After 12 years in real estate, I’ve had all sorts of “revolutionary” products pitched to me. Every one promises to “change the face of real estate”. Guess what? I’m still doing this business in the same way I’ve always done it.

Sure, the mediums have changed. I advertise on kijiji.ca instead of the local newspapers. I get my email instead of faxes. Clients and realtors alike send me text messages instead of paging me. But realistically, it’s the same basic business.

Last month I bought an iPad. The talk online is that this device will change the nature of business. Life will never be the same. Entire sectors of business will be wiped out. Seriously?

I will admit that this device, that I’m typing on right now, is really cool. I love it. It’s going to be a major part of my day to day business and life. But will it change my business forever? I think not. It sure as heck isn’t going to “level the paying field for all agents” like a newly licensed agent claimed it would last week.

What makes me an effective Realtor is the skills I’ve developed over the last 12 years and the lessons I’ve learned from the mistakes I’ve made. No device or gadget will ever change the need for that experience and knowledge. Heck, let’s just call it “real estate wisdom”.

But the iPad is going to change how I interact with my business. It is already making me more efficient, and making me even more “plugged in” than I already was. Digital signatures are now a reality. Online document storage makes sense. The speed with which I can access property data just went way way up.

So yes, this cool new iPad is changing my business. But it isn’t changing the business I’m in!