BiggerPockets Founder · HI · Member since 2008 · 16k+ posts · 5k+ votes
We just deployed a new system that will allow our users to better label who they are and what they do. This system will not only allow you to better identify who you are and what your experience is, but will give users the opportunity to better seek out others on the site in their quest to network.
We'll be posting a video about this shortly, but in the meanwhile, to start labeling yourself, go to the ACCOUNT DROPDOWN and click EDIT PROFILE. Then click on the EXPERIENCE tab and you'll be taken to our Labels Welcome screen.
Once there, you'll be able to select your involvement in real estate, as well as your experience, the markets you operate in, and for the agents, your certifications.
Users can select up to 25 total labels to describe themselves.
After you add labels for the first time, you'll be able to go back to the EXPERIENCE tab and will then be on our main Labels page, where you can add or remove labels.
You can also hover over the various occupations that you may have added (if you're an investor/agent or some other combo) and select your primary occupation which will show throughout the site.
Once you add your labels, your profile will show these for all visitors to see (unless you have your profile set as private, of course).
Up until now, you've had to choose one profession, but many users have several. The new system allows you to select as broad or as narrow a professional focus as you'd like, and you can select up to 25 total labels.
eg. Residential Real Estate Agent, Rehabber, Commercial Office Landlord, etc.
How do you verify Investors and Brokers/Agents are telling the truth??
On other forums I will see brokers/agents saying they specialize in everything to land any business.So someone could go in and check all these tags and not know anything about what they are doing.
I would rather make quality contacts than quantity contacts of unverified contacts saying they are something they are not.Sure you can vett them out but it's a lot of wasted time and energy.
Joel -
There's no easy way to verify. Ultimately, people still need to vet any statements made here or on another site. If they lie, we can certainly take action at that point (throw their lying backsides off BP), but we're just creating the tools (at this point) for people to use to identify themselves.
I agree that the quality of contacts is most important. The goal of these tools is to facilitate the connection of people who meet a specific set of criteria that another individual might be looking for.
Hey Josh...trying to change my profile and add NY to my markets. The way it looks now, people would think I'm licensed in AZ but I'm not. Don't want to mislead anyone!!!!!
Update: Early next week we'll be launching our new user search using filters based on member labels. If you haven't already created labels to identify yourself, you're going to be missing out on new opportunities for networking and exposure on the site.
Make sure to get over to our Labels Welcome screen OR go to EDIT PROFILE and click the EXPERIENCE Tab.
PREVIEW OF THE NEW SEARCH Here are a few screenshots to give you an idea of how the Find Members page will look (approximately).
and a closeup of the filters functionality:
This will greatly enhance your ability to find partners and other colleagues who better meet your needs/interests.
IMPORTANT NOTE: If you don't update your profile and add labels to your account, you will not be found in the new filtered search.
This will be a great and welcomed addition Josh. I have long awaited an ability to "group" my colleagues, but this will allow me to "group" all members.
Josh- Can you add loan officer to the choices along with a commercial and residential label? I don't fit into the lender category and I think the broker label could make people think of real estate agents instead of a broker of loans.
Edit- I know you have a label for real estate agents, but given the nature of the site, doesn't the term broker also elicit thoughts of an agent or is it just me?
Ok - I take it back, Darryl. It may take a little longer than I hoped. There's a little bug on our admin panel and I need to confer with my team to get it corrected. This one, I'm afraid, might have to wait a few days.