star dust
Member of DD Central
Posts: 2,998
Likes: 3,531
|
Post by star dust on Jun 1, 2014 12:08:52 GMT
snip> ...........This will all be part of a large package of upgrades that we'll be formally announcing in due course, so please bear with us whilst we pull it all together. Sounds like a good idea in principle, and would welcome the increased availability of smaller chunks and an increased equitable distribution (hopefully). However, I have to say your description of the allocation algorithm reminded me of Zopa's TGLA, so please whatever you do don't start offering or applying it to a blended package of loans  .
|
|
|
|
Post by Ton ⓉⓞⓃ on Jun 1, 2014 12:34:33 GMT
Perhaps chris will jump in here and do the honours as an AC update is always nice. I'm fairly sure the topic is gone .....snip I take it to me that I was/am at the front of the queue for that stock, and I seem to stay there for a while... AI is pretty primitive in the way it handles the aftermarket at the moment, if there's a loan part that fits then it'll buy it ......snip This will all be part of a large package of upgrades that we'll be formally announcing in due course, so please bear with us whilst we pull it all together. Thanks for the update/latest thinking on that. Your list of factors all sound reasonable. It not clear to me if there they would positively or negatively affect my position in a queue. Somethings like Length of time in Queue are obviously positive, i.e. Longer time in Q the higher your weighting. Can you give any guidance yet on how the other factors will affect us? But maybe that hasn't been decided exactly yet. Implementing TGLA star dust, we'll have to see...
|
|
|
|
Post by chris on Jun 1, 2014 13:05:27 GMT
They're still being analysed and debated but length of time you've been waiting will definitely positively influence your chances. The amount you currently have invested in a loan should decrease your chances slightly so that loan units are shared amongst as many lenders as possible, this also helps new lenders get started. Low levels of diversification should help you as diversification is to be encouraged, but this will likely be a smaller factor. Percentage of capital deployed would also act as a small decrease of your chances to again help those trying to deploy their capital. As the makeup of the loan book and investor base changes over time then we'll be able to adjust the individual weightings applied to each factor to adjust the amount of influence it has over and above the randomisation.
With Zopa's TGLA, embarrassingly enough I've never actually invested via Zopa nor have any idea what TGLA is or how it works. What I will do though is reiterate our promise that no matter what else we implement, and automation and API access are going to play a large role in the future of the platform as they will across the rest of the industry, there will always be a manual option. This is partly why Auto Invest even exists. We could have just buried it under a higher level of automation in the interests of keeping the platform simple, but that would seriously disadvantage those who wish to invest manually. Whilst computerised lending will unfortunately mean that fully manual bidding on individual loan units will become increasingly marginalised, fingers simply aren't as fast as computers, manually set auto-invest targets will still let you pick and choose which loans to invest in and to deploy your funds as you see fit. With all our loans being fixed rate and priced to risk not liquidity, upon selecting a loan to invest in you know exactly what rate you'll get rather than trying to get the system to balance your return across a range of rates of return within a given loan.
|
|
|
|
Post by Ton ⓉⓞⓃ on Jun 1, 2014 13:39:02 GMT
They're still being analysed and debated but length of time you've been waiting will definitely positively influence your chances. ......snip within a given loan. I wanted to put a 'Like' on this... Perhaps this has been said before, I've just been adjusting my AI mandates after what been said here. As suggestion is it possible to the confirm window can say if it's now going to sell' buy or stick ie not do anything. When I'm tired I might miss off a zero of something, what's number dyslexia called again? The other thing was about the remaining principle, maybe you've already explained. But with the changes you're talking about I'm going to have to monthly adjust down all my mandates as the principle gets paid back. Or have you already taken that into account?
|
|
|
|
Post by chris on Jun 1, 2014 13:46:46 GMT
The other thing was about the remaining principle, maybe you've already explained. But with the changes you're talking about I'm going to have to monthly adjust down all my mandates as the principle gets paid back. Or have you already taken that into account? It'll be taken into account.
|
|
|
|
Post by Ton ⓉⓞⓃ on Jun 1, 2014 13:50:42 GMT
Thanks chris. I think we'll have to bring back a new 'like' button. |
|
|
|
Post by chris on Jun 1, 2014 13:51:40 GMT
Thanks chris. I think we'll have to bring back a new 'like' button. *like*
|
|
star dust
Member of DD Central
Posts: 2,998
Likes: 3,531
|
Post by star dust on Jun 1, 2014 14:03:33 GMT
They're still being analysed and debated but length of time you've been waiting will definitely positively influence your chances. The amount you currently have invested in a loan should decrease your chances slightly so that loan units are shared amongst as many lenders as possible, this also helps new lenders get started. Low levels of diversification should help you as diversification is to be encouraged, but this will likely be a smaller factor. Percentage of capital deployed would also act as a small decrease of your chances to again help those trying to deploy their capital. As the makeup of the loan book and investor base changes over time then we'll be able to adjust the individual weightings applied to each factor to adjust the amount of influence it has over and above the randomisation. You’re sounding more like Zopa by the minute they were always supposedly fine tuning their TGLA, but AFAIC the effect on me was the same. The worst bit of Zopa’s TGLA was that people were having to chuck thousands of pounds in their accounts just to get their monthly repayments lent out. Once I get to the point of recycling payments on AC rather than investing sizeable new amounts, I don’t want to find I have been significantly disadvantaged by new lenders joining or those with big investments, and that all my repayments are just sitting there not earning interest for weeks/ months. BTW I no longer invest in Zopa and apart from falling rates the TGLA was one reason that I stopped. Hopefully your system will be advantageous on the whole and you will definitely retain the investors ability to select the loans they wish to participate in.
|
|
star dust
Member of DD Central
Posts: 2,998
Likes: 3,531
|
Post by star dust on Jun 1, 2014 14:05:33 GMT
Implementing TGLA star dust, we'll have to see... Won't we just... 
|
|
merlin
Minor shareholder in Assetz and many other companies.
Posts: 902 
Likes: 302
|
Post by merlin on Jun 1, 2014 14:44:00 GMT
I heard on the grapevine on Friday that there are some new and potentially very interesting loans due to be launched in the very near future. One I understand is a big one so is not fill quickly and would give you a chance to get on the ladder.
Assetz can be a bit slow at time but the after market is rapidly becoming the place to do business and it really is a case of being persistent. , I take it that was intimated from a direct conversation you had with AC, if so, can you elaborate further. I doubt though if they gave further info as I tend to be given very brief & bullet point info whenever I've spoken to them. Understandably so until loans go on the site I have already breached confidence so will just have to limit myself to my original statement I am afraid.
|
|
|
|
Post by chris on Jun 1, 2014 14:44:02 GMT
They're still being analysed and debated but length of time you've been waiting will definitely positively influence your chances. The amount you currently have invested in a loan should decrease your chances slightly so that loan units are shared amongst as many lenders as possible, this also helps new lenders get started. Low levels of diversification should help you as diversification is to be encouraged, but this will likely be a smaller factor. Percentage of capital deployed would also act as a small decrease of your chances to again help those trying to deploy their capital. As the makeup of the loan book and investor base changes over time then we'll be able to adjust the individual weightings applied to each factor to adjust the amount of influence it has over and above the randomisation. You’re sounding more like Zopa by the minute they were always supposedly fine tuning their TGLA, but AFAIC the effect on me was the same. The worst bit of Zopa’s TGLA was that people were having to chuck thousands of pounds in their accounts just to get their monthly repayments lent out. Once I get to the point of recycling payments on AC rather than investing sizeable new amounts, I don’t want to find I have been significantly disadvantaged by new lenders joining or those with big investments, and that all my repayments are just sitting there not earning interest for weeks/ months. BTW I no longer invest in Zopa and apart from falling rates the TGLA was one reason that I stopped. Hopefully your system will be advantageous on the whole and you will definitely retain the investors ability to select the loans they wish to participate in. I can guarantee that we'll retain the investors ability to see individual loans and choose which they participate in. It's one of our central beliefs that investors have to be in control. For what it's worth, and I must stress I don't know what TGLA is, the scenario you describe is only an issue when loans are significantly oversubscribed in which case there won't be a fair system whereby everyone gets exactly what they want. One of the challenges for all platforms is to balance lender supply with borrower demand, something our team are working very hard on with some very ambitious plans for the coming months.
|
|
j
Member of DD Central
Penguins are very misunderstood!
Posts: 2,188
Likes: 540
|
Post by j on Jun 1, 2014 15:33:43 GMT
I can guarantee that we'll retain the investors ability to see individual loans and choose which they participate in. It's one of our central beliefs that investors have to be in control. For what it's worth, and I must stress I don't know what TGLA is, the scenario you describe is only an issue when loans are significantly oversubscribed in which case there won't be a fair system whereby everyone gets exactly what they want. One of the challenges for all platforms is to balance lender supply with borrower demand, something our team are working very hard on with some very ambitious plans for the coming months. , I think the main issue for the past few weeks/months is actually the lack of loans to invest in. I do not in any way convey this as a criticism as I'm sure it's for AC's benefit to sort this issue out asap to keep us lenders happy & keep AC going profitably. This, to me, is much more important to iron out & resolve than having loads of extra facilities & options when there are not much loans to use them on.
|
|
|
|
Post by chris on Jun 1, 2014 15:36:31 GMT
chris, I think the main issue for the past few weeks/months is actually the lack of loans to invest in. I do not in any way convey this as a criticism as I'm sure it's for AC's benefit to sort this issue out asap to keep us lenders happy & keep AC going profitably. This, to me, is much more important to iron out & resolve than having loads of extra facilities & options when there are not much loans to use them on. We're well aware of the stop start nature of the deal flow but unfortunately this isn't something IT can particularly help with. andrewholgate and his team are working hard on sorting this, another team is working hard on improving the lender offering, our CEO and board straddle both sides making sure that their directions and plans complement each other, and IT support both sides. As you're lenders I tend to talk about lendery type things with you 
|
|
mikeb
Posts: 1,072
Likes: 472
|
Post by mikeb on Jun 1, 2014 18:52:50 GMT
With Zopa's TGLA, embarrassingly enough I've never actually invested via Zopa nor have any idea what TGLA is or how it works. Even ZOPA don't know how TGLA works, and they implemented it. After some months of wrestling with it, they still cannot (will not) explain it to lenders. All people know is that money may, or may not, be lent out in chunks of controlled (but unknown) size, and waggling money in and out of your holding account may (or may not) accelerate your lending speed, because new money is nicer than old recylced money (or not), and all this depends on a whole formula of factors and weightings. Which are subject to change. It doesn't help that TGLA is not an official acronym that Zopa recognise (coined by a Zopa Forum user, in anger/jest/cynicism). They accidentally used it once as if it was an official thing.  If you accidentally invent Son Of TGLA, you'll know by the complaining on here:) As a non ZOPA user, you may need this list :- talk.zopa.com/topic/8762-abbreviations-r-us/
|
|
|
|
Post by Ton ⓉⓞⓃ on Jun 1, 2014 19:06:56 GMT
With Zopa's TGLA, embarrassingly enough I've never actually invested via Zopa nor have any idea what TGLA is or how it works. Even ZOPA don't know how TGLA works, and they implemented it. After some months of wrestling with it, they still cannot (will not) explain it to lenders. <snip> If you accidentally invent Son Of TGLA, you'll know by the complaining on here:) What I think caused a lot of the trouble really; was that over the course of about a year perhaps less, Zopa slowly took away all the controls we once had. Finally ending up with something that might as well be random or arbitrary. It's the loss of power that we all hated so much, and then giving our power to something unknown and unfathomable. So TGLA took the brunt of our ire. The pain for me is receding and I'm now out of therapy.
|
|
.
