You can go meet others and get involved but that's not an education, it's an experience, it could be good or bad information.Start with a formal approach to RE, get a text book for the state real estate exam, text book on RE 101/102 from some college book store.

(We have 15 units.)I also maintain vendor files.I keep reference materials in separate files/notebooks/drawers for Washington Landlord-Tenant Law, Housing Authority (Section 8), Police/Sheriff Partnering, Fire Marshall-Fire Safety, Tenant Screening Resources, Utility Companies, Rental Association, Legal Counsel, Partnership Minutes, Education Courses we took, etc.I keep a notebook record of standard materials we use, written descriptions including paint samples, flooring samples, etc. with some photo examples.We store and organize most of the property photos in the computer in iphoto.We produce our marketing materials in the computer, such as business cards and advertisements.We keep hard copies of the bank statements, credit card statements, mortgage statements and purchase agreements in binders and archive them at the end of the year.Our bookkeeping is on the computer in Quicken, which allows us to easily look things up, categorize and send electronically to our tax preparer at tax time.Our tax preparer files electronically, keeps an archive record and each year delivers to us hard copies of our tax documents in a labeled folder, which we store in a filing cabinet.We also have a small library of reference books, magazines, newsletters, etc.That's most of it.

Lowe's and Home Depot have a very limited selection in-store and I can't wait to have them delivered if I order them online.

You can also walk the neighbor hood.My local dollar store has 3x5 orange post it notes.

I would put up flyers in the laundromats around town, community centers, any store that accepts flyers.

Also, working at a hardware store or lumberyard will also teach you a lot about building materials, their names and uses, benefits and disadvantages, etc.

I suggest envolopes from you local dollar store and stamps books from the post office, they are cheaper when you by them in booklets.and if you have the list in a spreadsheet, color coordinate them every time the call Red, Green.

I talked to the Fedex store, OfficeMax, and Office Depot.

Go to a crafts store and you'll likely find #1 pencils (or at least #1 cartridges for mechanical pencils)

I would ask around your local area, supply houses, paint stores, lumber yards, realtors, etc Having said what I have said, I only hire individuals who carry the required insurances.