Volume of Chatter on SS

[singingtheblues]

A couple of years ago the 'where to buy' section was really going off .. new threads everywhere ... now it's down to a trickle ... not much of a buzz from the property investing people - does this mean that the number of investors has gone down, or are people just sitting on the sidelines ... if so, why? -
are people sitting this one out because ... lack of funding, poor LVRs, fear of losing jobs, expecting the market to go down further, lost confidence in property as an investment tool or are investors just keeping their hot tips to themselves?
Surely the best time to buy is in a depressed market with low interest rates & good yields - buying talk should be going nuts
Does the lack of chatter actually represent a lack of property buying? or has the recession merely taken out the 'beginner investors' leaving it to the hard core who know what they're doing? ... alternatively have people just got bored with the forum & gone somewhere else ..

your views please ?

 

[Cherry Pro]

Hi ...I actually thought quite the opposite ...did not get a chance to visit SS over the weekend and when I got in on Monday, there was so many new posts to go through.

Agree not too much in the 'where to buy' section but so many people connecting everywhere else.

Think property investors are doing a lot of things besides core buying;
renovating, researching on the next area to invest in, chasing up of slack property managers, networking, attending seminars in addition to managing full time jobs and families.

Never a dull moment !

 

[Edmond Dantes]

I think it could be related to the FHB market at the moment. Many are not willing to compete with them and pay more when they shouldn't.

so they're watching and waiting..

 

[Perp]

I think regular posters are increasingly reluctant to post specifics due to trolling.

 

[jackstar]

what does trolling mean?

 

[Perp]

Here's the entry on Wikipedia for internet trolling.

Because I'm addicted to SS , I still post frequently, but I'm a lot more reluctant to share than I used to be, as a result of some particularly vile actions by trollers. (Publicly identifying and posting personal information about another Somersofter, and attacking that person's character. )

 

[jazzlobber]

i think its a fair comment and probably a fair reflection on the investors in the market, didn't the structure on the web site change a little too recently.

in my own opinion poor yields and uncertain short term means i'm waiting to buy again

 

[our obsession]

I'm a shy girl...

 

[Dazz]

Because I'm addicted to SS , I still post frequently, but I'm a lot more reluctant to share than I used to be, as a result of some particularly vile actions by trollers. (Publicly identifying and posting personal information about another Somersofter, and attacking that person's character. )

Couldn't have said it better myself. Amen to that sister. Hope you are keeping well.

 

[Peter_Tersteeg]

I can't comment on Somersoft recently, but the number of finance inquiries for investment related purposes has significantly increased in the last few weeks.

Most of the inquiries I'm getting are preliminary at this point - 'what can I do', which indicates that investors are preparing to make a comeback.

 

[craigb]

I think that some of us are just waiting for the banks to get their **** together, as the lmi, lvr and interest rates seem to be in the midst of a shake down atm ,

 

[MichaelW]

Ozperp is on the money.

A lot of the positive posters have been scared off by the ridicule they've been exposed to. It takes a strong stomach to keep posting positive information, including "where to buy" against a negative backdrop with the threat of virilent opposition by gloomers.

There are still a lot of experienced investors going about their business and doing very well in this environment. Its just that the current environment isn't condusive to sharing their success stories for fear of recrimination.

I'm a big boy but still took being outed and ridiculed personally quite hard, but decided just to scale back the amount of personal information I share about my situation and my family. I still persist with informing the forum on where I think there are strong fundamentals supporting growth, and what strategies I'm executing in the current environment. But less so given the current prevailing mood.

Cycles come and cycles go. In time the mood will change and those with clear success stories and opportunities will be more forthcoming with their advice. Just have to be patient and ride out the negative cycle.

IMHO

Cheers,
Michael

 

[steveadl]

There are still a lot of experienced investors going about their business and doing very well in this environment. Its just that the current environment isn't condusive to sharing their success stories for fear of recrimination.

I think you'll find you're wrong about that Michael, money cannot be made in the current environment. People shouldn't bother trying until the picture looks much rosier again.

 

[MichaelW]

I think you'll find you're wrong about that Michael, money cannot be made in the current environment. People shouldn't bother trying until the picture looks much rosier again.

Sorry, my mistake...

** crawls back into his hole and pulls his head in again **

Cheers,
Michael

 

[singingtheblues]

good move steve .. throwing us all of the scent & keeping the gains for yourself!

 

[steveadl]

good move steve .. throwing us all of the scent & keeping the gains for yourself!

Don't know what you're talking about STB! Certainly no money to be made in a sleepy little backwater like Adelaide, that's for sure! Let it go till about 2012 mate, things will be better then - I hear we'll be getting them talking pictures by then!

 

[HandyAndy888]

STB, the time you joined SS was at the peak of the market in late 2007, so circumstantially, a lot of chatter was evident. I noticed there was a drop in chatter on here about 6 months ago..hardly any posters. What I am noticing now is that the base of "gurus" (read: frequent posters) is increasing. With posters joining us like Rob Williams, the "knowledge base" is now bigger. Just recently, in th e last 3 weeks or so, a lot of noobies too in my opinion...

 

[BayView]

Human nature and herds

As above.

When the market is hot, everyone can see growth all around them, it's easy to have a positive opinion, and you probably won't be wrong.

It takes a lot more guts and belief to stand up in a down market and nominate a place to invest.

Fear of being sued, ridiculed...whatever.

So, everyone is pulling their head in currently.

It's human nature.

I haven't nominated a place to buy for ages because we haven't been in the market for buying property since our next PPoR block purchase last year, and the recent business dallies. No more equity left for an IP for a bit, and we are in debt reduction mode while the rates are nice and low.

Although, I did say DROMANA as a place to look at in another thread earlier today!! (not much of an agenda there ).

But, I will stick my neck out and nominate another now; I went for a drive up to Berwick on Wed, and had to drive through Cranbourne, Narre Warren then into Berwick.

I know these areas fairly well; worked in Cranbourne from 1999 to 2002.

The amount of infrastructure development in that whole area is quite staggering; especially closer to Narre and Berwick - road development, new freeway extensions, housing, shops and so on.

It doesn't take much grey matter to see that the whole area is still expanding, and will continue for a good while yet.

It's a bit of a FHB tract house mecca, but there are some nicer areas if you search a bit harder, and long term it will be pretty established and the population is only going to keep moving out as the inner areas get too expensive.

The problem is; right now there may not be good cap growth and/or good rent returns. It's more your longer term buy and hold deal I guess.

Or, when the market starts to move again, get into some of those H&L packages and try to on-sell before settlement for some "flipping action". We've missed the boat on that for now apparently - needed to be in the game last year and earlier this year I'd say.

I'm gunna have a crack at that when the (next) time is right.