The Forums have a new look coming Monday, February 7th!

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The Forums have a new look coming Monday, February 7th!

Alicia MarksPro Member
Fort Worth, TX · Member since 2020 · 1k+ posts · 2k+ votes

Good news! There are some awesome improvements to the forums that allow for an easier user experience. Keep reading for the highlights.

Easily follow discussions with a simpler design. Plus, users stats are more predominantly displayed so you can quickly identify experts.

We finally optimized for mobile usability! This way you can stay involved on the go.

Note: the iPhone and Android apps have not been updated, you must visit biggerpockets.com/forums to see the improved mobile experience

Now tag your topic posts with locations that can be easily found via the location filter at the top of your forums experience. Find what you’re looking for faster.

A clean new design with all the most relevant information prominently displayed. This makes the conversation amongst BiggerPockets members that much easier to read!

[email protected]Podcast Guest on Show #204
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Most Popular Reply

Austin F.
Investor · MI · Member since 2015 · 227 posts · 478 votes
4y
Every time the forums get "easier to use" I have a harder time using them....
49Reply
See this reply in the discussion

214 Replies

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  • Jeremy Horton
    Rental Property Investor · Somewhere over the Rainbow · Member since 2021 · 1k+ posts · 1k+ votes
    4y
    Why not make it like regular user forums - bodybuilding.com has a good example of regular forum style that works and is easy to read
    13Reply
  • Austin F.
    Investor · MI · Member since 2015 · 227 posts · 478 votes
    4y
    Every time the forums get "easier to use" I have a harder time using them....
    49Reply
  • Account Closed
    Member since 2020 · 41 posts · 56 votes
    4y
    Ugh, this happens every month or so. Can't you just stick to the old forms? They were much more intuitive and it doesn't require your users to re-learn them every few weeks...I'm not sure why the forms constantly need to be re-invented.
    12Reply
  • Alicia MarksPro Member
    OP
    Fort Worth, TX · Member since 2020 · 1k+ posts · 2k+ votes
    4y
    Quote from @Account Closed:
    Ugh, this happens every month or so. Can't you just stick to the old forms? They were much more intuitive and it doesn't require your users to re-learn them every few weeks...I'm not sure why the forms constantly need to be re-invented.

     Hi Ryan,

       That's a valid question. Our forum platform was built on coding that is no longer fully supported and lacks the ability to include great features that will make the website better to use. By updating the code, some layout and features must change, but we are also able to improve aspects that we hope will create a better experience for users going forward. We are always open to suggestions to consider in future iterations as well!

    [email protected]Podcast Guest on Show #204
    1Reply
  • Kevin McGuirePro Member
    CTO of BiggerPockets · Seattle, WA · Member since 2019 · 168 posts · 178 votes
    4y
    Quote from @Austin F.:
    Every time the forums get "easier to use" I have a harder time using them....

     Austin, do you have specific usability feedback on the new forums?

    0Reply
  • Kevin McGuirePro Member
    CTO of BiggerPockets · Seattle, WA · Member since 2019 · 168 posts · 178 votes
    4y
    Quote from @Jeremy Horton:
    Why not make it like regular user forums - bodybuilding.com has a good example of regular forum style that works and is easy to read

    Hey Jeremy, I took a quick look at that site but it’s sufficiently different that I wasn’t sure how to map pros/cons of these new forums. Can you provide  specific suggestions of how these new forums would benefit?

    2Reply
  • Colleen F.Pro Member
    Investor · Narragansett, RI · Member since 2013 · 8k+ posts · 4k+ votes
    4y
    It is STILL missing Jump to last POST...     just like last time you upgraded, please this is an essential feature!
    25Reply
  • Jay HinrichsBusiness Member
    Real Estate Consultant · Summerlin, NV · Member since 2014 · 45k+ posts · 66k+ votes
    4y
    Quote from @Colleen F.:
    It is STILL missing Jump to last POST...     just like last time you upgraded, please this is an essential feature!

     Colleen  I got a preview of this last week and that was my comment what you have now is newest to oldest so U do have to open it then you click newest and it takes U to the last post..  give it a try and let me know what you think

    Podcast Guest on Show #222
    JLH Capital Partners51 Review
    WebsiteView Page
    3Reply
  • Jay HinrichsBusiness Member
    Real Estate Consultant · Summerlin, NV · Member since 2014 · 45k+ posts · 66k+ votes
    4y
    Quote from @Colleen F.:
    It is STILL missing Jump to last POST...     just like last time you upgraded, please this is an essential feature!
    well I just tried it again and it appears it takes 3 clicks to get to the last post.

    one to open the forums  two to open the thread and three to click on the Oldest newest tab..  and oldest comes up so unless you know there is a newest under neath that tab you maybe stymied a big.. but then you click newest and U get to the last post.   but I agree it would be great just to have a seperate tab for Last post its more intuitive and would save one click.
    Podcast Guest on Show #222
    JLH Capital Partners51 Review
    WebsiteView Page
    4Reply
  • Jay HinrichsBusiness Member
    Real Estate Consultant · Summerlin, NV · Member since 2014 · 45k+ posts · 66k+ votes
    4y
    Quote from @Colleen F.:
    It is STILL missing Jump to last POST...     just like last time you upgraded, please this is an essential feature!

     Kind of reminds me of my days running the Garmin 430  there were all sorts of functions that were not in the manual and were hidden with 2 or 3 pull downs kind of like the secret menu at In and Out burger .. :)

    Podcast Guest on Show #222
    JLH Capital Partners51 Review
    WebsiteView Page
    4Reply
  • Evan Polaski
    Cincinnati, OH · Member since 2020 · 4k+ posts · 3k+ votes
    4y
    The biggest item missing is the dropdown forum menus from the main header menu.  Everything else I can get used to, but having to search forums limits my ability to find forum subjects I may be interested in, and the long list of all forums is not easy to navigate.  

    I liked to hover over the forums, see the main forum topics (i.e. commercial real estate) and hover over that to get the three sub forums.
    13Reply
  • Taylor L.
    Rental Property Investor · RVA · Member since 2016 · 5k+ posts · 4k+ votes
    4y
    Quote from @Kevin McGuire:
    Quote from @Austin F.:
    Every time the forums get "easier to use" I have a harder time using them....

     Austin, do you have specific usability feedback on the new forums?

    The formatting doesn't look very good on desktop browsers. 
    The "Newest Posts", "Trending", "General Info" etc bar is gone, making navigation of the forums generally far more difficult.

    The user avatar, name, and info are too small relative to other items on the page.

    Overall this format feels a lot more like an early-mid 2000s forum now than it did before.

    I appreciate the explanation that the old forum software is no longer supported. I can understand that, and it actually makes this redesign feel much more justified and sensible. The design does need a lot of work though. It feels like there wasn't much user beta testing of this - I would have been more than happy to participate in that.

      7Reply
    • Nate Slappey IIIPro Member
      Realtor | Product Manager at BiggerPockets · Metro Detroit, MI · Member since 2022 · 118 posts · 127 votes
      4y
      Quote from @Evan Polaski:
      The biggest item missing is the dropdown forum menus from the main header menu.  Everything else I can get used to, but having to search forums limits my ability to find forum subjects I may be interested in, and the long list of all forums is not easy to navigate.  

      I liked to hover over the forums, see the main forum topics (i.e. commercial real estate) and hover over that to get the three sub forums.

       @Evan Polaski thanks, we will track this in our list of future improvements.

      BiggerPockets
      3Reply
    • Nate Slappey IIIPro Member
      Realtor | Product Manager at BiggerPockets · Metro Detroit, MI · Member since 2022 · 118 posts · 127 votes
      4y
      Quote from @Jay Hinrichs:
      Quote from @Colleen F.:
      It is STILL missing Jump to last POST...     just like last time you upgraded, please this is an essential feature!
      well I just tried it again and it appears it takes 3 clicks to get to the last post.

      one to open the forums  two to open the thread and three to click on the Oldest newest tab..  and oldest comes up so unless you know there is a newest under neath that tab you maybe stymied a big.. but then you click newest and U get to the last post.   but I agree it would be great just to have a seperate tab for Last post its more intuitive and would save one click.

       @Colleen F. @Jay Hinrichs, thanks for the feedback, we've noted this since you brought it up Jay and are tracking it as a future improvement.

      BiggerPockets
      3Reply
    • David M.
      Morris County, NJ · Member since 2020 · 5k+ posts · 2k+ votes
      4y
      the old forum was nicer as it restricted the width, even on wide screens.  You can't easily read when with these new wide screens.  Other web systems understand that and auto-narrow.

      Not so much fun with the email links when an thread is updated since it drops you at the top of the thread.  It used to drop to the new post so I could start off with the new stuff.  On a busy thread, I've got to scroll around and remember to find where I might have left off

      honestly, having the threads show up by page isn't as much "fun."  I'm used to just scrolling and scrolling to see threads..  This just provides more overhead

      just my 2cents.
      8Reply
    • Eric Bilderback
      Real Estate Agent · Sisters, OR · Member since 2014 · 1k+ posts · 1k+ votes
      4y
      I dig it!
      4Reply
    • Bruce WoodruffPro Member
      Contractor/Investor/Consultant · San Diego / Phoenix · Member since 2021 · 12k+ posts · 15k+ votes
      4y
      If it ain't broke, don't fix it..... This wide screen look is awful. The forum is much harder to navigate. Maybe I'll get used to it, maybe not. I liked the old one better. Just my .02

      Take a look at this forum: Tractorbynet.com
      13Reply
    • Greg ScottPro Member
      Rental Property Investor · SE Michigan · Member since 2014 · 4k+ posts · 6k+ votes
      4y
      Ugh. The new Forums suck.  I feel like I'm upside down
      10Reply
    • Michael Carbonare
      Investor · Fort Lauderdale, FL · Member since 2013 · 917 posts · 607 votes
      4y
      Every time you "improve" the forums they are worse than before.  This latest incarnation is an unnavigable, unintuitive disaster.
      16Reply
    • Greg ScottPro Member
      Rental Property Investor · SE Michigan · Member since 2014 · 4k+ posts · 6k+ votes
      4y

      I'll be back in a few weeks an hope they fix this POS

      8Reply
    • Theresa HarrisPro Member
      Member since 2019 · 15k+ posts · 11k+ votes
      4y
      I also like the old look.  You can see more threads on one page and can keep scrolling down instead of having to click and open the next page.
      12Reply
    • Shawn L.
      Rental Property Investor · Natick, MA · Member since 2015 · 128 posts · 188 votes
      4y
      I offered this suggestions on one of the “updates” in the past, and several others did as well. It would be super helpful to have a “jump to new posts” or something like that. What I mean is, say you’re following a thread that has hundreds of replies. I have not found a way to jump to “new” or “unread” posts within the thread. Basically either have to start from either the first page or the last page and scroll and jump thru pages to figure out where you left off.

      It is also entirely possible that I’m a complete idiot and just don’t know how to do this, in which case feel free to tell me so.
      5Reply
    • David M.
      Morris County, NJ · Member since 2020 · 5k+ posts · 2k+ votes
      4y

      @Taylor L. it’s no you.  I’m on my phone right now and I can’t even see what I’m typing — it won’t even let me pull the screen down🤷‍♂️

      1Reply
    • Giuseppe Di Pietro
      Member since 2020 · 5 posts · 1 vote
      4y
      This will take some getting used to. Not a fat at the moment. Am I still able to save a post that I'm interested in? The save button was in plain sight and I now I can't figure out how to save a post that I'm interested in.
      0Reply
    • Bruce WoodruffPro Member
      Contractor/Investor/Consultant · San Diego / Phoenix · Member since 2021 · 12k+ posts · 15k+ votes
      4y
      Let me recap for the staff. You need to leave it alone. If you somehow lost the ability to maintain the same platform then change your host(?) There are plenty of forums that work better than this one....another reason to make people leave, why would you want that?
      9Reply
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