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Minimalism may be attractive right now, for example, but once upon a time the excessive was attractive

This observation might be challenged by video-game aficionados, but I believe the first video game was Tennis for Two, developed in 1958. The game was played on a laboratory oscilloscope. Today’s kids wouldn’t be caught dead with an oscilloscope sticking out of their backpacks. For real.

Remember the early cellphones? I had one of the first car phones. Man, was that something. The first week I had the phone, I was on it all the time. “Guess where I’m calling you from. Yeah, that’s right, from my car! Can you believe it? Call me back so I can hear it ring.”

My dad, trying to keep up with his cool son, installed a fake car phone in his Pontiac Parisienne, complemented by a fake suction-cup antenna on the trunk. Didn’t fool anyone, bless his soul.

These days, even toddlers have cellphones. And, alas, my new cellphone — which does everything but wash my socks — will likely be obsolete by the time I wake up tomorrow morning.

The same can be said for homes…

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Written by: Peter Simpson, Vancouver Sun
Date: September 11, 2010

A well-written report has been published by the RBC Economics Department. It talks about the recent decline in housing resale activity in the past few months and the speculations of the Canadian market crash. According to the report, while the decline in housing sales is apparent, a market crash is not likely to follow. It is an interesting read and you can find the full report written by Robert Hogue by clicking here.

It was a long, dry summer for Vancouver real estate, especially when compared to the halcyon days of the summer before.

Vancouver real estate sales were down 36 per cent from August 2009, according to the latest monthly report for August from the Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver.

Prices, however, have stayed strong despite the fact that people aren’t buying like they were just a few months ago. Over the last year, the benchmark price for all Vancouver housing increased from $539,600 to $576,597.

Homeowners may have been reluctant to get with the times and lower their prices, even though the average house currently takes 59 days to sell, according to the Real Estate Board figures. They might have been stuck on the 2007 mindset, when houses sold in mere days, amid bidding wars. Whatever their incentive, there are signs that home sellers are adjusting…

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Written by: Kerry Gold
Date: September 2, 2010