Saskatoon's clay-heavy soil makes foundation movement a genuine local concern, so a home inspection that checks basement walls, floor slope and exterior grading carries more weight here than in a market with different soil. A $400 to $600 inspection that flags foundation concerns is worth taking seriously enough to bring in a structural engineer before you waive the condition.
Permit history from the City of Saskatoon shows whether a finished basement, an added bathroom or an electrical upgrade was done to code. Work completed without a permit is not automatically unsafe, but it means no inspector has ever signed off on it, which is a different risk than work that was inspected and approved.
A seller's disclosure statement, if one exists, and a direct conversation with your inspector about anything unclear beat assuming a fresh coat of paint means the home has no history. Get your hand-reviewed valuation from Joel Dyck.