New Private Forums? Why ? whos this for?

[cityhunter]

I see the posts on the main page but cannot see the thread when i click. whats it about?

[Rob]

In the last week I've introduced the concept of a private forum.  When people reach a certain level of posting the board becomes open to them.

[netpred]

This is in my view an excellent idea. It allows those who post regularly to post freely without having lurkers benefit from any information that is posted in this section. More importantly, it provides an incentive for members to post more frequently so that they too can also enter this area.

Keep the posts coming.

[MHT]

It will also create a lot of useless posts as people try to run their post count up!!   lol  I'm all for it though even if I can't view it....yet.




See....useless post #1!!   

[netpred]

Feel free to respond to this with another useless post. Soon you too can see the useless info (to date) contained behind closed doors.

[MHT]

I can't wait to become part of the in crowd....maybe I will just bribe my way in!!






Ok, that was the last of my useless posts....well, except for the ones which may be unintentionally useless.   

[baller50]

Need more tax sales to talk about

[Ronster]

Hmm seems like there may be a lot of useless posts, as I would hate to miss out on those private forums... but I was wondering just how many posts will be required to gain access?

[Icebjerg]

I don't post much. As some would say I'm a lurker? Or do I just keep my mouth shut as you guys seem to know a lot more than the everage person.
I have been watching this forum for quite sometime. Even before I reg. I always stopped by and took a look at what was being said.
I did however buy my first property against everyone's advice. This property was a lot on an island? I feel I did do quite well, except I way over bid as I was the only bidder, should have bid just the ask, hence the advice everyone was say it was a waste, snake ridden, wetland etc...
One question what is the limit that one would have to post to attain the "advance" status?
Take care,
Ice

[Jayz]

Most of you guys have a long way to go (did anyone say "useless posts to post"?). Look at me, I am over 130, less negative karma than Rob, not there yet.

Just another post of mine

[netpred]

I know tha Rob is wondering what would be the appropriate level of posts for entry. I think that this is a question that has not yet been finally resolved.

Some of the posts in this thread demonstrate the reason for the private area. There may be situations where regulars whish to share info with other regulars and non-lurkers.

I think that the best reason for having this private area is that it will create an incentive for members to become more active. This forum is without a doubt the quietest forum that I have seen.

[baller50]

I know tha Rob is wondering what would be the appropriate level of posts for entry. I think that this is a question that has not yet been finally resolved.

Some of the posts in this thread demonstrate the reason for the private area. There may be situations where regulars whish to share info with other regulars and non-lurkers.

I think that the best reason for having this private area is that it will create an incentive for members to become more active. This forum is without a doubt the quietest forum that I have seen.

this is a tight lipped business and I don't see it changing.........

[DF1]

Most of you guys have a long way to go (did anyone say "useless posts to post"?). Look at me, I am over 130, less negative karma than Rob, not there yet.

Just another post of mine

The number of posts needed for entering the private posts seems to be somewhere between 150 to 240. Netpred is the advanced member with the lowest number of posts at 240. The highest platinum is 133. PFM1011 has top spot at 716. It will take a lot of typing to try to gain entry with "useless posts".

[Dave2]

this is a tight lipped business and I don't see it changing.........

Actually right now very little is going on there like the main board. I don't think we have a had a situation to justify its use and to be honest with you I don't see it having much influence on the main board.  

In some ways it is a changing marketplace out there as we all come to grips with the influences that OTS is having and adjust our strategies to cope.  A lot will depend on the quality of future offerings and no one can predict that.  

In the past in a smaller group in theory it was easier to stake out territories and then informally help one another in a promising situation.   The spotlight OTS is throwing on all tax sales greatly reduces the potential rewards for that.  From what I know of the key players in the market the members in the private area also do not
have enough market presence to have a significant effect. Certainly some key players and most likely the most regular key players in this market are in the lurker category.  

For me personally given what I am involved in there is not a lot I can be helped on other then a technical question which will be more related to the development side of the cycle rather then the tax sale purchase side.    This is an already purchased property so it is not of concern to the rest of the board in general.

One observation I can make is in future to be successful in this game I think you will have to do some specilization.   In the wild wolves mark their territory by scent. Here it maybe the same although if I tried to do it in the wolf manner It is tough on my computer. Happy hunting  

[ErnestBidder]

  My view is that private forums create an "elite" group. I see nothing wrong with individual members sticking with the PM route if they wish to keep certain info close to their chest, or even form a clique, but a private forum harks back to public school where the "popular" children had their "special" friends.

  When I first found this site, I had 2 successful tax sale purchases (lucky I didn't get my shorts in the grinder on either one!) and 2 or 3 losses that could have been quite profitable. I read, avidly, for a few days, learned a lot, registered, then read every single post: it took me weeks of spare time, and was worth the effort, as the folk here are friendly, helpful, and have a great sense of humour. I deeply appreciate, firstly, the effort and thought that Rob put into the creating of this forum, and I also deeply appreciate all the info, advice, and losses and victories that have been posted here. (Also the wild-assed hairball comments, too). This is the only forum, of any kind, that I read regularly and religiously, and it's the only forum I have joined and stayed with for more than a few weeks (lots of boredom out there). Netpred says that "This forum is without a doubt the quietest forum that I have seen"; it may be that there are a number of members, like me, who say nothing if they have nothing to say, but I must comment that, other than the porn, I have enjoyed reading every posting.

  I don't log on unless I have a reply to something, but I presume that I would have to do so if I ever wanted to gain access to this new "elite" group, so it would be a giant PITA. As well, I don't suppose I've posted much more than 15 or 20 times, but am not about to start posting drivel to build my count. My inclination is that, if I'm going to be shut out of any section of this board until I post another 100 comments, I will say goodbye as a registered member, and return to lurker status. Do you suppose that the private forum members are going to be jumping back & forth, from section to section, public & private, with their postings? Lastly, consider whether or not the forum would have heard from the elder statesmen who lurked, apparently, for some time before they left some very interesting posts.