New Member in Illinois

[Paige Madison]

Hello my name is Paige Madison and I am just starting out in real estate but I was wondering if there were any wholesale investors in the Bolingbrook or surrounding areas that could meet up with me and talk with me or even " take me under their wing" but I would be satisfied with even just a meeting. Please let me know.

[Dale Stevens]

@Paige Madison - Welcome to Bigger Pockets, but also the world of Real Estate Investing. When I started, I did the GURU thing, and went into Wholesaling. I worked on it for a very long time. Bandit signs, craigslist ads, yellow letter campaign. After 10 months, I had spent a ton of money and did 2 deals, but it was a ton of time and moeny for very little return. Then I opted to start going to REI Clubs. I went to a few, and they were sales pitches, or worse, teh organizers wouldnt' let you network with anyone but them, etc.

I then did a few meetups and more REI Clubs, just because I felt there had to be something better. I attended one group. The guy running it asked me a question.. "When I first had the idea of doing Real Estate Investing, did I want to be wholesaler? did I even know what that was?". I didn't answer. I sat stumped. I took a few days, then e-mailed him.

It was the most eye opening question. The question is this. what do you want to do? Then DO IT!!! 

I then delved into networking to learn being a landlord and make that happen. Do you know how much money that guy forced me to give him. NONE. It was an investor, helping another investor. Best advice I ever got. So mine to you is this. GET OUT FROM BEHIND THE COMPUTER AND TV. go meet up with REAL investors. Key being REAL, not jsut those saying they are investors. 

Get to REI Groups. There are a ton locally. I can share my thoughts with them privately. I don't want to step on toes, but each group has its own personality, its own identity. I hit up a couple, but ruled some out. Just didn't work for me. But they could for you, etc.

So go to them all, find out which ones work for you. But NEVER just go to one group and stop thinking they are all like that. THEY AREN'T.  And also, to really get something out of a group you like. you have to attend regularly for others to take you seriously.

Good Luck to you Neighbor!