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Must-Attend September Events in Saskatoon: A 2026 Guide for Locals and Homebuyers
From Ribfest and the Broadway Street Fair to Country Music Week and Nuit Blanche, here are the Saskatoon events worth building your September 2026 calendar around.
Neighbourhood Spotlight: Discover Life in Evergreen, Saskatoon
Modern homes, great green space, and a short hop to the university — here’s what makes Evergreen one of Saskatoon’s most versatile northeast neighbourhoods.
Top 5 Must-Attend Summer Events in Saskatoon: A 2026 Guide for Locals and Homebuyers
From Jazz Fest to Folkfest, here are five Saskatoon summer traditions worth building your 2026 calendar around — plus what they can tell you about the city’s neighbourhoods.
Discover Brighton: A Modern, Walkable Community in Saskatoon
Modern homes, connected pathways, and green space at its centre — here’s why Brighton has become one of Saskatoon’s most desirable east-side neighbourhoods.
Getting Your Saskatoon Home Ready for the 2026 Spring Market
Spring is Saskatoon’s busiest selling season. Here are six things to do now so your home is ready to hit the 2026 spring market with confidence.
5 Romantic Valentine’s Day Date Ideas in Saskatoon for 2026
From a cozy Broadway dinner to skating by the river, here are five romantic ways to celebrate Valentine’s Day in Saskatoon in 2026.
Discover Saskatoon: Must-See Events This April (2025 Edition)
Saskatoon really comes alive in the spring, and April 2025 is no exception. Whether you’re new to the city, exploring neighborhoods, or just looking for weekend plans, there’s no better way to get a feel for the community than by joining in some of Saskatoon’s most exciting events. Here’s a round-up of what’s happening this month:
Artists’ Workshop Annual Spring Show and Sale
Date: April 5–6
Location: Grace Westminster Church
Local talent takes center stage at this annual exhibition, featuring beautiful and thought-provoking works themed “The Inside Story.” Whether you’re a collector or just love browsing unique pieces, it’s a great way to support Saskatoon’s vibrant arts scene.
Draggins Rod & Custom Car Show
Date: April 18–19
Location: Prairieland Park
A Saskatoon classic! This beloved show brings in custom cars, hot rods, and vintage restorations from all over Western Canada. Perfect for car lovers of all ages—and kids love it too!
Saskatchewan Beef Expo
Date: April 9–10
Location: Prairieland Park
An educational and entertaining event for those interested in Saskatchewan’s agricultural roots. Featuring cattle showcases, youth competitions, and interactive exhibits, it’s a staple in the local farming community.
Saskatoon Running Festival
Date: April 13
Location: Diefenbaker Park
Kick off running season with a scenic 5K, 10K, or 10-mile race. This family-friendly festival also includes wellness seminars and a fun community vibe—great for newcomers looking to meet like-minded people.
Saskatoon Tattoo Expo
Date: April 25–27
Location: Prairieland Park
A celebration of body art, creativity, and self-expression. You’ll find incredible live tattooing, competitions, and opportunities to meet artists from across the country.
Top of the Hops: Grapes & Grains
Date: April 26–27
Location: Prairieland Park
Sip and sample from over 200 of the best beer, wine, and spirit vendors in the region. Whether you’re a connoisseur or just looking for a fun evening out, this is one of Saskatoon’s most popular tasting events.
Tony Cote Winter Games
Date: Ongoing through April
Location: Various venues
This inspiring multi-sport event celebrates First Nations youth and culture, featuring over 4,000 athletes. It’s a powerful way to support local communities and experience Indigenous excellence in sport.
Why These Events Matter (Especially If You’re House Hunting)
Getting involved in local events is one of the best ways to get to know a city. These experiences go beyond what’s listed on a real estate sheet—they show you the heart of Saskatoon. Whether you’re exploring neighborhoods like Nutana, Riversdale, or Evergreen, attending a few of these events will give you a real sense of the community you’re joining.
Thinking of making a move to Saskatoon this spring? Let’s chat! I’d be happy to help you find a home that’s close to all the action—and still suits your lifestyle.
Know Your REALTOR®: Lisa Mueller
Know Your REALTOR®: Lisa Mueller
Lisa Mueller is an award-winning Saskatoon REALTOR® with CENTURY 21 Fusion, with 12 years of experience in the real estate industry. She has worked with the brokerage as both a real estate agent and a broker manager, offering a wide array of experience in the way she works with home buyers, sellers, and other industry professionals. Even with her busy schedule, she was happy to spare a moment to talk about her experience as a local REALTOR® and why she would be the best fit for finding you and your family the dream home you’ve been searching for!
WHY DID YOU CHOOSE TO BECOME A REALTOR®?
I chose to become a REALTOR® because I wanted to help families, and I had quite a bit of personal experience buying and selling homes! I had moved many times myself. At one time, I had moved 6 times in 8 years, packing up houses and kids, and my husband said to me, “You know, you should really get into real estate. You already know a lot of the processes and I think you could add a lot of value to clients in knowing what it really is like to get a house ready for sale, and to move a family!” So I really felt I had a lot to offer clients when they were going to list and sell.
I think a REALTOR® that has their own experience is vital because they really know what you’re feeling when you’re listing that home. Some of these REALTORS® that we had experienced weren't great communicators, and it kind of felt like they plopped the sign on the lawn and didn't follow through with the things they were saying. So that's what I wanted to focus on when I became a REALTOR®: good customer service and making sure I was communicating properly with the clients and so that they felt that the value they were getting was worth what they were paying.
What's your favourite part about being a REALTOR®?
My favourite part about being a REALTOR® is the clients and, obviously, is the possession days. That’s the end game. The goal is that you’re going to get that house sold for your listing clientele or you’re going to bring that buyer to the new house, open the door for them, and know they’re going to create memories that last a lifetime. It’s just the best feeling ever!
What is something that you think every buyer should know before getting into real estate?
Buyers really need to make sure that their down payment is ready and that they get a good mortgage broker. Don’t just go to anyone. You need to find a mortgage broker that is going to explain to you how the whole process works with them and that they ensure that you are preapproved for a property so that you can actually go out shopping, write an offer, and not have to be concerned or not ready to do so. They should educate you on the costs involved in having a mortgage payment, taxes, and those different various things that a mortgage broker can do.
Once a mortgage broker has educated them, then I can help them from there in choosing the appropriate house. Some buyers need a lot of help with buying a house that’s got some renos and they’re not sure how much they are going to cost. And maybe they’re up for that challenge! But most brand new buyers should likely be buying a house that doesn’t have a lot of things that could come up. Educating them on the expenses is really important for new buyers so that they know what they’re up against.
I try and educate my buyers as much as I can during a showing. I don't just sit on my phone and text people while it’s going on. I'm walking through with them, pointing out things, and showing them where there might be an issue later on or something that we need a home inspector to look through if it comes to a home inspection. I just think it’s so important to educate buyers on the process, on what is a good home and what isn't a good home, so that they can feel really confident that I am representing them and that they're buying the best property they can for themselves.
What do you think is the most important change coming for real estate?
I’ve been in real estate for over 14 years, and it’s definitely technology. Social media is especially playing a huge role in what buyers can buy and what sellers are selling for, and how educated the buyers and sellers are. And as a REALTOR®, you really need to be up to date with it all—where interest rates are headed, how to market a home, how to get the best home for your client. All those nuances are really, really important.
Tell us a little more about yourself.
Well, I am a mother of three. I am super proud of my daughters—they are growing up to be very independent and hard-working. They just motivate, impress, and amaze me every day. I’ve been playing volleyball for over 30 years—I love it. I also have 2 small dogs, and I am a cat-lover, but my daughter is allergic to cats haha!
Other than that, I have an education degree and I did teach for a tiny little bit, and then I raised my kids for a little while. We moved a lot during that time and that’s when I decided to go into real estate and now I’ve been a REALTOR® for over 14 years. For 5 of those years, I ran a brokerage of 97 agents and 7 staff. I helped those agents by training them and onboarding them, educating them, and overseeing their deals.
I pretty much know anything that can go wrong in a deal and how to mitigate that or try to prevent it from happening. I always make sure that I let my clients know that we have to get proper conditions and terms in place on an offer. And, when it comes to listing a property, it must be properly listed—the house has to be measured and the different things that need to be done must be done properly. It’s what I taught agents for 5 years and I carry it with me today.
I also helped the staff with servicing the agents so that they could do their job and be successful at it.
Why do you love Saskatoon?
I love Saskatoon because it’s a beautiful city. The river, the bridges, the people are just second to none. I feel like it’s small enough, but not too small because we have many, many services and things to do here. Still, you can drive here anywhere in 20-25 minutes, unless there's an accident and then it might be another 5 minutes.
And there’s lots of opportunities to move up at different companies, if you’re so inclined. It’s just a gorgeous city that, you know, we don’t really appreciate when we live here, I think. But when I get to show out of province buyers, then I realize even more how beautiful Saskatoon is and how much we need to appreciate it.
What inspires you?
On a day-to-day basis, it’s my girls. I want to lead by example. And so I go out into the world every day, doing my best, and getting things accomplished, working with people that I like to work with. And I think that when clients see me, and watch how I work, they see that I care and that I want to see them happy in their new homes. Or in selling their homes, I think they see that I really want to have them feel very satisfied—more than satisfied with the job I did!
If you could give any seller one piece of advice, what would it be?
For sellers, the biggest piece of advice I have is that they really need to make sure they’re getting their home prepped for sale. It has to be clean, bright, and look like it is maintenance-free, if that’s at all possible. Don’t put it up for sale until, you know, the little things are done. You know, we don’t necessarily need to redo a kitchen, but we do need to touch up paint, clean up spaces, and have the house sparkling clean.
The other thing I would advise sellers to do is study the market, learn the market, and you do that through a REALTOR®. They should not be coming to you and just saying, “This is what we need to list your house for.” What they should be doing is showing all the different listings that
are on the market and those that have recently sold—that is what a buyer is willing to pay, really. And then, from there, you decide with the REALTOR® what that pricing should be. Then you’re going to have way more success.
Is there anything else you think people should know about you when considering whether or not to work with you?
One of the most important things that I add is that I did oversee over 10,000 deals when I was the broker manager of CENTURY 21 Fusion. I saw many REALTORS® come into my office. I was teaching them how to be with clients, how to protect their clients, how to represent them properly. And so I’ve put that back into action now that I’ve gone back into listing and selling properties.
I am very knowledgeable, and I've got a lot of experience. My experience is partly maybe from my age, but more from moving around the province. I've lived in about 12 different houses all around Saskatchewan, and I’ve owned several investment properties throughout the years, so I have a lot of experience with those, as well. We also ran a farm for 25 years, so I even know all about farming communities, small communities, and we had 3 different cabins, so I know about lake properties, as well. No matter what type of property you’re interested in buying, there’s a good chance that I’ve had experience with it and can draw from that to help you make the most informed decision possible for you.
Why CENTURY 21?
CENTURY 21 is an international brand and so I chose it partially because there is so much access to tools and technology that we have. We have great websites, and I can refer anywhere across the country—or, really, across the globe. I think we’re professionals and we don’t just get into real estate because we don’t know what else to do with ourselves. CENTURY 21 agents go above and beyond. They want to ensure that their clients have a great experience!
Lastly, if you could choose 3 words to describe yourself, what would they be?
Kind. Caring. Fun-Loving.
Should You Accept the Offer?
You’ve taken the plunge to put your home on the market, starting a new chapter, and your agent has just received your first offer—how exciting! Now what? Several factors can help you make an objective decision!
The First Offer to Purchase
The first offer is most often a motivated buyer that has been perusing the market for some time already, understanding the market and what kind of inventory is available. They are excited about your home and want to beat their competition. However, you can negotiate with the buyers, coming back with a counteroffer for a better deal. If the first offer is below your goal range, you can use their fear of losing out and attachment to the house as leverage to bring it closer to your goals.
Turning down the first offer outright can be a gamble, as the longer it is on the market, the less likely you are to receive a higher offer. Going past the average amount of a property's "days on market" may prompt potential buyers to wonder if the price is too high or even if there is something wrong with the property. When the threat of competition diminishes, the strategy will shift from competitive offers to bargaining.
Unless you are in an ultra-hot market, you are simply looking for the best overall offer. Depending on your objective when selling your home, each component will carry different weights.
Price
The closer the offer is to your listing price, the better—but beware of getting too greedy! First offers within 10% of the listing price may be worth negotiation if other offer components are sound.
Cash vs Financing
Cash offers tend to be more reliable compared to those that are mortgage-backed as they guarantee a swifter close on the deal. Pre-approved buyers may be denied later for a multitude of reasons, such as changes in employment or low results of a home appraisal.
Contingencies
Purchase contingencies can be quite common in a deal stating that the offer is valid only if the listed criteria are met. On the seller’s side, you want as few contingencies as possible. There are few contingencies, such as home inspection and appraisal, which are relatively standard, though in some cases, buyers may remove them to make the deal more enticing to the seller. Home sale contingencies are not the most ideal as they may jeopardize your closing timeline if the buyer’s home fails to sell.
Buyer Flexibility
A buyer’s flexibility with closing and moving dates may influence your decision to accept the offer depending on your circumstances and if you need extra time in transition after the sale.
There is considerably less pressure to accept the first offer if you are in a competitive seller's market with multiple great offers. In which case, sellers and their agents can accept offers while they come in or put in an offer review date for the property.
A buyer's market means that the current housing supply exceeds the buyer's demand. Thus homes may sit on the market longer, and price depreciates over time. Suppose a home similar to yours is selling for a lower price than what you have it listed for. In that case, the lower price may actually be a more accurate depiction of what your home is currently worth on the market—no matter the other seller’s reasoning for pricing it as such, it will also affect you.
Discuss the areas of the offer you wish to improve with your real estate agent and craft a reasonable counter offer and deadline for the buyer’s response to keep the ball rolling. Contact me today about becoming your REALTOR® to help you navigate the busy Saskatoon housing market!
Home Showing Etiquette For All 5 Senses
Our 5 senses play an integral role in our processing of the world around us; these sensory cues trigger our emotional responses. Thus, we associate different emotions with different experiences. Some subtle touches can highlight the best features of your home, creating the experience that has potential buyers imagining this as their future home!
Sight
What we sense by sight is one of the very first things we notice about a place we have never been in before. Set a welcoming tone for the experience from the moment potential home buyers pull up with a manicured lawn and healthy plants for the top curb appeal.
Inside, give your home a good declutter and clean! When looking at homes for sale, buyers want to feel assured that they have been well cared for and will have enough space for everything they need. If you are unsure where to start, use the top to bottom, left to right method—beginning with ceiling fans and tops of shelves, working your way down all the way to the floors, utilizing bins for knick-knacks, loose bits and bobs, and personal items. For extra organization, use a colour-coded container for each member of the household to better keep track.
Lastly, be sure to highlight key areas by opening up the curtains and turning on the lights in darker areas! Window dressings such as curtains and blinds can often be neglected, so be sure to give these some love and care.
Smell
Though we can become desensitized to the smells in our own homes, home sellers must put themselves in the buyer's shoes and thoroughly deodorize, neutralize, and freshen the space. Think about how off-putting pet odours and trash odours will be to buyers! Be sure to take out the trash and clean things like litter boxes, putting them away in the laundry room.
Experts recommend using harsh cleaning solutions for deep cleaning to prepare the home for new owners. However, we must advise against using products that have strong scents when showing to potential buyers. Instead, use only mildly scented products. Candles are also not recommended to be used during showings—not only for the risk of the open flame but also because overly scented/artificial aromas may signal buyers that you are trying to mask odours!
Experienced REALTORs will propose using more natural fragrances, such as doing laundry beforehand, placing dryer sheets in drawers, or using clean linen scented plug-in (unplugged a few hours before). These give the home a fresh and clean scent, rather than an artificial and unnatural one. Baking cookies before a showing or heating up a few drops of vanilla on the stove will also provide a sense of warmth and comfort. Studies have also shown that citrus scents make a home feel worth more.
Taste
A day of home showings can be exhausting to buyers, and no one can truly enjoy their experience if they're hungry or thirsty. Simple snacks and bottles of water left for potential buyers can be the exact touch needed to leave that lasting, welcoming impression. Those cookies we talked about earlier? They can serve a double purpose here, just saying!
Touch
Of all lasting impressions, dusty and gritty surfaces that leave texture on your hands aren’t a good one. Make sure to dust so that buyers’ fingers come away clean! You want to be sure that they feel comfortable enough to touch. And leave closet doors cracked open for them to check out the storage spaces and vacuum carpets (both ways) for that plush and luxurious feel.
The idea is to emphasize what is already amazing about your home and help buyers to imagine the life they can make in the home. Thinking your home may need more of a facelift to get it showing-ready? Consider whether you may need to renovate before selling your home and contact me today about becoming your REALTOR!
