A Professional Boxer, is inviting you into the ring, and you'd like to save the $ on a "coach in your corner" and just jump into that ring to "see what happens".... 

And it's not fun turning down your friends' invitations; I know for me it makes me feel not so very friendly. 

However,  Ned's suggestion to learn by navigating assessor and treasurer websites, invite a local lawyer to lunch for discussion seem logical as information is coming from the source.

Purchasing a 4/2 house for $45K with a 30 yr mortgage, added $12K in repairs, renting for $955/month.Purchasing a 3/2 home for $23K, added a new HVAC and duct work, and which rents for $750/month.Spending days mentally rehearsing my speech to ask for private money to fund the third deal only to have him say "yes" in under 30 seconds and on my terms.Being invited to be a part of the Atlanta Housing Authority's Landlord advisory committee, where I get to learn (for better or worse) the inner workings of the city's Section 8 program and hang out with investors way more experienced than me.     

@Germine James I will definitely send you an invite for the next meetup.

to those who have read my posts, but I invest in Dayton Ohio and while I dont want to invite too much competition you could probably buy 2 properties in Dayton with rehab completed.

I used to be as black and white as the OP about this subject until I actually went to a few of the really large events.Sat and talked to attendee's that paid 30 to 40k to go.. many frankly were real estate brokers... and other professionals.I do think though pounding on folks who have no money and getting them to run up their credit cards to pay to go to the event is something I am no totally comfortable with.. but then I think of that little company called Hewlet Packard and think back on how they started with a 10k loan in a garage in Palo Alto right down the street from were I used to live.. were did they end up.So when I go to these events as an invited vendor..

I attended Crowd Converge last month where Brad invited people to come check out his educational events that he used to find investors.

Hit the keyword of your ton and let the invites begin for seminars/meet and greets etc...

Thanks for the invite @Jeffrey Holst I might not be able to make it tonight but I'll definitely try