Paul Penner

Well I've played around with my iPad for a couple of weeks now and I love it but it's not perfect.

Pros

•· Size/weight is perfect, 1 ½ pounds

•· Battery life is fantastic, over 10 hours of use

•· Screen is fantastic, 10" backlit, multi touch

•· Gets attention (too much at times), great ice breaker at an open house or coffee shop

•· Instant on, doesn't take several minutes to boot up like my PC

•· Checking email is quick (including most attachments)

•· Surfing the web is very convenient and the colors are vivid (most sites)

•· Music from my iPod can be shared

•· Videos and photographs are fantastic

•· Games are blast (at least that's what my kids say)

•· Ap Store has countless free or inexpensive downloads (mortgage calculators, etc.)

•· Book reading is convenient, much less bulky than paper books

Cons

•· Adobe Flash incompatibility, does not work with MLXChange

•· Adobe PDF limited compatibility (read only), does not work with webForms

•· Multitasking is limited, you can listen to music while you work, but can't have two windows/aps open simultaneously

•· No USB port

•· Kids always want to use it

So it's not perfect, certainly as a Realtor I still rely on my PC but you'll have a hard time convincing me to give it up.

Paul Penner

RE/MAX Little Oak Realty

Abbotsford BC

Any one that has a television or reads the newspapers knows that the US is in the midst's of a dramatic real estate correction. Major metropolitan regions within the states of Arizona, California, Florida, Nevada & Michigan are among the worst hit with declines of 15% to 30% in the last year. Bucking the trend, the US North West saw modest increases in home prices as did parts of New York and Illinois.

The US mortgage lending system was a mess and fraud was rampant, our lending practices are much more conservative. Job losses continue to climb in the US while Canada's economy is strong and jobs are abundant in most of the country (central Canada being the most notable exception).

British Columbia is blessed with an abundance of resources and our fundamentals are strong but we are not an island onto ourselves. A slowing economy in Ontario and weak real estate markets in the US will have an effect on us, in fact I am already seeing some spillover. Sales have slowed, inventory is up and I believe buyers now have the advantage in negotiations. Looking ahead I don't see the same turmoil that our southern neighbors are experiencing, but supply is likely to outpace demand for some time.

Buyers have reason to be optimistic but sellers need not panic as the lower mainland continues to be among the most sought after regions in the world.

Paul Penner

Please remember, if you know anyone that is thinking of buying or selling - call me.