BP Update: Announcing The NEW BiggerPockets Real Estate Marketplace

[Joshua Dorkin]

As Project Simplify continues, we share another important announcement with you.

In order to remove any and all confusion that exists about where users should post their ads, deals, or solicitations, we've merged all of our old Dealmaking and Advertising forums into one forum:
The Real Estate Marketplace

We had a dozen different areas where users can post various kinds of ads and frankly, that was very confusing. Our Real Estate Marketplace is the one place you'll go to conduct commerce here on the site. Like before, a PRO or PRO Basic account is required to post in this area.

Now, ads or solicitations of any kind will go in the The Real Estate Marketplace.

This Includes ads:
- Promoting your business
- Promoting a deal or opportunity
- Promoting your financing or loans
- Promoting your buyer's list
- Promoting your website
- Promoting your event
- Promoting a product or service

It also includes solicitations and requests:
- Seeking financing
- Seeking partners
- Seeking mentors
- Seeking referrals
- Seeking deals

To reiterate, these kinds of requests have always needed to go in one of the various PRO areas. Now, there's one place to post. Let us know if there are any questions.

[Steve Babiak]

From a cursory observation, it looks like everything was lumped under one forum, rather than having some sub-forums. Could be harder to navigate for those who were accustomed to browsing a specific forum (if I'm looking for deals, I don't care about mentors or events for example, but they will all show up together), and it seems a bit less organized than most of what preceded this. So will this "cluttered look" affect usefulness?

[Joshua Dorkin]

There's a plan, Steve. For now, this is a necessary move. In terms of affecting usefulness, ultimately, we'll soon find out.

There's going to be some boat rocking happening here over the next week+, but trust me, it is all for the greater good for BP.

[Bryan Hancock]

I like the new marketplace. What was missing from the old forums was deal flow IMO. Seeing a steady flow of new opportunities is excellent and it will allow new folks to see questions, conversation, etc. around deals.

[Joshua Dorkin]

Thanks Bryan. That's the goal!

[Bryan Hancock]

You're welcome.

It is also refreshing to see rational commentary in the forums instead of the steady drumbeat of negativity that typically surrounds deals presented on the forums. Hopefully things will stay this way because it is hard to learn a whole lot about real estate without seeing deals presented.