I'd say to start with an informal, small gathering, see what the participants are interested in, and then plan the next one based off of their feedback.

Keep participating in the community you'll learn a lot, and If your looking to expand your network and talk more about the area feel free to connect with me!

The extent of my real estate knowledge comes from Bigger Pockets posts and podcasts, HGTV, and checking out every real estate book in the library.My goal is to learn as much as possibly by obtaining a license and then hopefully make the plunge into buying property sometime in the next year (very excited for that day).Glad to be here and I look forward to participating more in these forums :) 

That is the simplest way to be entitled to be an owner, and participate in the gains without reporting.

@Matthew CopelandTax Liens and Crowd Funding are pretty much the best options for a smaller account.Most investors will work within the standard financial services space to grow their savings and then switch to a self-directed account once they have the type of funding necessary to participate in more significant non-traditional assets such as real estate and notes.

@Mark SpritzWhile a Solo 401k may or may not be a better structure for you based on your situation, the additional benefits (beyond contribution limits and loans) include the following:-No custodial requirement-No need for LLC cost and admin to have checkbook control-Built in Roth-Spousal participation-UDFI exemptionsThe cost comparison depends on what providers you are looking at for each.

Just wanted to say thank you to everyone who participated in this post. 

I only mention it because I have seen many real estate participants misunderstanding the difference between a townhouse-style condo and a townhouse-style sfr.

-I constructed my team to consist of the cream of the crop Property Management Team in Dallas, a partner that owns and operates 200M in Real Estate, and I moved to the city that I invest so that I can submerge myself in the market... super check.I don't think that the credibility and experience I've amassed is anything special, but I do think that it sufficient enough to entice warm traffic for a conversation about investing with us..By warm traffic I mean family and friends who have consistently asked that I let them know when I get a deal that they'd be able to participate in (and my goodness what a deal this is). 

I found the BP podcast a few weeks ago and am thrilled to find such a wonderful place to listen, learn, and participate with fellow investors!