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The Saskatchewan Edge
Kelly Macsymic Business Manager, Stuart Commercial Inc., Sales Associate, ICR Commercial Real Estate
Barry Stuart Managing Partner and Senior Sales Associate , ICR Commercial Real Estate

Mandatory traveller quarantines small boost for some hotels

Kelly Macsymic Commercial Pandemic National Feb. 19 2021
When an economy starts slipping people may still be going out to eat or shop, but the first luxury they cut is travelling. One of the industries that feels that impact most closely is hotels. With a lot of news

Saskatoon industrial: Prediction was wrong, but cut me some slack

Barry Stuart Commercial Market Reports Saskatchewan Feb. 5 2021
I promised you that I’d hold myself accountable in my January 2020 post about the overall Saskatoon industrial vacancy rate and report back to you. So, how did I do? At that time, I predicted a decline from 5.65 per

Avoiding roadblocks in commercial real estate transactions

Kelly Macsymic Commercial Buying and Selling National Jan. 13 2021
Have you ever come across a roadblock, turned to take an alternative route and found yourself up against another obstacle? During Saskatoon’s construction season (basically any time not designated winter), it can be frustrating trying to find a route without

More than meets the eye when selecting a retail site

Barry Stuart Commercial Shopping Centres National Jan. 4 2021
My short commute route takes me past two nationally branded gas stations. Both locations seem to be compatible in exposure and traffic count with front elevations that showcase up-to-date versions of their respective brands. Why then is one site far

Ho Ho holding out hope for 2021

Kelly Macsymic Commercial Pandemic Saskatchewan Dec. 23 2020
The past year has been a roller-coaster for the commercial real estate industry. Just when it looked like we were gaining traction, it seemed the world had another thing in store for us. But,  I’m hopeful for 2021 and therefore

Trust happens when I’m transparent with clients

Barry Stuart Commercial Buying and Selling National Dec. 11 2020
No one can pinpoint a precise market number. Run for the hills if a broker represents that they know exactly what your property is worth. That’s doubly so if a commercial real estate broker tours you through property and does

Can HBC, Canada’s oldest retailer, hang on?

Kelly Macsymic Commercial Market Trends National Dec. 4 2020
From fur trading to e-commerce, the oldest and most resilient retailer in Canada has been the Hudson’s Bay Company (HBC) since 1670. The company’s roots go back so far, they pre-date Confederation by nearly 200 years. If ever there was

Industrial properties sell in the blink of an eye

Barry Stuart Commercial Market Trends Saskatchewan Nov. 27 2020
This may sound counterintuitive as we navigate the economic impact of a pandemic. However, I’ve recently reported that the Saskatoon industrial vacancy rate actually dropped during Q3 2020, demonstrating the economic resilience of this asset class. Two industrial properties I

Value is in the eye of the CRE beholder: A cap rate primer

Kelly Macsymic Commercial Buying and Selling National Nov. 20 2020
There is one thing universal to commercial real estate transactions when it comes to investment buyers and sellers: buyers want the highest cap rate they can find and sellers want to challenge the market with the lowest cap rate it

In commercial real estate, a verbal offer is no offer

Barry Stuart Commercial Buying and Selling National Nov. 6 2020
If in a negotiation you hear the seller say: “I’ve already been offered X sum of money,” and that amount seems somewhat unrealistic, ask if the offer was in writing. It’s interesting how many times the response is, “No, it

Movies for commercial real estate nerds

Kelly Macsymic Commercial Entertainment National Oct. 16 2020
After a hard day of knocking on doors and grinding out deals, how do commercial real estate agents relax? By sitting down and watching films about our industry like the nerds we are. Or is that just me? Here are

Q3 2020 industrial vacancy declines in Saskatoon

Barry Stuart Commercial Market Reports Saskatchewan Oct. 13 2020
Although Saskatchewan’s GDP is projected to decrease by 5.5 per cent in 2020, ICR Commercial‘s Q3 2020 industrial market survey shows the vacancy rate in Saskatoon has dropped. It’s a remarkable fact when you consider the financial hit our economy

The line is drawn between easements and encroachments

Kelly Macsymic Residential Buying and Selling National Oct. 5 2020
I have a pretty wide range of expertise as a commercial real estate professional. I’m not an engineer, electrician, or city planner, but I need some working knowledge in all these areas (and others) to properly advise my clients. An

Government collaboration will deliver safer downtown Saskatoon

Barry Stuart Commercial Downtown Saskatchewan Sep. 25 2020
There has been a looming need for change to provide a safe Saskatoon city centre. The executive director for Downtown Saskatoon, Brent Penner, estimates close to half of his time involves fielding and dealing with concerns around security and safety,

Entertainment facilities: First to close, last to open

Kelly Macsymic Commercial Entertainment Saskatchewan Sep. 18 2020
It feels like 2020 has been the longest year on record for everyone. Things are hardly back to normal by any standard, but it has been encouraging to see the buzz of back-to-school shoppers and the community embracing dining out

Selling is a form of art

Barry Stuart Commercial Buying and Selling National Sep. 11 2020
Selling is a form of art. Therefore, salespeople could be considered artists. Here’s an example of what I mean: with a total of seven partners in our brokerage division, we have a bit different business model at ICR. Our new

Don’t discount retail discounters

Kelly Macsymic Commercial Market Reports National Aug. 21 2020
Price slashing. Markdowns. Lower prices. Discounted goods. The word “discount” conjures up a variety of different types of value for many consumers. Discount is a deduction from the usual cost of something. The irony of that rationale is by whose

My digital detox in a wired world

Barry Stuart Commercial Proptech National Aug. 12 2020
What’s my definition of a digital detox? To me, it means no screen time. Screens include my computers, laptop, smart phone and televisions. I happened to grow up before the video game craze so that one’s not on my list.

Investors should be parking cash in industrial CRE

Barry Stuart Commercial Market Reports Saskatchewan Aug. 10 2020
In spite of the negative economic impact of COVID-19, the sale and lease activity within our existing industrial market continues. Saskatoon’s vacancy rate rose marginally by 0.12 per cent, to 5.86 per cent, according to ICR Commercial‘s recent Q2 report. With

The shopping mall needs to be OK

Kelly Macsymic Commercial Shopping Centres National Jul. 17 2020
I’ve not been shy about my love affair with the traditional interior mall as a retail institution. While skeptics have been predicting their inevitable death, the enclosed shopping mall seems to innovate and survive in spite of its critics. But could

COVID-19 adds new layer of urgency in downtown Saskatoon

Barry Stuart Commercial Downtown Saskatchewan Jul. 10 2020
The Lighthouse, which provides support to Saskatoon’s homeless and mentally ill, is vital to our community but it can’t come at the expense of our vibrant downtown as a whole. Prior to the global pandemic, Saskatoon’s downtown businesses were already

Latest victim of COVID-19: The Saskatchewan economy

Kelly Macsymic Commercial Leasing Saskatchewan Jul. 8 2020
Reporting to you live from Saskatchewan; stay tuned for more economic spinoff from the COVID-19 pandemic! By spinoff, I mean spinning off the tracks, or wheels, or whatever analogy you’d like to utilize. The Saskatchewan government delivered its budget three

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