Join your local real estate investment groups, attend the meetings, this is where you can find the answers to most of your questions as well as the BP's forums.Good luck

Joined BP last year after stumbling across the site in my quest to become more immersed in the world of real estate investing.

You should also join your local real estate investors association for local education and networking. 

So having it at my office at lunchtime gives the agents in my brokerage and their friends an easy and accessible way to join the investing community.

Maybe from a builders association or rental association, or just individual landlords as interested parties joining together as a formal cooperative to manage their properties, provide shared resources, screen tenants and mitigate issues among other things?

I am a non-engineer, aspiring investor who would love to join a meet up group.

Maybe join a local REI group for networking and support-leases, notices, tenant screening etc.

I recently joined the local REIA.

If it's not that big, you'll have to wait six months (or sometimes you can join a credit union and refi immediately after the rehab using the appraisal ).  

Great that you joined the site!