So here it is, blurred name and contact but everything else left exactly as is. An original hand drawn info-graphic of bad things happening to bad people. Even the skewed layout is original. Click the image to see every methodical detail that went into this beauty.

And that’s all I’m going to say. What do you say?

I do have focus: Real Estate.

I like the real estate industry and position I am in. Never bored. Everyone is always in a decent mood. Right now websites are flying out the door and people seem to want to push technology to the maximum as a form of proof of (insert your communication here). Hopefully advertising campaigns will come back like lawn bowling once everyone realizes that being the first in technology is … just being the first in technology. Or that they might want to communicate something more.

The real problem I have with the real estate industry is this: Real Estate Agents are viewed as being lower than used car dealers. Real Estate developers are viewed as the reason people are homeless and living on the street. (There is an anti-real estate development poster on the wall of the complex I live in). Talk about friendly neighbours.

This is why when I see work like this flier I cringe. When I tell people I do real estate marketing, do they think I do this?

This person needs more than just listings. She needs more than a new picture photo-copied on canary coloured paper. She needs a plan that doesn’t involve bringing down the entire industry.

I put it up for you to have a laugh. For me? it’s not that funny.

DIY Days from Sabi Pictures on Vimeo.

The last time the three of us were hanging out on Commercial Drive, my old stomping ground, we stopped by a favourite  coffee shop we like to think of as ours. It’s obvious by the crowd of customers always inside and the many others hovering around the exterior that this is the way a great many people think of the place. To me, all of Commercial Drive is a little like that. Commercial Drive is a place many people call their hood. I don’t mean a location you tell someone you live. No. There is a connection that almost becomes part of one’s personality, or is it the other way around? Who knows. It’s more than simply an address of where you live.

As we were enjoying our coffee on the outside patio our nine year old son asked us if he could go play in the park across the street. He’s familiar with the park. He’s been there before. It’s the one that smells like “Man Pee”. I’m talking about Grandview Park.

His little adventure of crossing the street at the light and finding his way to the playground all by himself, (we could see him the entire time), was cut short when a yelling match broke out between two groups of people which quickly escalated into a fight. He came straight back. A few minutes later police cars where there. It was an embarrassing display.

So now I am hearing that people don’t want the park to change? That I am possibly a gentrified yuppie if I think it might be a good idea to make it safe for kids? A sense of ownership, reduced to a square block, by one group of people. At the very least, let’s have signs, “This is our park. No fun for kids”

The Approved plans (PDF)

And here are the “Owners” of Grandview Park

The Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver (REBGV) reports that residential property sales in Greater Vancouver totalled 3,512 in April 2010, the fifth highest-selling April on record. The figure represents an increase of 18.5 percent compared to the 2,963 sales in April 2009; 9.1 percent more than April 2008’s 3,218 sales; and 3.7 percent more than April 2007’s 3,387 sales. April 2010 sales also represent a 12 percent increase compared to last month.

“We’re in the midst of another strong spring season thanks to high levels of activity on both the buyer and seller side of our market,” Jake Moldowan, REBGV president said. “The number of homes coming on the market has increased significantly in recent months, which is providing a healthy level of choice for those looking to buy during this busy period.”

New listings for detached, attached and apartment properties in Greater Vancouver totalled 7,648 in April 2010, a 64.5 percent increase compared to April 2009 when 4,649 new units were listed, and a 9.2 percent increase compared to March 2010 when 7,004 properties were added to the Multiple Listing Service® (MLS®).

At 15,901, the total number of property listings on the MLS® increased 17 percent in April compared to last month, and is up 11 percent compared to this time last year.

Over the last 12 months, the MLSLink® Housing Price Index (HPI) benchmark price for all residential properties in Greater Vancouver increased 18.9 percent to $593,419 from $499,021 in April 2009.

“It was at this time last year when home prices in our region began their recovery from the declines that occurred during the recession period,” Moldowan said.

Sales of detached properties in April 2010 reached 1,370, an increase of 15.1 percent from the 1,190 detached sales recorded in April 2009 and a six percent increase from the 1,293 units sold in April 2008. The benchmark price for detached properties increased 21.2 per cent from April 2009 to $818,403.

Sales of apartment properties reached 1,526 in April 2010, an increase of 29.4 percent compared to the 1,179 sales in April 2009 and an increase of 15.9 percent compared to the 1,317 sales in April 2008.The benchmark price of an apartment property increased 16.9 percent from April 2009 to $397,779.

Attached property sales in April 2010 totalled 616, an increase of 3.7 percent compared to the 594 sales in April 2009 and a 1.3 percent increase from the 608 attached properties sold in April 2008. The benchmark price of an attached unit increased 16.4 percent between April 2009 and 2010 to $502,399. ~Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver

I’m reading the book The 4-Hour Workweek which hasn’t been what I thought it was. It’s a lot better. Just some quick thoughts.

Two questions come to mind.

1. How does he even know this is possible?
2. Why are we doing this the old fashioned way in the first place?

The idea of money in your hand being physically deposited is a concept on it’s way out and it takes a different sort of thinking to understand crediting and debiting. It’s the way everything is going. Photo albums, record albums. He told his friends he has a Lady Gaga album. It struck me as funny. Having it on his ipod is having an Album.

The digital world started with words and images and now it has hit every part of our lives. Even money. He might be better off playing around and learning with a Paypal account if they didn’t have an age restriction.

- Paul Klee

Crazy going outside on a BC Ferry during a storm like this but you only live once.