That's very different that "renting" to dysfunctional family members who are unable to meet their housing needs on their own.I consider the fact that I have a very close relative who lives in one of my properties part of my success. 

Search for meetups in Westchester and the Bronx to start meeting people in this business.

You might meet a nice young lady and decide to start a family, who knows.  

Prior to joining I was a "lurker". 

Hi - actually I'm not brand new since I joined about 6 months ago but never really engaged. 

Most people don't know that there are ways to O/O your investment property, just as long as it meets the minimum unit requirements -- in our case, 5+ units. 

Because I need access to MLS, I joined local MLS - $800/yr plus $98 for supra key.

If you do happen to set up a meeting in the weekends, I'd be happy to join in.

I was wondering if there is anyone on here who meets up now and then because we would love to come along and meet other investors and learn from you.

Here are some good places to start: http://www.biggerpockets.com/meet- find and connect with other BP members that are in your area.http://www.biggerpockets.com/alerts - Set up keyword alerts to be notified of the topics that interest you.And, of course thehttp://www.biggerpockets.com/forums - ask any question about real estate!