Low oil price cuts into Sask finances “helping to drop the province’s reserves to about $1 billion from $3.1 billion.”

http://tinyurl.com/busw25

$3.1 billion just doesn’t go as far as it used to.

Sask land sales plummet

http://tinyurl.com/cvsynd

Keen on Aberdeen?

http://tinyurl.com/bptcr4

Please click me (Sound required for full effect)
Totally kidding of course.

Unfortunately, it doesn’t work well as a longterm business model.

One might almost have expected a little better from poor Mr. Consumer.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090212/ap_on_bi_go_ec_fi/retail_sales

I’ve got my predictions for January all lined up!

You make some good points.

The other part of it is just available time. The last time we discussed it, the interest level seemed a little limited and there were some different thoughts on how it should be done. Give me a few more days to think that through please. I do realize that the year is getting on.

I’m not sure our anonymity an issue, though- yes, we are anonymous, but not really so anonymous to each other, either. Even if a name was attached to a prediction, I wouldn’t know a fellow blogger if I literally ran into them on the street.

Anyway, it is just a game and it doesn’t really matter- I’m just happy to hang out here once in awhile.

Further to your question, “How would one roughly get a ballpark price using your square footage calculation. How does one factor in the basement?”

You simply wouldn’t be able to draw any conclusions about the value of that property using this number. Consider this, Wildwood is in area 1. So is Sutherland, Arbor Creek and Briarwood (all very different areas, at different ranges of value). The cost per square foot for area 1 in January would just include too many potential variables to reliably use the number to value that Wildwood home. It’s quite possible that there isn’t even a Wildwood sale included in the average.

“Are we still doing 2009 predictions, or is that off?”

You know, I was excited about that idea at first and then I start wondering, “what is the point in obtaining predictions from a whole bunch of anonymous people?” I assure you that you are all more than “anonymous people” to me, but at the same time, most of you are kind of anonymous. Do you know what I mean? “And the winner is ANONYMOUS!” Where is the glory in that? I end up being the only person with a name attached to me prediction. When I think ahead, it kind of seems like playing a game with myself, except that I couldn’t possibly lose if I was actually playing myself. Feel free to set me straight.

Roger,

The cost per square foot number is calculated on “above grade” square feet and as you suggest, it’s not a reliable number to use in evaluating a home. Price per square foot doesn’t take into account important factors like location, additional development (basement, garage, etc), condition, or even the style of home (bungalows typically sell at a higher cost per square foot than a two-storey). I think that over time we can see some value trends in the cost per square foot numbers but you could not take it and apply it to the size of your house and feel the least bit confident that you’re even close.

I have a question for you about prices per square foot. On a resale home does this figure include the finished basement?

For example: A bungalow in Wildwood, built 30 years ago has 1400 sq. ft. on the main. The basement is fully finished with a family room, bedroom and washroom. The property is in good condition. How would one roughly get a ballpark price using your square footage calculation. How does one factor in the basement?

P.S. I know an actual property needs to be viewed by an agent and a CMA done before listing. I am just trying to get a handle on this square foot pricing.

Surprising, as the only province in a better financial situation than us is Alberta. And oil prices were on their way down during the election when Harper the economist (apparently actually dropped out of U of T first go around) was promising surpluses.

Why is this relevant? Well not really – as much as stock talk at least

Then again, if oil prices are leading Canada to deficit, Sask should be screwed

Are we still doing 2009 predictions, or is that off?

Nice to see the 3 month average price is still trending down, as is condo price per square foot – since condos seemed more over priced than houses.

I have to admit, I am surprised to see house prices so strong, and expect they will fall less than condos. Still, I’m expecting house prices to fall over time, maybe a longer time, with current inventory so much bigger than last years off season. If inventory doubles, even if sales are as high as last year which I doubt, I would expect a bigger drop in house prices.

Condos I expect to keep falling.

Prediction, $240,000 for mean price by Dec 2009.