Nice dinner followed by presentation on a topic then Q & A with an expert guest on the topic.

We would love to buy you dinner if your free.

Did you want to get together with these strangers for dinner?

Dinner and drinks and at least 3 people there always who are doing deals.  

We offered to take them out to a nearby restaurant and pay for their dinner.  

They'll be worth taking to dinner as often as they'll let you.Mount Pleasant or bay city may have one also.

Think about doing some lease option assignments and sub2 purchase then lease outs where you are, easier than wholesaling. see my profile for free negotiation for newbies. http://www.biggerpockets.com/users/REISkills In Baltimore talk to @Ned Carey , buy him some dinner, he'll help you some how.

Terry Kerr is a good guy; I am having dinner with him next week.

Sure, but for the average investor looking to start out there's enough to learn just to get the nuts and bolts of getting a deal and managing property down before you start talking about joining some development board and buying tables at fundraising dinners.

As it is, we are their first call if there's an issue and for small things we have a friend who can stop by and handle it and we send him a check for materials and treat him and his wife to a nice dinner whenever we are in town :).