We ask that you contribute $3 if you attend to defray expenses.

I would suggest you listen to all of the podcasts and that might contribute to your direction.

I'm a relatively new private investor and have begun experimenting with the crowdfunding sites, to get into a wider variety of deals at a lower contribution if the terms and restrictions turn out to be viable, or at minimum to 'see' more deals.Below are my quick findings about several of the sites as of 11/1/13.

Have your properties inside an entity, might be an LLC, then admit members to the LLC, they can contribute to their capital account, some day they may be able to exchange the capital for assets held in the company.

My situation is limited cash, sizeable retirement accounts (for my age), and wanting to minimize having to touch retirement accounts (ie, backing out Roth contributions, taking a 401(k) loan, etc.).

If you don't have a well defined and well thought out OA before you contribute capital, I think you are heading down a bad path.

Use an LLC and admit them as a member, use the capital contribution and the operating agreement to use the funds, this will keep deeds off the property that can lead to lending issues.

Your introduction resonates with me as I just took cleared out my contributions to my Roth IRA to invest in real estate.

(Many small business owners make little or no money and that contributes to the high degree of business failures.)

My tenant says he has people over often, don't contribute monetarily, and says when she asks him to leave, he becomes angry and "unstable".