Hi Carieann,
Good luck with your move to Saskatoon. If there is anything else I can help you with concerning Saskatoon, before you are here or after, please ask...if I don't know it probably won't be difficult for me to find out.
- Melissa

Any idea why there are so few houses for sale in Saskatoon at the moment? I could understand more buyers as people give up on Alberta and move back, but there also seem to be far less for sale than a year ago... even allowing for the fact that more people were moving out to Alberta back then, I'd still expect more people to be moving house in Saskatoon itself.

Hi Mark,
Well, speaking as someone who purchased a home in Saskatoon last year, you are right - there was so much choice last year when we were looking. Now I check mls.ca and saskhouses.com all of the time and it seems that homes have an offer after one or two days at the most. Quite frustrating I can imagine for those who are seriously looking. It seems as if many people in Saskatoon are weary about the market. Although the value of my own personal property has gone up 55% since we purchased it last year, we are discouraged from selling because of the overly competitive buyers market. I wouldn't be suprised if this rings true for others in the city. Although I have heard that a lot of it has to do with people returning from Alberta, I have also heard that there is a shortage because of a lack of builders. As you probably know, when a community has a population boom there is no way that building companies can keep up to the demand, which has occurred in Calgary and Fort McMurry to even a greater extent. In addition, and this is simply speculatory, if more people are moving back from Alberta it would stand to reason that less are leaving the province as well. Of course there are always many people moving from rural to urban centers, and Saskatoon is very desirable. I would suggest getting a hold of a great agent, one who has time for you. Many of my friends who are looking right now are having trouble finding a realtor who puts an effort into spending time on their requests. What area of Saskatoon are you looking for? If you are considering the West/North end, you might have more luck, and you will get more for your money.

We've been looking all over, but any of the decent places we've put offers on we've been outbid by people who are clearly more desperate. On the other hand, some places we've looked at are still for sale weeks later because they're way overpriced for their area.

We've seen plenty of houses, but finding one that's worth the asking price, let alone a high enough bid to buy it, is not easy right now. I'm thinking of going for something smaller than we'd really want and then trading up in a few years when the current bubble burns itself out.

The main problem is that I don't have a job arranged and I haven't received any feedback from companies I've sent resumes to, otherwise with the amount of money I have saved it wouldn't make much difference.

On the other hand, hopefully the housing situation will encourage people to move elsewhere before long... I'd hate to be trying to buy there as a couple on low wages.

BTW, that's a good point about people not moving in Saskatoon itself because they'd have the same trouble buying a new place! I hadn't thought about that, but it just makes the situation even worse.

Hi there.

I don't think anyone has addressed this part of your plan.

Have you looked into under what grounds your parents might be able to come with you, even supposing you could persuade them?

The usual way is for people to come over as skilled worker or work permit with their spouse and dependent children, and then start the sponsorship process (after they have permanent residents' status) to get their parents over here (which can take several years!) and be responsible for them financially for ten years.

http://members.shaw.ca/mickee/blog_i...wan_pirate.htm

Arrrrrrr !