Disillusioned with API magazine...

Discussion in 'Property Information Resources & Tools' started by Michael.Knight, 15th Feb, 2016.

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  1. JK200SX

    JK200SX Well-Known Member

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    Same here, I have a one of those 3 year specials coming to an end in the next month or so and wont be renewing. I agree with all the other posts that there is a hell of a lot more information here than in the monthly magazine.

    The other thing I have found is that I'm not using/relying on the figures in the databank any more. I've come to the conclusion that the info in the back tends to be partly outdated compare to the stuff readily available by SQM and other similar sites.

    In summary, it was good during my steep learning curve at the start, but only skim over the information now. Alternatively, you effectively have an "on call" brains trust readily available through PropertyChat for most, if not all property related topics.
     
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  2. MTR

    MTR Well-Known Member

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    ... but they are trying to sell magazines, buyers are only interested in stories where people make money. It is what it is.

    I view property forum in a similar way, overwhelming positivity but that is what many want to read, does not mean its all bad.

    MTR:)
     
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  3. Coota9

    Coota9 Well-Known Member

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    The property magazine's are really focussed on the "green" investor not the hard core investor as a few members here have now gone past the magazines usefulness.
    At the start of people's investment journey they are after some broad knowledge which no doubt the magazine offer's to that demographic.
    May need an "advanced investor" section in the magazine perhaps?
     
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  4. Northy85

    Northy85 Well-Known Member

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    It's just investment porn. I don't watch the videos on pornhub and wonder why the couples aren't arguing over who should do the dishes.
     
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  5. Barny

    Barny Well-Known Member

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    Api magazine, or any others interested in making some money.
    Start a magazine that shows the real numbers of failed businesses, failed property deals, failed investments, with real freakin info from exciting fluffy beginnings to doom and gloom.
    This way we can all learn from it.

    This magazine I will subscribe too. Come take my money, do it.
     
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  6. Jacque

    Jacque Jacque Parker Premium Member

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    Just FYI @jins13 DaisyCutter is actually a lad.... Keiran Clair... just so you know for next time :)
     
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  7. jins13

    jins13 Well-Known Member

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    Sorry, my bad!
     
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  8. Nemo30

    Nemo30 Well-Known Member

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    I've never bought a copy from a shop, it's just not my thing.

    I did however subscribe to get price finder access last year.

    I didn't read it every Month but I read a few. I liked the story of Al and Cam in the March edition.

    What I don't like is the fluffy story side of the mag. I don't care about the human interest why someone got started and whether mum does their washing. I want to know how and where and how much and what they've learnt and changes along the way. The rest is just waffle I dont care about.

    I've been surprised by the small portfolios of those featured .. Sometimes one or two properties. I guess they need all angles, but really what am I going to learn from someone who just bought their first IP.
     
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  9. Lisa Parker

    Lisa Parker Well-Known Member

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    I think people would be willing to come forward to share their story when things go wrong if they could do so anonymously. (if that is what it stopping them from doing so as it has been suggested on other threads)

    I think it would be great to share all the things they did right, what they didn't know they didn't know at the time, what options they explored to resolve it, how it washed up, will they keep investing.

    A well rounded, holistic view of property would be great and also if it was done so in an empowering informative way where the people are not positioning themselves as being "taken for a ride" by someone else. Ie) Not people who want to share bc they feel like they are victims blaming others and also not people feeling sad and sorry for themselves and looking for people to feel sorry for them too. Just ordinary people who's plans didn't work out the way they have planned as well as the ordinary people who's plans did.
     
    Last edited: 15th Feb, 2016
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  10. 733

    733 Well-Known Member

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    We have also noticed the same property 'advisors' advertising within the magazines...many couples or individuals who access the services of these companies are well educated individuals who want to do the right thing and take responsibility for their financial future...rather than being 'mindless idiot' I suspect they are naïve or have not explored this space beforehand sufficiently to be well educated...yet
     
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  11. E.T

    E.T Active Member

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    I like reading the investors snapshot box where the dates of property purchase are shown next to today's value.

    Usually if it is more than 5 years then there is an value increase and that gives me hope
     
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  12. bob shovel

    bob shovel Well-Known Member

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    @Daisycutter4 do your colleagues and/or previous manager know your on this forum? What are their thoughts on that?

    Your getting bucket loads of ideas so can't be a bad thing! Plus linking the forum with the mag to a degree. (You'll get readers despite some of the hate mail). I reckon you could get these guys here to write stories for free ;)

    Have you checked out 4wd action mag and forum? Huge online community like here plus digital mag I believe and additional content etc they also ask for readers to write stories whilst travelling and pay $700 for stories within their godliness and photos. Very different to here but ideas for you anyway
     
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  13. Cactus

    Cactus Well-Known Member

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    I enjoy reading the magazine. I purchased a three year subscription and I have not regretted it. It's a small price to pay for light entertainment and a little knowledge.

    I think peeps are a little harsh, yes it's positive, but your being a bit unrealistic to expect it not to be.

    I agree with @Northy85 its investment porn.
     
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  14. C-mac

    C-mac Well-Known Member

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    I think the magazines have an important role to play with regard to motivating people to take action and control of their financial futures.

    Sure, a bit of creative licence is taken and some of the nitty-gritty is not included. The mags, especially API, work to inspire and onboard unknowing newbies to consider the property asset class for their investment decisions.

    In fact... perhaps we (and by we I specifically refer to experienced forumites who have taken the investment plunge already) should be thankful for the magazines existing. Without the magazines, perhaps less new investors would take the plunge to begin with, and that could cause all kinds of implications for those already invested!

    API's circulation is what, around 10,000 copies per month? Their readership probably floats around 30,000 (Im from a print media background, for those who dont know, circulation is how many copies are printed, readership is the recorded 'pass on rate', so, how many people actually read each issue).

    If these mags didnt exist, thousands of people might not be motivated to invest.
     
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  15. Daisycutter4

    Daisycutter4 Well-Known Member

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    Don't sweat it mate - it's a pretty androgynous user name :)
     
  16. Jennifer Duke

    Jennifer Duke Well-Known Member

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    Problem is multi-pronged, from my experience with the mags.
    1) Influence of advertisers. Do they want to market their services next to a bad story?
    2) Getting disaster stories. Most people fall off the radar/don't want to share their negative experiences.
    3) Purpose of the magazine. API seems to have more of an educational interest than most (which is great), but in the past other titles have been more about luring people to pick them up at the newsstand or inspire newbie investors. There's a place for that but it needs balance.
    4) Even those in success stories can be painfully evasive with the details. When I used to write the profiles, many would not want to include their specific income, etc... which makes it hard to show their strategy and the minutiae of the financials.
    5) Inexperienced staff members - no idea about API (and Kieran certainly isn't in this category) but know that way back when, sometimes the people writing these profiles were not particularly cluey about property themselves. So it turns into very fluffy nonsense quickly.
    6) The agenda of who is being profiled - most people get in touch as they want to present themselves as an expert, possibly to branch out as a buyer's agent or adviser in the future (or they've already started doing this). What they then present to you is designed to be inspiring and glosses over the learning curves/difficulties that are actually valuable for investors.
    And, lastly, 7) Fact-checking. I've noticed very few reporters title search or asks the person for evidence of ownership before claiming an investor owns the properties...

    It would be great to see profiles extended online, with all the nitty gritty. So people can read the mag for a story and perhaps have a code or subscription that allows them to look at deeper financials of a portfolio on the website. I really think that would be amazing.

    In saying that, some are better than others. I was pleasantly surprised with some of the content last time I picked up API and a change in editorship can do wonders for a magazine. Really very excited to see what @Daisycutter4 does with the mag.
     
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  17. mini2

    mini2 Well-Known Member

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    ^^^ hear, hear. It's almost like buying an el cheapo meat pie with lots of gravy and only a tiny bit of offal.
     
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  18. Tonibell

    Tonibell Well-Known Member

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    Always happy when API arrives and find it a good read and useful resource.

    The investor profiles are only one part of the magazine and not even the best part.
    I'd agree with the limitation of the investor stories - but they are still worth a read.

    The state roundups and the statistics are good as are the expert articles.
    Definitely has something for me but like everything it is not for everyone.

    For around $5 an issue it is good value - particularly with pricefinder thrown in.
     
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  19. Sackie

    Sackie Well-Known Member

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    Yep, second that. Looking forward to it.
     
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  20. Daisycutter4

    Daisycutter4 Well-Known Member

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    Have I mentioned how much I like you yet today @Jennifer Duke ? :) Your thoughts are on spot on and suggestions noted.
    I concur with all of the above from Jennifer, and absolutely accept that there are areas where magazines can do better – but that's why we should ask for feedback, and the Property Chat forum is one of best places to put the call out.
    Do we want to sell mag and subscriptions - yes, of course. Do we want to sell advertising - unfortunately without it, publications don't exist financially – but then again (and I may be an idealist), I also like to think most advertisers provide value to the clients they service. The print model must deal with ways to be viable while still providing reliable commentary.
    I really believe content should drive both reader engagement and advertiser demand. Good, useful content should be the reason readers subscribe, and the reason advertisers pay for ads. We don't hit the mark every single time, but it certainly isn't for lack of effort.
    Here's another thought. My previous professional is one where independence was paramount – in fact, bad advice or vested interest could be both devastating to a client, and could also potentially ruin you professionally and financially. I've had to have the phone calls where someone from Sydney was sold a townhouse in Deception Bay without commissioning an independent valuation and marketed by an "advisor" who received a $30,000 kickback. You have to tell this person their retirement investment is now worth $70,000 less than they paid for it. It's not a call any emotionally balanced human wants to either receive or make. It certainly an aspect of this industry I'd like to see disappear.
    When taking on a journo role here three years ago, in the job interview I said I wouldn't work here if I was going to be told who I could use for my stories, only talk about the positives of investing or be forced to promote advertisers. To their credit both the owner and then editor said it was a core value of their mag that we tell good stories without influence. On that front, they've kept their word.
    Finally (for now) - readers range from first timers to multi-property portfolio holders to developers of all shapes and sizes to advisors etc etc etc. Moms and Dads, professional investors, young couples, even retirees - property investing is a broad church. Some like colour and back ground in their stories, and some like hard numbers, but all tend to like property. The stories need to reflect the diversity.
    There is so much more I'd like to say on this topic about case studies, contributors, but for now, we should probably just get on with the job because I'm editing a mag that's of to the printer tomorrow afternoon.
    My offer remains the same – write and let me know what you do and don't like, and what you want from the mag. This forum is smart and well informed. It'd be a shame if we couldn't use that to help other investors who aren't yet.
     
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