and right now, due to so much reduction in value, many investors would pass the insolvency test.2nd thought is really a question on this topic: does anyone know what Bob Diamonds course (Attorney X) is all about?

another newbie and may be she has researched it enough.The person kept saying Donald Trump is not sleeping these days because he thinks next two years are greatest time for Real Estate…I won’t forget that…JAnyway, anyone heading to Black Diamond event on Mar 24th in Waltham, Massachusetts?

Hi @Alan Diamond, I always use Bob Sterner of CNY Home Pro.

@Ryan Meggison two that I know of are Black Diamond REI which I believe meets twice monthly, alternating between Worcester and Waltham, and South Coast REIA which meets in Fall River.

I spent $1,800 on the Bob Diamond Tax Sale overage course but looking for partners or just to share the cost for $500 down plus a little extra if this sounds of something of interest to you.

For my practice analysis, I looked at SFH within the Arcadia, San Marino, and Diamond Bar school districts, with 3 or 4 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms.

A diamond saw, sledge hammer and, viola, you have a hole.

Like most, I have been observing, it was pre-flip this house shows.I grew up with real estate investment parents.So after finding my diamond in the rough!

Jason, others may have had a different experience but in my personal experience hard money lending is - like much of business - built on personal relationships.I would recommend you start going to a local REIA such as the RI Real Estate Investors Group (rireig.com) or Black Diamond REI (BlackDiamondREI.com) and network, maybe identify a few promising folks, take them out to coffee or a meal, etc. and just look to start building a few relationships and identifying good prospects.Then when you have a deal you're looking for a lender on, you'll have a few people to start asking and maybe if they don't know someone they can recommend you to someone else in the group (one of their contacts).People are much more comfortable recommending people they already know and have "vetted" as having a minimum amount of knowledge, so that's what you'll really be trying to do - establish that you've educated yourself, didn't just get out of your first seminar last weekend, are committed to real estate beyond this year, etc.All that said, if you think you really have a good deal and have a compelling case to make to a lender*, by all means announce it at one or more local REIA meetings and you may end up making a connection right away.But if you don't already have a good deal & value proposition for a lender then I'd say go the long-game, relationship-building route.

I started my buy and hold portfolio about 6 years ago and have found some diamonds in the rough in the Huntsville/Decatur market.