Trusted Saskatoon Blog | Saskatoon Real Estate

Marla Janzen Trusted Saskatoon Real estate tip on what you need to earn to buy a house in Canada

12. Jan 2015 trusted Saskatoon Home Staging, Saskatoon Interior Decorator , Saskatoon Real Estate, Trusted Tips

Marla Janzen is an award winning SASKATOON REAL Estate expert she takes action to sell her client's homes and find them the perfect new place to live while negotiating the best terms and price possible. She loves what she does and takes great pride in providing excellence in customer service to all of her clients.

She is one of our wonderful TRUSTED SASKATOON REAL ESTATE EXPERTS listed on the SASKATOON DIRECTORY and loves to provide Trusted Tips that help the public!

Marla Janzen from century 21 Fusion is the realtor for BC Based home builders Westbow Construction's Radius at The Legends condo project in Warman SK, and she invited the Trusted team up for a tour around the show condos and to meet the owner of Westbow Construction Dick Westeringh. We figured we would take along our video camera so you could see for yourself why living in Warman should be a consideration for anyone thinking about moving!

Here Marla shares a tip on buying a house in every major Canadian city:

How much you need to earn to buy a house in every major city

Many say property is the best investment you can make. Bursting housing bubbles and mortgage scandals aside, they’re usually right.

The price of making that investment varies widely in Canada, depending on where you live. We looked at how much you need to earn to buy an average-priced house in every major Canadian city.

To get these numbers, we consulted Adrian Williams, a Toronto mortgage broker, and used his calculator found here. He explained that to calculate the income required you need to know the purchase price, down payment, rate, utilities – mortgage qualifying must include a minimum of $100 a month for heating costs – and taxes.

We got the average purchase price per city from the Canadian Real Estate Association (they fluctuate. These prices were effective at the end of December. To see the absolute latest click here and input your city), and Williams provided the property tax rates. At his suggestion we used a 2.99% interest rate, which is the average qualifying rate for a 5-year fixed term. We used a down payment of 10% of the purchase price and calculated $100 a month for utilities.

According to Williams, “Other factors that will be included with mortgage qualification are the total monthly payment obligations from credit card, LOC’s, personal & car loans, car lease and other types of credit that require a monthly payment.”

Here is what you need to earn to buy a house in every major Canadian market. (Numbers are rounded to the nearest dollar.)

Vancouver

Average price: $819,336

Monthly mortgage payment: $3,570

Property tax: $251

Income required: $147,023

Jobs in Vancouver

Calgary

Average price: $465,047

Mortgage mortgage payment: $2,026

Property taxes: $236

Income required: $88,578

Jobs in Calgary

Edmonton

Average price: $365,520

Mortgage payment: $1,592

Property tax: $244

Salary required: $72,617

Jobs in Edmonton

Regina

Average price: $331,161

Monthly mortgage payment: $1,443

Property tax: $378

Income required: $72,028

Jobs in Regina

Saskatoon

Average price: $349,322

Monthly mortgage payment: $1,522

Property tax: $366

Income required: $74,546

Jobs in Saskatoon

Winnipeg

Average price: $270,605

Monthly mortgage payment: $1,179

Property tax: $274

Income required: $58,235

Jobs in Winnipeg

Ottawa

Average price: $357,887

Monthly mortgage payment: $1,559

Property tax: $336

Income required: $74,820.28

Jobs in Ottawa

Toronto

Average price: $587,505

Monthly mortgage payment: $2,560

Property tax: $354

Income required: $113,009

Jobs in Toronto

Montreal

Average price: $344,273

Monthly mortgage payment: $1,500

Property tax: $237

Income required: $68,884

Jobs in Montreal

Halifax

Average price: $264,447

Monthly mortgage payment: $1,152

Property tax: $266

Income required: $56,929

Jobs in Halifax

Find Marla Online at http://www.century21.ca/marla.janzen she is a Century 21 Fusion Realtor Sakatoon based at 703 Circle Drive, Saskatoon..or checkout her listing in REAL ESTATE SASKATOON here on www.trustedsaskatoon.com, Marla Janzen is TRUSTED SASKATOON REAL ESTATE EXPERT.

Trusted community steps up to help a local Saskatoon woman after her contractor nightmare Part 1

29. Sep 2014 trusted Saskatoon Contractors, Saskatoon Electrician, Saskatoon Interior Decorator , Saskatoon Interior Design, Saskatoon Kitchens, Saskatoon Painters Decorating & Design, Saskatoon Plumbing, Saskatoon Real Estate, Saskatoon Renovations, Saskatoon Window Coverings, Trusted Media , Trusted Partner News, Trusted Tips

The Trusted teamwork for the public, we do that by finding great local businesses, verifying they are as good as we have heard, and contracting them to uphold the 5 Trusted Guarantees. These 5 Trusted guarantees are the cornerstone of our business and the businesses we partner with, and if something does go wrong we hold the businesses to their obligations....that's what the Trusted Saskatoon businesses sign up for. That's why we promote them and why we believe they are the best businesses in the cities we serve.

JANICE'S BUILD- the Trusted Rebuild

Last week we heard about Janice, a single Mum in Saskatoon that has not been lucky enough to deal with a ' Trustworthy' business, in fact, she has dealt with the kind of company that we set Trusted Saskatoon up to protect people from.... let's share the first part of the story.

Janice is a lovely woman who has been left in a house that was a home 5 months ago & now is a dangerous unfinished, building site. She is trying to keep on a brave face for her 10-year-old daughter but is sick with worry that the house won't survive the Winter cold that is on its way, and wondering every day how she is going to manage to get back on her feet .......why? All because of an unscrupulous Saskatoon contractor that has been her worst nightmare!

We heard her story last week through a friend of Sara's, the Trusted founder, and we were extremely moved by her plight, and wanted to do what we could to help...it's a great thing we know an amazing group of local Saskatoon businesses, who are invested in their community and who truly set the standard for integrity in the Saskatoon Business community!

We sent out an email at 9 pm that night, we had some responses back within the hour and by the end of the week, we have already had so many wonderful Trusted Saskatoon directory partners offer Janice their help...and Trusted Regina partners!

Perfection Plumbing - All the plumbing
kitchen backsplash, shower tiles, labour
A NEW CUSTOM KITCHEN
Age Of Electric - ALL the electrics
Sunview Windows & Doors - $250 towards the rebuild
Kari Calder- Century 21 - $300 in Home Depot Gift Certs
Hairstyle Inn's - $300 Gift Certificate to HSI
Made In The Shade Gift Certificate for MIS
Trusted Regina Partners a NEW Roof and heated roof system!
Fresh Living - shopping help and design
Kitchen & Bath Classics - Bathroom vanity unit
PLus all Painting services

Thank you also to Aaron Loraas- from Loraas disposal for donating bins and garbage fees for the project, Winroc and Rona for materials and Heating roofing systems in Colorado for the roof!!

Sara went to surprise Janice tonight, who knew nothing of this until then..it was extremely emotional, Janice was completely gobsmacked when Sara knocked on her door and told her why she was there. Once the first round of tears dried, and she realized Sara was above board, she showed her around the house and Sara couldn't believe the state this contractor has left her in. We shared the news about the wonderful Trusted Saskatoon companies that had already stepped up to help her, and she was happy to allow us to document this journey by blog and video, so she could prevent other people from having the same thing happen to them....so this is Part 1 of THE HOUSE THAT TRUSTED SASKATOON REBUILT!

So whats next?

A well-recognized business leader and expert in the construction industry is going to cast his professional eye over Janice's bombsite of a home, and he will then be able to assess just what needs to be done, and from there we can start planning the rebuild, and what we need in regards help & materials from these amazing Trusted Saskatoon companies.

We will leave you with Sara's comments as the last words of Part 1

" Saskatoon has been amazing to me and my family, and I believe it's important to step up to help people in the community you live in. Janice's situation is not uncommon unfortunately, a thing like this happen every day to families and individuals in this city and this province, that's why I was motivated to start Trusted. I am just glad I am in a position, along with the Trusted partners to help her with this hand up back on her feet again.

To start the ball rolling I will donate $1000 in TrustedSaskatoon.com Gift Certificates for Janice to put towards this rebuild. She can use them at any of the partner businesses on the www.trustedsaskatoon.com directory. I am not going to publicly name the contractor or his business...that is not my place, but after what I saw & heard today I believe strongly that the company should have their A rating on the Better Business Bureau of Saskatchewan lowered to an F, and the insurance companies should take them off their preferred list of contractors"

Meet Trusted Saskatoon Real Estate Agent Marla Janzen

19. Aug 2014 trusted Saskatoon Real Estate

Marla Janzen is an award winning SASKATOON REAL Estate expert she takes action to sell her client's homes and find them the perfect new place to live while negotiating the best terms and price possible. She loves what she does and takes great pride in providing excellence in customer service to all of her clients.

She is one of our wonderful TRUSTED SASKATOON REAL ESTATE EXPERTS listed on the SASKATOON DIRECTORY.

Meet Marla Janzen in this video - see why she is your best choice for a Saskatoon Real Estate Agent and also hear from her clients.

Find Marla Online at http://www.century21.ca/marla.janzen she is a Century 21 Fusion Realtor Saskatoon..or checkout her listing in REAL ESTATE SASKATOON here on www.trustedsaskatoon.com, Marla Janzen is TRUSTED SASKATOON REAL ESTATE EXPERT.

Marla Janzen Trusted Saskatoon Real Estate Expert tip on how a driveways add value to your home

9. Jun 2014 trusted Saskatoon Real Estate, Trusted Tips

Marla Janzen is an award winning SASKATOON REAL Estate expert she takes action to sell her client's homes and find them the perfect new place to live while negotiating the best terms and price possible. She loves what she does and takes great pride in providing excellence in customer service to all of her clients.

She is one of our wonderful TRUSTED SASKATOON REAL ESTATE EXPERTS listed on the SASKATOON DIRECTORY and loves to provide Trusted Tips that help the public!

Marla Janzen from century 21 Fusion is the realtor for BC Based home builders Westbow Construction's Radius at The Legends condo project in Warman SK, and she invited the Trusted team up for a tour around the show condos and to meet the owner of Westbow Construction Dick Westeringh. We figured we would take along our video camera so you could see for yourself why living in Warman should be a consideration for anyone thinking about moving!

Here Marla shares a tip on how an updated driveway can increase the value of your home:

When considering what home improvements you can make to help increase the value of your home, updating your driveway probably isn’t the first thing that comes to mind. But don’t rule it out: Your driveway is one of the first things people see on your property and it has a big impact on your home’s curb appeal.

Examine your options
An attractive, well-maintained driveway can go a long way to enhance your curb appeal, which instantly increases its value.

1. Classic asphalt and gravel
Classic black asphalt driveways and gravel driveways are common options that still look great. They won’t knock the socks off any potential homebuyers, but they’re inexpensive to put in and inexpensive to maintain, making them great choices for the average budget-conscious homeowner. They only cost about $1.50 a square foot, so it’s easy to see why they’re such popular choices.

2. Concrete
Concrete is a pricier option, coming in at about $4 a square foot, but it has a much cleaner, modern look. If laid properly, concrete can last up to 30 years, with almost zero maintenance besides an annual power wash. A coloured or stamped finish can really boost the look of concrete, but it will also raise the price tag, so be sure to shop around for quotes before you commit.

3. Brick or cobblestone
Brick or cobblestone pavers are the most attractive driveway option and have endless possibilities for colour and pattern. This option requires a professional. Hiring an expert who can create a plan to incorporate the driveway with your exterior hardscaping and come up with the look you really want is worth every penny – even if that means forking over $10 a square foot.

What things should I consider to get the best return on investment from my driveway?
First of all, look around your neighbourhood. Does every house but yours have a driveway? If your answer is yes, that’s a good reason to add some parking. Also, ask yourself if parking is at a premium in your area. If it is, adding a parking spot could really increase the value of your home. If you have room for extra parking on top of what you need or use, remember that you can rent out spaces for extra cash flow, too.

Should I turn my lawn into a parking pad if I don’t have any other parking options?
No, not if you’re worried about resale value and especially not if it will take up your entire yard. In most municipalities, street parking is permitted and generally adequate in residential areas. Driveway parking is definitely a perk but not if you have to sacrifice your green space to have it. Also, remember that adding parking requires city approval, so make sure to get all appropriate permits before you start breaking ground.

Find Marla Online at http://www.century21.ca/marla.janzen she is a Century 21 Fusion Realtor Sakatoon based at 703 Circle Drive, Saskatoon..or checkout her listing in REAL ESTATE SASKATOON here on www.trustedsaskatoon.com, Marla Janzen is TRUSTED SASKATOON REAL ESTATE EXPERT.

Marla Janzen Trusted Saskatoon Real Estate Expert shares tips for the first time Homebuyer

27. May 2014 trusted Saskatoon Real Estate, Trusted Tips

Marla Janzen is an award winning SASKATOON REAL Estate expert she takes action to sell her client's homes and find them the perfect new place to live while negotiating the best terms and price possible. She loves what she does and takes great pride in providing excellence in customer service to all of her clients.

She is one of our wonderful TRUSTED SASKATOON REAL ESTATE EXPERTS listed on the SASKATOON DIRECTORY and loves to provide Trusted Tips that help the public!

Marla Janzen from century 21 Fusion is the realtor for BC Based home builders Westbow Construction's Radius at The Legends condo project in Warman SK, and she invited the Trusted team up for a tour around the show condos and to meet the owner of Westbow Construction Dick Westeringh. We figured we would take along our video camera so you could see for yourself why living in Warman should be a consideration for anyone thinking about moving!

Here Marla shares tips for the first time Homebuyer:

Are you a first-time home buyer in Saskatoon or Warman and eager to get into the market? Here are some basic steps to take to help you decide whether you're ready to take the plunge. Purchasing a home is a major decision and most people start by falling in love with a specific property before knowing if it is even a feasible purchase for them.

Losing the home you had your heart set on can be very discouraging. Before talking to a Realtor, here are a few steps to ensure you are not disappointed when you find the right home for you.

1. Check the selling prices of comparable homes in your area. You can also do a quick search of actual MLS listings in your area on a number of Web sites.

2. See what you can afford. Talk to your bank or a mortgage broker who will look at your financial situation and help you to know what kind of housing will be within your price range.

3. Find out what your total cost of owning a house will be. Many buyers look only at the mortgage cost, but forget things like, including taxes and homeowners insurance which are additional costs. Even a basic budget can help you to know what your monthly expenses will be.

4. Get estimates. A good idea once you know what kind of mortgage you can afford, is to get quotes for things like property tax and home insurance. To estimate property tax, you can check out home listings in the area you are interested in along with homes that are within your price range. Property Tax information is listed with the property info. To get an idea of what you'll pay in insurance, make a call to a local insurance agent for an estimate, based upon these same homes you’ve identified as possibilities.

5. Find out how much you'll likely pay in closing costs, like Land Titles searches, lawyers (which are required), Mortgage closing fees, etc. Discuss these fees with your lender before committing to purchase.

Mortgage Calculator-How Realtors Help.ca

Once you have these details and feel comfortable with what your monthly costs will be contact Marla Janzen from Century 21 Fusion, in Saskatoon and Warman, at www.marlajanzen.ca to find exactly the right property for you.

Find Marla Online at http://www.century21.ca/marla.janzen she is a Century 21 Fusion Realtor Sakatoon based at 703 Circle Drive, Saskatoon..or checkout her listing in REAL ESTATE SASKATOON here on www.trustedsaskatoon.com, Marla Janzen is TRUSTED SASKATOON REAL ESTATE EXPERT.