FREE investment property newsletter

[Alan H]

Reply: 2.2.1.1.1
From: Alan Hill


Personally, I really don't think the issue is WHETHER Michael should post this information on The Forum(personally I hope he does....Michael obviously has a lot of experience/knowledge and the Newsletter is probably quite good. We can't get too much good information!), but rather WHERE it is posted.

Since it was raised, in the case of Steve Navra, my observation has been that anything to do with his business is posted in Meeting Point and any personal opinions are placed here. This seems to have become the defacto standard(even though I guess 'Meeting Point' does imply a more limited scope?) and again, personally, this sounds good to me.

I guess we could all argue back and forward all day whether Michael's Newsletter leans more towards 'Business' or 'Personal', but I guess by the number of responses it has attracted it has got to be seen at the very least as borderline.

Also, to be honest, I don't really believe this particular post is that big of a deal. I think it may have got more of a reaction because this part of the Forum is now so damn good when it does come to limiting Spam......and I think everyone appreciates that and would not like to see it start to slide any further in an old direction. Maybe 'thin edge of the wedge' isn't a bad expression after all......with the greatest respect to Michael's Newsletter.

No one is saying it shouldn't be 'printed in the paper', just whether it should go in the 'Money&Business' Section or 'Domain'.





Dare I say, Ian might like to adjudicate on this one......sorry Ian

 

[Marina]

Reply: 2.2.1.1.2
From: Webmaster (Somersoft)


This has been a worthwhile discussion as it underlines the delicate balance that we try to maintain between good advice and free advice. I was not so much targeting Michael for using the forum to advertise a free newsletter (in fact my concern was more that he has used my name to say that it was OK, and by implication, that I endorse its contents).

Keep in mind that one of the motivations for having this forum in the first place was to give investors somewhere to turn so that they can get good and independent advice on property investment issues. Jan has already spelt out in her latest book that the financial planning industry is a misnomer (it would be more appropriately known as the "Managed Fund" industry). So where can people go to find out the nuts and bolts of property investment? You can read all the books in the world, but some people just need verbal interaction to fully understand an issue. Others may even need their hand held while they take the first step and thus there is a role for various professionals in the property investment industry.

We believe that fellow investors are more likely to give independent advice than anyone else. Experienced and successful investors are more likely to give good advice and there has been no shortage of that in this forum.

What I am trying to say here is that people like Michael, Rolf, Steve and Frank are most welcome to use this forum to help people become better property investors as long as there is a clear commitment to doing so through their posts, as long as their commercial interests are not disguised, and as long as they do not suggest in any way that they have my or Jan's endorsement for what they have to offer. From an investor's viewpoint, "you can not read too many books or talk to too many people".

 

[Sim]

Reply: 2.2.1.1.1.1
From: Sim' Hampel


Well said Alan.

I propopse a new guideline that newsletter announcements should be posted in "Meeting Point" in future.

Any objections ?

"Long live the spam-free Property Investment Forum"

Thanks once again Ian & Jan for making these forums available to us free of charge and for promoting and fostering open discussion of issues relating to property investment.

 

[Alan H]

Reply: 2.2.1.1.1.1.1
From: Alan Hill


Sim',

I'll second that!

LOL.....hey Ian, I think your Forum is being taken over by a committee!

 

[Sim]

Reply: 2.2.1.1.1.1.1.1
From: Sim' Hampel


I prefer the term "consensus" ;-)

And anyway... it's always been like this... Ian set the initial guidelines, and we've kind of kept ourselves in line since then (well... at least that's what I've seen for the 16 months or so I've been around anyway)

Notice how hands-off Ian has been ? I'm sure he would have swatted some of us if he didn't like the way things were going...

...hmm... although there was that incident recently with my ID being deleted. I wonder if that was a subtle message ? Nah... why would Ian want to get rid of me ?

;-)

"I am NOT a committee" - Princess Leia, "StarWars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back"

 

[Jas]

Reply: 2.2.1.1.1.1.2
From: Jas



> From: "Sim' Hampel" <[email protected]>
>
> Well said Alan.
>
> I propopse a new guideline that newsletter announcements should be
posted
> in "Meeting Point" in future.
>
> Any objections ?
>
> "Long live the spam-free Property Investment Forum"
>
> Thanks once again Ian & Jan for making these forums available to us
free
> of charge and for promoting and fostering open discussion of issues
> relating to property investment.

I'll third what sim said - especially the last bit about Ian & Jan

Jas

 

[Steve McKnight]

Good post...

Reply: 2.2.1.1.2.1
From: Steve McKnight


Ian,

Thanks for clearing that up. The issue of implied association is a tricky area.

Many so-called gurus are happy to use testimonials (not implying Somersoft in this) and profit from it yet only so long as it advantages them.

When you are seen as a threat or competition then my experience is the landscape certainly changes... and fast.

I'm not trying to do anything sneaky with my posts. True, I am looking to expand my newsletter database and yes I have created a product to sell... yet I'm offering genuine information that I don't feel is available anywhere else in the market from a perspective of a successful investor.

Indeed, I'm happy to support this forum too (when time permits) with posts and answer general questions directed at me. Yet I'll draw the line at providing advice - was is a dangerous area for me since I'm a chartered accountant.

In the end people will make up their own minds about whether the information is worth staying a subscriber... but reputable information providers always offer an unsubscribe option.

I'd be surprised if you didn't monitor the output of forum posters and it would be very easy to denounce people who you felt were doing the wrong thing.

Credibility is something that can be sold but not purchased. Personally I value my own credibility above all things and strive very hard to keep it intact.

Regards

Steve McKnight

 

[propertyworks]

Reply: 3
From: George M


Remember when life used to be simple?
George Mariotti