Groups that have only networking as their focus tend to be small and frequently die out, since there is no attraction for someone to spend their gas and time. 

As far as learning the nuts and bolts of a transaction it can certainly help.  

Rental units tend to be more long term investing.  

Sorry, if it's a bit of a spin on your question, In addition to being a real estate investor, I am also an IT Consultant / Business Process expert and tend to look at things differently. 

Just pick one and go with it as they all tend to be similar.

My C class areas tend to be in 40-45k income type areas.

Instead, when trouble strikes, a person who pays a mentor will tend to pick up the phone and call him, just like Mommy.

However, that tends to be near the end of their career when the compounding effect really starts to hockey stick.And Tom, ultimately there is no right/wrong answer.

Don't get me wrong, finding a "deal" is still a challenge, especially since rent rate increases tend to rise more slowly than do home prices.... but deals can still be found with work and time.

That doesn't mean the buyer doesn't have their own buying criteria but some just want to control everything.I tend to find my best clients are the ones that know I am an expert at what I do.