see more young people returning home, one can’t also help but feel as if those of us who stood by the province of while it was a “have not” are now being punished for doing so, and being driven out the province we love so much.
Once again, thank you for the time you put into the maintaining your blog; it is an excellent resource, and also for your “going to bat” for us desperate home buyers in the aformentioned article.
April 3rd, 2009 at 5:01 PM
Jason, I agree and echo your post 100%, every line. I am in the same situation. I chose to stay in Saskatchewan when there WAS no campaign, no promises, no tax breaks, and have now been slapped squarely in the face for it.
I took Norm’s earlier suggestion and wrote my MLA telling him exactly what I thought (sounds exactly like your post). That was in early april. I got no reply, but the yesterday got a generic flier in my mailbox from my MLA talking about all the great things he’s done and how easy it is to contact him!
Know that you’re not alone. Which doesn’t really help any of us sleep at night I guess.
Best of luck to you!!
April 3rd, 2009 at 5:02 PM
Daryl, You’re brilliant and obviously know a lot about the history of Saskatoon. I din’t think anyone would pick up on that.
Jeff, you must be kidding right? Obviously you haven’t looked at homes for a week or so.
April 3rd, 2009 at 5:02 PM
Jason and Samantha, I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard this very same story from other young Saskatchewan people and their parents. I have a 21 year old daughter and an 18 year old son. Both of them want to make their future here and of course, Trish and I really want to have them in Saskatoon. I wonder now if they’ll be able to do that.
Some of my wise friends tell me that these things have a way of working themselves out and that Saskatchewan is going to see significant income growth in the coming years. Let’s hope that we can eventually see some balance on that end of the equation. As hard as I try to find it, I see nothing happening in the short term which is likely to change the supply problem with Saskatoon homes.
I hope you won’t give up yet. We bought a small “fixer-upper” as our first home years ago. We loved that little place and before long it became home. It took a little money and a fair bit of sweat but we did well on it in the end.
Best wishes.
April 3rd, 2009 at 5:02 PM
I’m so glad to see some words of people in the same situation as me. Jason, you pretty much took everything I was going to say out of my mouth.
What else is there to say? The fact that you can go out and apply for a debilitating mortgage doesn’t qualify as “housing problems solved”.
I promise to not buy a home until I can do it affordably. There’s just nothing else to say about it.
This is a reality the government is flat out refusing to acknowledge.
The MLAs don’t care and only like to promote themselves and their “openness”. The city passes the buck to the first not-them possible. The federal government can’t be bothered. The provincial government simply ignores us.
They all figure because they can afford a home, why can’t we?
There’s no such thing as middle class to these people, only “very poor” and “very rich”. One is a chance for self-glorification, the other is a like-lifestyled tier of people to feel justified in your decisions with.
Thank you Norm, and please continue to monitor the situation for first time / not as wealthy home buyers.
April 3rd, 2009 at 5:02 PM
I moved from alberta for a job that paid less because living was”cheaper” well its not and now I can’t afford a house with all the AB boomers buyin everything in site. SK is politically in for a shitstorm come election time and I can’t wait!!!
April 3rd, 2009 at 5:03 PM
Hey Jim. We can hope man, we can hope. Thanks for stopping.
April 3rd, 2009 at 5:03 PM
Used to live in Sask and moved to alberta 15 years ago because of work.I am sure am glad this stupid flip this house garbage is slowly leaving alberta,but without creating its devastating long term damages to families in Alberta.After witnessing tent cities and people renting out CLOSETS for 500/month.5,550/month mortages and no one at home watching the kids as mom and dad struggle to pay the mortage while the kids make kraft dinner for supper.The feeling of being taken advantage of and stripped down of your life savings for rent and mortages in alberta leaves many families emotionally exhausted and financially strapped.With a feeling of nervousness as the curse of greediness moves into Sask.
I pray for all those who rent or are thinking of locking into an expensive mortage.I suggest you think twice before buying a house that just a year ago was valued at a 100,000 and is now 250,000.Buyers beware of the REAL ESTATE GAME.
concerned citizen,Jonboy
April 3rd, 2009 at 5:04 PM
I am 23 years old , I have good job as does my wife, and we have a 10 monthold baby. We have been looking to buy a home in Regina. It seems to be an impossible task. Houses in the worst neighborhood in canada(recent Mclean’s Poll) are selling for upwards of 200,000 dollars.From every source I am told that prices are to continue skyrocketing. My question is why is the saskatchewan government denying the young people of this great province the ability to own a home and raise families. But rather inviting oil tycoons from alberta to buy the homes here and become slum lords and make a killing off of people that do not have the money to buy the homes themselves. What can i do. Our economy does not match the inflated prices, of housing. minimum wage went up to a staggering 9 bucks an hour or something …wow…this disgusts me that my only option is to leave the province i love to go make enough money to buy a house here….so If I cant make it to the polls next tim I’ll be living out in Fort mcmurray sending money home to my family so they can afford to pay rent and eat….
April 3rd, 2009 at 5:04 PM
Lucas,
It’s unfortunate that you couldn’t be there in the fall before things started to go crazy again. Things may level off sooner this year. Hang in there for a bit, and keep trying. With the momentum this economy has it may be a challenge to find greener pastures and that long distance commute isn’t ideal for family living. I feel for you Lucas. Good luck.