New editor at API

Discussion in 'Property Information Resources & Tools' started by Daisycutter4, 8th Feb, 2016.

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  1. C-mac

    C-mac Well-Known Member

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    Actually @Daisycutter4 one thought/suggestion on the culling of ACT, TAS, NT due to space limitations..

    Right now, the other states take around 3-4 pages each, every issue. I reckon you'd have more happy readers if you used the same overall page space per issue but used it more innovatively. I.e. give the two Tier #1 states (NSW/VIC) their 4 pages each, then give each of the Tier #2 states (QLD, SA, WA) just two compact pages each (more words, less big pictures!), that way, you could leave 3 x half-pages for a snapshot summary on each of the Tier #3 states (ACT/NT/TAS), and even a half-page left over for 'Major regional city/town of the month' (As someone else said... not a mining town but a major multi-economic-diverse regional centre of decent population. I.e. a GC, Ballarat, Wollongong, Bunbury, Launceston, Newcastle, Wagga, Townsville etc.)
     
  2. Ace in the Hole

    Ace in the Hole Well-Known Member

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    Re case studies on people's portfolios.
    I'd like to see real numbers quoted, showing ALL costs involved to get to that position, rather than just some numbers, often exaggerated to make the situation look more impressive.
    It would also be good to not include projected outcomes in the totals for incomplete events, as it's not done until it's done.
     
  3. Azazel

    Azazel Well-Known Member

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    Yeah, the guestimates of current values can give a skewed outcome, but they have to put something I guess.
    Also the use of equity to buy each property isn't taken into consideration.
     
  4. Eric Wu

    Eric Wu Well-Known Member Business Member

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    Congratulations, @Daisycutter4 , looking forward to the fresh approach and ideas. Got a bit bored with the current API style.

    All the best
     
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  5. Gargamel

    Gargamel Active Member

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    Totally agree, these types of stories are largely worthless.
     
  6. Chris Au

    Chris Au Well-Known Member

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    I agree here about 'lessons learnt' section and showing that it's not all beer and skittles by buying 1,2 or 3 properties and thinking that you're set, as well as getting yourself into huge debt just to have heaps of 'properties'.

    Also agree with the comment around having more substance behind some expert statements, when I read these broad statements it leaves me asking why??
     
  7. Daisycutter4

    Daisycutter4 Well-Known Member

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    Layout is certainly a whole new aspect of the mag to be looked at. Text heavy pieces can weary some of the reader base (not all, but some), and if there is way to break up the information through case studies, breakout box stories, infographics, maps, images etc etc that help illustrate a story and its info, these can be a really effective way of getting information across. I get the distinct feeling there is a push towards regional and small capital city info across a lot of the posts in this thread. It's something worthy of discussion in the editorial meetings.
     
  8. Daisycutter4

    Daisycutter4 Well-Known Member

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    Asking "Why" is something our journos should be asking on your behalf. It'll be up to us to try and avoid their info being too general, but I'd encourage you (and everyone else) to write to me if you have follow-up questions.
     
  9. Daisycutter4

    Daisycutter4 Well-Known Member

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    It'll be a gradual process. There are a few things worth altering and many worth keeping. As long as I can keep coming back to readers for feedback I think we're on the right track.
     
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  10. Daisycutter4

    Daisycutter4 Well-Known Member

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    Hi Ace. Had plenty of comments about this and I like accurately covering all costs. I should say its our standing practice to have the subjects check and sign off on all the figures, but checking in on all costs is something that should be done by the journos. Also - I'm not sure where we mention projected out comes unless it's in the context of an investor profile who has multiple properties in their portfolio and one is under renovation/development. With development and renovation project profiles we don't examine those unless they have a result (unless there's been one in the past I've missed). In any event - comments well noted.
     
  11. Santaslayer

    Santaslayer Well-Known Member

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    Hi @Daisycutter4 , If possible, I would like to see the digital version (iPad) revert back from the basic PDF version. I used to be able to manipulate the data and sort it however which way I wanted. Not sure why, but these days, the digital magazine is just a basic PDF document.

    Thanks in advance.
     
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  12. Coota9

    Coota9 Well-Known Member

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  13. mcarthur

    mcarthur Well-Known Member

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    Well, Canberra *is* bigger than Geelong and Woollongong, and is almost identical to Newcastle+Maitland (according to wikipedia). I like seeing Hobart and Darwin (and, with a definitely easterly viewpoint, Perth :D) because they are the largest centres within their territory (small 't'). That's important, but even more important is the central location they have within the mining (Darwin, Perth and to a lesser extent Brisbane) industry which has - lets face it - dominated over the past 10 years. On the premise that I don't want to be chasing property at 10-12 on the property clock, I'm very happy to see other centres that have fallen off the radar (yay).

    ...but I do agree with the sentiment of some more regionals - Wagga, Albury, Goulburn, Port Maq in NSW, etc.
    The wikipedia list gives some ideas of a page each for the next 12-24 months :)...

    Top 9-27 locations by population (min 50,000):

    Sunshine Coast, Queensland 297,380
    Wollongong, New South Wales 289,236
    Hobart, Tasmania 219,243
    Geelong, Victoria 184,182
    Townsville, Queensland 178,649
    Cairns, Queensland 146,778
    Darwin, Northern Territory 140,386
    Toowoomba, Queensland 113,625
    Ballarat, Victoria 98,543
    Bendigo, Victoria 91,692
    Albury-Wodonga, New South Wales/Victoria 87,890
    Launceston, Tasmania 86,393
    Mackay, Queensland 85,040
    Rockhampton, Queensland 80,345
    Bunbury, Western Australia 74,494
    Bundaberg, Queensland 70,540
    Coffs Harbour, New South Wales 68,052
    Wagga Wagga, New South Wales 55,364
    Hervey Bay, Queensland 51,842
     
  14. Ace in the Hole

    Ace in the Hole Well-Known Member

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    How about running a comp with prizes for a little bit of reader interaction.
    A little like the ASX sharemarket thing.
    Every member gets some capital, like 5 mil, and can invest it, (outright purchases), anywhere in Australia.
    You'd have to pay the median price for a dwelling of your choice, no fancy strategies involved, just simply CG based.
    After 12 months, see who got the most CG and award prize.
    That should get people researching areas they've never even considered before.
     
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  15. dabbler

    dabbler Well-Known Member

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    I really do wonder why the mag should not just go on appealing to mr and mrs, probably overpaid, and bit lazy, marketing what is easy for them, instead of making the magazine something that will smash all the real buys ?

    I mean, who cares what the mag readers buy, do people really need that assurance, that a mag features how and where they buy ?

    I would suggest, the mag target the market it ill do best in, and add some value for those that do not need the mag in order to raise sales :)