We're Mainstream Again

[J Scott]

I've noticed over the past couple months that the mainstream media is starting to once-again acknowledge real estate investors -- especially landlords and rehabbers.

I've read several articles such as this one that came out today:

http://money.cnn.com/2011/04/13/real_estate/vulture_investors_profits/index.htm?hpt=T2

In my experience, when something starts to go mainstream like this, the general public starts to take notice, and lots of people start to think, "Hey, I can do that too!"

My guess is that, in the very near future, we're going to start seeing REIAs fill up, more new members at BP and more competition out in the field. In fact, I've already started seeing more traffic to my blog from random Internet searches with terms that indicate people are trying to learn the industry.

Has anyone else started seeing the signs?

[Bill Gulley]

Great post Jason. Which kinda brings up another aspect. Investors are not organized at least in my community as others are in the RE industry. We have the GRB for agents and appraisers, builders and contractors have their oragnization, banks and lenders have the local ABA, low income housing organizations have banded together and there is an area landlord association (only landlords). But there is nothing for rehabbers (unless they are contractors), nothing for those who buy properties and add value.

If there were an active investor organization they could work on the public image in a community, inform and educate the public. I know we have a REI club, but it's not really about networking among themselves, not in the public. Having some political umph behind you could be a huge benefit if only that was tapped into.

I'm sure that most homeowners along any street would view investors as greedy opportunists and really unaware of the value they add to the neighborhood and community.