If you’ve been waiting for the Saskatoon real estate market to finally calm down and become “normal” again, I have some bad news.
We’re still waiting.
The August numbers are out, and while there are a few signs that things are getting a little better for buyers, Saskatoon is still dealing with the same basic problem we’ve had for a while now: there just aren’t enough homes for sale.
We had 446 residential sales in August, down about 1% from last year. That might sound like the market is slowing down, but those sales were still about 7% above the long-term average.
So no, Saskatoon buyers haven’t all packed it in and decided to rent forever.
Finally, Some More "For Sale" Signs
Here’s some good news.
We had 730 new listings in August, up more than 12% from last year.
We definitely needed them.
But before we start calling this a buyer’s market, there’s a pretty big catch.
At the end of August, there were 965 residential properties showing as inventory in Saskatoon. However, 239 of those were already conditionally sold.
That leaves only 726 actually active properties for sale, or about 1.63 months of active supply heading into September.
For some perspective, the 10-year average inventory for August is over 1,500 homes.
That’s really the number that jumps out at me.
We don’t have a demand problem in Saskatoon. We have a supply problem.
And Yes, Saskatoon Houses Are More Expensive
The benchmark price for a Saskatoon home in August was $444,700, roughly 3% higher than last August.
Detached houses are now sitting at a benchmark price of $515,300.
Townhouses are $367,200.
Apartments are $264,400.
And when you look at the longer-term numbers, you can see exactly how we got here.
For quite a few years, Saskatoon had lots of homes for sale and prices basically went sideways. Around 2020, inventory started dropping and prices started climbing.
Turns out when a bunch of people want houses and we don’t have enough houses, houses get more expensive.
Who knew?
If You’re Thinking About Selling, Here’s My Advice
If you own a home in Saskatoon and you’re considering selling, you’re still in a very good market.
But a good market doesn’t mean you can throw any price you want on your house and somebody will show up with a cheque.
I’ve been selling real estate in Saskatoon for 18 years, and this part never really changes.
Buyers will chase a house they think is good value and ignore one they think is overpriced.
Sometimes the difference between having a pile of showings in the first few days and sitting there wondering why nobody is coming through isn't the house. It's the price.
Right now, sellers have something working heavily in their favour: scarcity.
There simply aren't enough good homes available in many price ranges and neighbourhoods.
And if you've owned your house for five, ten or fifteen years, you might be surprised at what it's worth today.
If You’re Buying, Don’t Panic… Just Be Ready
On the buyer side, I'm definitely not suggesting you rush out and buy anything with four walls and a furnace.
Actually, in Saskatoon, maybe make sure the furnace works too.
Be picky. But be prepared.
Have your financing figured out. Know which neighbourhoods you like. Understand what similar houses have actually been selling for.
Because if a really good house hits MLS on Thursday afternoon at a reasonable price, there’s a pretty good chance you aren't the only person in Saskatoon who noticed it.
That's not the time to start figuring out what a mortgage pre-approval is.
The Number I’m Watching This Fall
For me, the big number going into fall is inventory.
The fact that new listings were up more than 12% in August is encouraging.
If that continues and the number of homes available starts building back up, we could finally see things move toward a more balanced market.
But we're not there yet.
We still have dramatically fewer homes available than what would historically be considered normal for Saskatoon.
Until that changes, I have a hard time seeing the basic supply-and-demand situation changing much either.
So… Is It a Good Time to Buy or Sell?
This is probably one of the questions I get asked most.
And unfortunately, I'm going to give you the classic REALTOR® answer:
It depends.
Sorry.
If you're selling your house and buying another one in Saskatoon, getting $50,000 more for your house doesn't necessarily mean you just made $50,000. The next house probably costs more too.
If you're downsizing, moving out of Saskatoon, selling an investment property, refinancing, or you've owned your home for 15 or 20 years, that's a completely different conversation.
And if you're buying, I'd spend less time trying to predict whether Saskatoon prices will be 2% higher or lower six months from now and more time making sure you're buying the right house at a price you can comfortably afford.
That's the advice I'd give a friend, and it's the same advice I give my clients.
After 18 years selling real estate in Saskatoon, one thing I've learned is that the market always changes eventually.
It just rarely changes when everyone expects it to.
Wondering what your Saskatoon home would actually sell for right now? Give me a call or send me a message. I'll look at the recent sales, what's currently competing with you and give you my opinion on where I'd price it.
Kevin Leuschen
REALTOR® | Coldwell Banker Signature
306-280-7923