Is paying to join a REIA for suckers?

[Sandy Sawyer]

Hi BP peeps! So I just attended my first REIA meeting last night, the Houston REIA about flipping houses. I didn't know what to expect, but by the end of the night I paid $100 to join and signed up for a free 3-day seminar about 12 strategies. Found out my membership is only good for 6 months. Was this a mistake?

[Christopher Giannino]

I don't believe that paying $100 to join a REIA was a mistake. Most REIA groups require a yearly association fee in order to hold events. Here in NJ, the local REIA puts together many meetings on a bunch of different topics throughout the month to help educate investors. Regardless if you learn anything, I feel like REIA meetings are a great opportunity for networking. Many investors (more seasoned and newbies) from your local area show up to network and learn. Since your membership is good for 6 months, I would regularly attend meetings and try to be as active as possible. At the end of the 6 month period, evaluate whether the $100 was worth it... Chances are you will agree that it was well worth it!