Are you a member of REIA? Should I join?

Question

Good afternoon all!  I have decide to stop sitting around waiting for a winning lottery ticket to start my dreams of a real estate investment firm, and just get off my tush and make it happen no matter what!

I've come across REIA, Real Estate Investors Association.  Is this a worth while association to join for $300 a year?  It looks like I can learn a lot from their events and networking opportunities, I'm not a complete novice though furthering my education is important to me.

Are you a member?  Please share your experience.

THANKS!  :-)

Aaron Mazzrillo · Answer

All REIA's are different. Some are content driven. Other's are pitch-fests. If the speaker shows you palm trees, blue water (swimming pools or beaches) and expensive cars and promises you never ending sources of secret deals and niche investment opportunities, you probably have just discovered the promoters of the gurus of real estate.

Before you pay the full annual fee, show up and check it out for one night. See what it is all about and then decide to join.

David Beard · Answer

Amy -- I used to live in the Mandarin area (long time ago).  My quick scan of the Jax REIA web site suggests that it's a decent place for networking and education, with sub-groups (landlording, wholesaling, etc.) meeting at other times as well.  And the fee slides down to $99/yr by the 3rd year, so that sounds good.  You need to get out there and rub elbows with investors, so get signed up.  But DO NOT shell out for any mentoring programs or other things until you've been attending for awhile and your BS-detection skills have been honed.

@Jack Bobeck might have some insight into the Jax REIA.

Best of luck!

Paul Timmins · Answer

Amy

Locate 3 different local REIA's go to a meeting for each they are a source of people, info and resources.

I meet great people and learn alot at each.

Ramon Jenkins · Answer

I agree attend a few sessions before shelling out for yearly membership

Sharon Vornholt · Answer

@Amy Solomon -

Hey Amy - I live in Louisville, KY and I have been a member of my local REIA for many years; probably 15 or so. We have members that have been there more like 25 or 30 years; since the very beginning when there were only 5 or 6 people meeting at a restaurant.

We have hundreds of investors at all levels at our monthly dinner meetings. They are not "pitch fests". We do have a few national speakers in each year, and they do offer something for sale. In every case they also teach a full day seminar the Saturday after our (Thursday night) meeting for a low fee. It's a great way to get this type of education without the expense of traveling.

We also have panels with our own investors, local speakers, code enforcement and many other types of speakers. The meetings are great. But one of the best things that happens, is the "meeting after the meeting". This is where folks sit down with a beer or a coke and just talk real estate.

Like others have said, the networking opportunities and the informal learning you get is worth the price of admission alone. Just join and meet other investors. You won't regret it. Plus it's a great place to buy and sell some deals.

Sharon

John Thedford · Answer

I joined the local REIA in SW Florida. It is an excellent group of very smart people that are always willing to help others. The content and guest speakers are awesome. IMO it is well worth the price of admission.

Jack Bobeck · Answer

@Amy Solomon I was a member of JaxREIA, I recently left the organization to form my own Connected Investors group where we take what you learn from a so-called "guru" and put these ideas and systems into place to make real money in a real-world scenario. While you may have done some rehabs, we help you find private money, which, to me, is the #1 thing any good investor must have to start in the world of real estate. We help you learn what to do and where the guru will get you in trouble.

The local JaxREIA is made up of a good group of people, but I don't believe in what they offer to you, the student, which is why I left. None of these so called "gurus" is teaching anything new, or nothing you cannot learn from a book or even online here at Biggerpockets.com. Their website and systems are not favorable for you the investor, where as you can post properties and videos and links at CI, this REIA and many others are technology deficient  I know, I was there teaching the technology classes for the last few months. The local website does not work properly on a smartphone, so there is no easy way to look up a local resource or contractor when in the field, it is frustrating beyond belief.

I believe that the REIA model is flawed, they make most of their money off the gurus who come and speak, so the REIA is starting place for everything that I think is wrong with investor learning locations. BP, REI, CI and other locations provide just as good of content with people who are doing deals, doing work, but who aren't trying to separate you from your wallet. I met some nice people there, but no one there provided me anything I could not find on my own, and here is something interesting, look at the people in the group at the next meeting, are they mostly older or younger people? You will see the future in the room, as many of the people are not getting any younger.....

Best of luck to you and anyone who looks to join a REIA,

Jack Bobeck

Amy Solomon · Answer

Thank you everyone for a warm welcome, quick replies, and selfless support.  I can see this is going to be a GREAT community to be a part of.  In my past companies, (network marketing), I became the top producer nationwide and always gave my time to teach and mentor others without financial benefit.  I just had the philosophy of what goes around comes around and I hoped others would pay it forward.  I dedicated myself to helping others but so many people don't share that same mind set. I'm glad today to find myself amongst others who do.

:-) AMY

Tim Czarkowski · Answer

@Amy Solomon I am not a member of JaxREIA but I have been to a few of their meetings. It seems like it would be an excellent club to join if you will attend regularly. Each meeting I went to I always met someone local and experienced to talk with and learned at least one thing I didn't know before in the meeting. As others have said you can learn just about everything you could need for free here on bigger pockets but JaxREIA is what I would consider a big club and have way more locals active than on here. That and extremely local knowledge is something that you will find in spades in a local club. The price is reasonable if you use it.

I'm not sure if you know this already but you can attend up to two meetings free to see how you like it. Once a year they also have a large vendor show which anyone can attend. I went there as an agent a few years back and that's how I found out about it. I just find being able to get on Bigger Pockets at 2 am if I feel like it is great, the set times just don't work as well for me. Every few months I tell myself I am going to start going but it hasn't happened yet, lol.

Christine P. · Answer

@Anson Young

Yes, I'm joining ICOR.

Are you a member of REIA? Should I join?

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