We have a Google Groups email list for communication and updates on the next meeting which will probably be mid January.

If so, I belong to a (free) private investor group that communicates over the Internet.

Great Question RobertI would suggest you look at the money you would have to spend and go with the most cost effective plan that makes sense for you.

a revised drawing will have to be made for the effected areas and then submitted to the building department. you can usually continue with the work while they review it if it is minor interior design.. 

One of the reasons I like real estate is the local influence on prices that at least buffers some of the outside effects of recession & monetary policy.

Its cheap (or even free) and effective. 

I used this for when I looked here in Chicago and Found an attorney that makes my life 10x easier with communication with the title company, receiving documents and forwarding documents plus all the emails they handle.

., however we find it to be pretty effective on dialing in what should and should not be considered. 

Two other very important factors not mentioned or given short shrift are the 1) high unemployment/underemployment rates and 2) the dampening effect that the housing crisis has on people's propensity to buy.  

Since I have been playing for a while and the industry is getting smaller due to regulations which reduces the traffic and the number of recreational players (which makes the game less profitable) I think is the moment to start transitioning to Real Estate.I am literally devorating everything in BP, just bought the 2 books of Brandon Turner (hey Brundon if you read this just let you know that I love the way you explain and the methods of teaching you follow, I really find them effective for newbies like me) so I will be trying to educate myself in RE as much as I can in order to be succesful in the future.If there is someone out there who is also starting in RE, in spanish market and want to connect me to talk about whatever or just for future networking, dont hesitate to do it!