But I'll assume you already know that and entertain the question.As @Chris Soignierhas correctly informed you, rentals offer the most tax benefits.

And you get the benefit of having over 100 past ones to catch up on.Locate and attend 3 different local REIA club meetings great place to meet people gather resources and info.

The question I have is, "What benefits should I be able to expect from an investor friendly realtor, and how do I find one?"

But to our benefit, hopefully the city has negociated that a good % of full time jobs are filled by ing residents. 

As someone who wasn't even sure about what real estate investing was about at the time, I had no less than 30 people just throw their business cards at me, barely even giving me their name or leaving a good impression.Furthermore, after paying $30 to get in, there was a speaker for an hour and at the end it was a sales pitch to get us all to buy their $1200 Business in a box.I have a friend who keeps forwarding me the CTREIA event invites because he wants to start going, but my time and money is way too valuable to spend on a sales pitch.Can anyone shed some light on the actual benefits of joining a local REIA?

And you get the benefit of having over 100 past ones to catch up on.Locate and attend 3 different local REIA club meetings great place to meet people gather resources and info.

You could also explain that you really need the tax benefits that real estate depreciation can provide (up to 25K offset to ordinary income), whereas interest income from a loan would be at your highest tax bracket. 

Essentially, at the beginning of your investing career, your exposure is relatively low and therefore the benefits of putting properties in your own name will likely outweigh the liability protection the LLCs give you.As always though, it's best to consult with an attorney and CPA who can advise on your specific situation.

Are you sure he didn't have a prescription for medical marijuana?

I think if you are going to spend the time and money why not get the benefit.