Prosper API Changes

[Prescott]

Dear API User,

 

Prosper is making two changes to the API that we wanted to bring to your attention. On May 15, 2015, we will make the following updates:

 

1.      The LoanNumber field from the ‘ListingsHistorical’ end point will be removed

2.      The ListingNumber field from the ‘Loans’ end point will be removed

 

Please note that we are not making any changes to the active ‘Listings’ end point.  Thus, the information accessible to you at the time of bidding is not changing.

 

We have also added a ‘MyListings’ endpoint that allows you to query the listing information on your loan positions in real time. This addition provides our investors full and immediate access to the credit attributes on the Notes and Loans they own.  For more information and a data dictionary with the fields in the ‘MyListings’ endpoint, please visit https://api.prosper.com.

 

The changes above are reflective of the new data and API policy that we announced back in January. We understand that our investors need our data to analyze investment performance, and we remain committed to providing a true marketplace connecting borrowers and investors. At the same time, we also need to protect our intellectual property and proprietary data. These changes strike a balance between maintaining appropriate levels of transparency and protecting this intellectual property.

 

Please don’t hesitate to call Prosper Investor Services at 877-611-8797 with any questions regarding these changes.

 

Sincerely,

Prosper Investor Services

Saw that one coming.

[Fred93]

1.      The LoanNumber field from the ‘ListingsHistorical’ end point will be removed

2.      The ListingNumber field from the ‘Loans’ end point will be removed

Tell me if I'm missing something here...  This means that we can't tie loans (and their performance) to listings (which contain the credit variables) or the other way around.  This means we can no longer do any historical analysis of credit variables?

It seems that Prosper doesn't want people doing analysis and making choices.  I recently got a note from P that said if I wanted access to whole loans I had to agree to buy A and AA loans in proportion to their availability.  What?  Before we let you buy our oranges you have to agree to buy our apples?

[MarinBB]

That's what it looks like to me too. This seems to break the link between a given loan's performance data and the attributes of the original listing that created the loan.

I guess you can always put $25 on every fractional listing and see the stats in MyListings

1.      The LoanNumber field from the ‘ListingsHistorical’ end point will be removed

2.      The ListingNumber field from the ‘Loans’ end point will be removed

Tell me if I'm missing something here...  This means that we can't tie loans (and their performance) to listings (which contain the credit variables) or the other way around.  This means we can no longer do any historical analysis of credit variables?

It seems that Prosper doesn't want people doing analysis and making choices.  I recently got a note from P that said if I wanted access to whole loans I had to agree to buy A and AA loans in proportion to their availability.  What?  Before we let you buy our oranges you have to agree to buy our apples?

[thezfunk]

We have also added a ‘MyListings’ endpoint that allows you to query the listing information on your loan positions in real time. This addition provides our investors full and immediate access to the credit attributes on the Notes and Loans they own. 
 

So...API access will get me the current FICO score that I am after and constantly complaining about?  If that is true, why only API users and not website users as well?  What 3rd party services will give me this information?

[Fred93]

We have also added a ‘MyListings’ endpoint that allows you to query the listing information on your loan positions in real time.

So...API access will get me the current FICO score that I am after and constantly complaining about?

There's only one FICO score in the API Listings endpoint.  I presume that's the FICO score at time of listing creation. 

[Fred]

Before we let you buy our oranges you have to agree to buy our apples?

You should have never returned to Prosper. 

[Fred93]

Before we let you buy our oranges you have to agree to buy our apples?

You should have never returned to Prosper. 

You may be on to something.

[Kombinator]

1.      The LoanNumber field from the ‘ListingsHistorical’ end point will be removed

2.      The ListingNumber field from the ‘Loans’ end point will be removed

Tell me if I'm missing something here...  This means that we can't tie loans (and their performance) to listings (which contain the credit variables) or the other way around.  This means we can no longer do any historical analysis of credit variables?

It seems that Prosper doesn't want people doing analysis and making choices.  I recently got a note from P that said if I wanted access to whole loans I had to agree to buy A and AA loans in proportion to their availability.  What?  Before we let you buy our oranges you have to agree to buy our apples?

I have had the discussion with Prosper on whole loans several times, before they used to say they will let us do it if we commit to buy 15% of our volume in A and AA.  If they are changing that requirement to "proportion of their availability" that is even more annoying.  Guess this is something that has to be done if you need volume and willing to take a strong yield hit by placing 15% of your portfolio in low yielding instruments.

[Prescott]

I presume that's the FICO score at time of listing creation. 

That's correct, no ability to get updated FICO's through the api

[Fred93]

I have had the discussion with Prosper on whole loans several times, before they used to say they will let us do it if we commit to buy 15% of our volume in A and AA.  If they are changing that requirement to "proportion of their availability" that is even more annoying.

To be fair, I was paraphrasing.  Here is the exact quote from the email I got from Prosper...

Whole loan investors need to purchase across the credit spectrum in order to keep our book balanced. This entails purchasing AA and A loans at a rate commensurate with our platform average.

I haven't asked what actual numbers would satisfy them.  According to prosper's historical data, AA has been 5.9% of total, and A has been 15% of total.

[MarinBB]

If they're having issues filling A-rated whole loans, why might they not want to just raise rates to where enough lenders jump in and fill them?

[P2PFact]

Did you guys find a workaround? Historical data has no value if we can't tie out to actual performance. I'm surprised not many people are complaining this.

[Prescott]

I don't think there is a work around - but I didn't bother trying, I'm an index investor.

The only real workaround you'll have is if one of the platforms that invest for lots of investors pulls all the data together (or if you invest $25 in every note going forward). Problem is you lose all the whole loan information, so really you're just looking at the fractional market.

[P2PFact]

Does anyone have a copy of prosper's last history csv file? I think the last one was May of this year? Would really appreciate it if you could share it. I only have file from Oct of 2014.