DFW Marine Newbie

[Charles Rixey]

I am on active duty in the Marine Corps, stationed in Missouri but from the Dallas area, and i currently have 1 SFR. My goal is to start investing in rentals but, like the plethora of other newbies on here, I am looking for networking, advice, mentors and pretty much anything else I can get my hands on as far as knowledge is concerned.

I will getting a real estate license for Texas in the next few months in order to give me more flexibility and opportunities, but it can't hurt to have MLS access as well. Once I have this, I want to be able to help others with the real estate side as well as build a strong network.

I found the website after listening to the podcasts, which were outstanding in their brevity and lack of guru b.s. Just these first couple of days has really opened my eyes to how important this site is bringing people together. That certainly gives me hope as I begin this adventure!

I hope everyone has continued success-and of course that I will be able to join the club ;)

[Paul Timmins]

Charles

Welcome, thanks for the service.

You can start locating the local REIA clubs. Connect attend meetings gather info and support. See below how to find them.

Paul

Your First REIA Meeting

One of your most valuable activities that you need to do ASAP is attending your first REIA club meeting. The networking, deal making, team building and source of local education will be found at the meeting. You will want to get the most out of you time at the meeting to make it a profitable experience. So let's get started.

Finding the Meetings
Lets check out "Real Estate Investment Clubs" Massachusetts on Google. The first result www.ReiaClub.com produces ten REIA clubs across Massachusetts.

I visited several of the club sites and found additional clubs listed. I notice a search site for National REIA http://www.nationalreia.com/clubportal/795files/directory.cfm?clubID=795&pubmenuoptID=11912 I follow the link to Massachusetts. There are three clubs listed which are associated with the National REIA. This is important because you will get additional benefits through National REIA.

You can also search Yahoo, MSN or Google groups with the same search criteria. Some of these groups have an online only presence where you can visit and interact in advance.

Prime the Pump
Let say you have selected the group but find that the meeting is two weeks away. You need to prime the pump. Go onto the clubs website my local favorite is Eastern Massachusetts REIA http://www.EasternMassREIA.com When looking at a club I want to see a variety of activities and educational opportunities.

I look to view who is listed on the Contact Us page. I would select at least one staff member and contact them. Ask them about the club, how many members and how many show for the typical meetings. Tell them you will be coming to the next meeting. They will be looking for you ready to introduce you to certain members.

Business Resources/Vendors
Check out the listed Business Resources/Vendors for the club. Call several, tell them you will be coming to the next meeting. Ask them what they think about the group. When you see them at the meeting they also will be introducing you to different people. This will jumpstart your networking.

30 Second Commercial
You need to develop and practice a couple of different 30 second commercials. You will use these when speaking to other who ask “So what are you doing”. It does not have to be too detailed. You can describe further anything they question you about.
Networking
If the meeting begins at 6:30pm SHOW UP EARLY. Get there at least 15 minutes early. This is a great chance to speak with the club officials and introduce yourself. The meeting will begin with an open networking session. In a very relaxed setting you are encouraged to interact with everyone else. Your goal is not to simply collect business cards, rather collect conversations then business cards. When speaking always ask the other person what they are doing, ask a couple of questions to continue them talking. Eventually they will ask you what you do. This is the opportunity for your 30 second commercial.

HINT: Members of the REIA will have formal name tags, new people like you will have paper nametags. You want to speak to everyone with a paper tag. These people can be a great resource for you. Some of these people come to the meeting because they have money to invest. Find them they might as well invest with you.

Announcements
The seats are taken when the networking period is over. You will hear some general announcements and an introduction to the topic and speaker for the evening.

Presentation/Training
A guest speaker will present a topic for their presentation or training opportunity. Often this will be paired with a pitch to buy something. You will get excellent information from the presentation and learn about opportunities.

Coming Club Events
The group leader with describe the events coming up over the next 3 months or so. Listen carefully find the session that will be a benefit to you.

Who has a Deal
One of my favorite parts of the meeting is when the members with a deal can stand up in front of the group and present a deal to everyone. Watch the different ways properties are presented some are more effective than others. Model your future presentations after the exceptional ones. Some people will have pictures and further information to give in the back of the room. Talk to these people about the deals later. Learn how they push the good features of the deal.

End of Meeting Networking
Don’t be in a rush to leave. You have a second chance to network. Make the most of it. ?