I'll be looking to attend local meet-ups, so maybe I'll see you around. 

Have you instead considered attending a local real estate meetup and asking for connections/opinions in that avenue? 

I also recommend attending local REI networking groups and meetups to connect with fellow real estate investors.

If you haven't attended any of the local meetups, I strongly recommend getting involved with that.

One of my top recommendations is to attend a local real estate meetup event so you can connect in real life with various people who share your ambitions.

These professionals can provide expert guidance, conduct a thorough assessment of your property's valuation, and represent you in negotiations or appeals with the assessor's office or assessment appeals board.Attend Assessment Hearings: If your jurisdiction offers assessment appeal hearings, attend these hearings to present your case in person.

Having said that, I've only attended the AAPL's conferences, which are pretty much what you'd expect: presentations focused on the state of the market, education for lenders, and new best practices (with some tech thrown in).

Attend meetups and meet as many people in RE as you can.

Attend the groups and offer to pay for a meal if someone will allow you to ask questions and then pick their brain. 

Attend meetups and meet as many people in RE as you can.