There are some real advantages to investing close to home, especially for your first property:- You know the area better- It's easier to manage and check on the property yourself- You can respond quickly to issues- You'll have a better network of local contractors, realtors, etc.That said, if the numbers really make sense in Conway or Titusville/Melbourne, it's not impossible to invest out-of-state.

Most people go to the 3-day event and then do nothing with it....the people who join Mastery get the very intimate teaching and assistance they need to get going and do deals...some people need that and some people don't.Regardless, going to network and meet other Chicago investors is a positive no matter what.

@Marc ShinRecommend exploring as many sources as possible to get referrals AND cross-reference them to get as much accurate information as possible.Check out NARPM.com, BP’s Property Manager Finder (BiggerPockets: The Real Estate Investing Social Network), etc.Also, encourage you to learn from the mistakes of others - by reading posts here on BiggerPockets about owners not having their expectations met by their current Property Management Company.

Quote from @Milton Chamberlain: Hi Joe,KC provides a wide variety of investment opportunities with its cultural city point and wide variety of standalone suburbs and (further out) rural farm communities.

Rehab/Rental Investor who thrives on constant growth through education and networking.

Planning to relocate to the Southeast (SC, NC or Georgia) in 2026 and want to start out by investing in single-family rentals, condos and joining real estate investment groups to invest in multi-unit or commercial properties.My investing goals consist of cash flow for consistent monthly payments and equity for bigger purchases down the road.Looking forward to building a network of real estate professionals and investors to help find new opportunities, stay on top of market trends and provide value to other investors and tenants.Any tips for new investors would be appreciated.Best,Brett HarmonTwitter

Bigger Pockets is a great place for education and networking and is full of great content.I recommend that you check out the following resources:1.

How good it is to join this networking group and help each other achieve our dreams and goals.

But the concepts apply across a wide range of topics, so I'm posting my TED talk separately.1.

I do a lot of work in the Hispanic community and I want to bring more people into that network and help even more.