Richard Silver

Are you too old for tech? Why it’s not about age.

A very wise person once told me that “successful people get results and unsuccessful people get excuses”. Since then I have tried to live life with no excuses. It is a constant challenge to keep that promise, and the “age” excuse is the one the keeps boiling to the top; it’s the easiest one to indulge…. No matter where I travel, when the topic of technology/change comes up, I hear “I’m too old to change” and they are usually younger than...Continue Reading...

Downtown Toronto News Is Up and Running!

Every morning I get up, head to the front door, pick up my Globe and Mail  and skip happily to the Toronto Section. What happens in the rest of the world and the world economy is important, but nothing engages me like breaking new in Toronto. Sadly, I find myself with the feeling that I am missing a lot of the Toronto goings-on, and head to the Internet going to several sources to keep up to date. (more...)Continue Reading...

Lessons in Customer Service: Holland America’s Onboard Internet Service.

While on a Holland America  Cruise recently, I messaged my Facebook and Twitter friends that I was enjoying the "Techspert" classes that they had on-board.  Like a lot of Companies today, Holland America , is monitoring the Blogosphere and Tweetosphere and I heard back quickly that they "were happy I was enjoying myself". My response was to tell them that although I was, I thought that their Internet charges ($100 for 250 minutes) were excessive in view of the poor service (back to...Continue Reading...

Toronto Real Estate Board: Upcoming Social Media Primer November 19th, 2009

Date: Thursday, November 19, 2009 Time: 9:30 am - 12:30 pm Location: Toronto Real Estate Board's Auditorium # of CE credits: 3 Cost: $42.00 (GST included)   As Social Media and Networking become more popular, many REALTORS® are jumping on the bandwagon, writing Blogs, Twittering, and appearing on LinkedIn, and Facebook. This class will ask some basic questions that need to be addressed before heading down this road on the Information Highway; then the class will move down the road and discuss the most popular options.  ...Continue Reading...

Real Estate: Downsizing with Style and Grace: Part One

Up-sizing is real easy to do....we start with very little and at each and every stage we add more...and more. Fast forward a few years and young or old....you look around and find yourself surrounded by THINGS (of course they are Family Heirlooms too)....but do we really need them? Could we live in less space? Could we live in multiple locations at different times of the year by selling the larger home. Of course...but the enormity of the job ahead  hits with major...Continue Reading...

What I Learned at Inman Real Estate Connect: August 2009 Day One

It's true, I am an Inman Real Estate Connect Junkie! Last week I sucked up as much information as I could in San Francisco and was upset when they offered four tracks on the second day afternoon because I could not sit in on four presentations at the same time...sick?? Sorry  if the information below rambles but...trying to get bits and pieces from the best minds in the field... So. Day One started off with Bloggers Connect: Jim Cronin of the Real Estate...Continue Reading...

The Importance of the Internet in Marketing Your Toronto Home!!

Back in 2002 I had an international award winning web site that was recognized by the Realtors in a US magazine as one of the top ten sites, however, I was surpassed on the search engine Google by a newcomer who had been in my marketplace for one year (I had been over 22 years). After doing some soul searching and speaking to some great tech minds, I came across Bruce Lamb of Avalanche Networks. (more...)Continue Reading...

The Shoe Was On The Other Foot When I had to Find a Good REALTOR!

Last year sadly I had to sell my father's condo out west. I knew a few Realtors from the area but as executor of my Dad's estate, I felt it was my fiduciary duty to keep arms length from the transaction, so I did what I suggest most sellers do.... (more...)Continue Reading...