Any luck with real estate investing groups in Houston??

Question

Hello everyone, my wife and i have been on BP for a few months now.   We love the content, pod-casts and all the discussions have helped us  really figure out the route we want to take.  I'm a people person and I  like to surround myself around people with similar ideas and motivation.   We think the next best step for us it to join a real estate investing  group here in Houston.

We have done a little bit of research on it but there are so many we  don't know where to start.  It seem like some of them cost a lot and  some are free.  We don't want to get scammed, we just want to start  meeting with people in person and bouncing ideas of one another.  We  don't want to be part of a group that is just trying to make a buck off  of us we are looking to build some good relaionships.  We understand  that there can be a cost affiliated with some groups, we aren't trying  to be cheep we just to want to be taken advantage of.

So I guess I'm asking if anyone has any advice on what to look for in  a group and what to look out for.  And if anyone has any recommendation  on a group in Houston for people just starting off.

Thanks BP

Adam

Eric Tait · Answer

I can't speak about the other newbie meetings, but RICH club is not a pitch fest.

Lifestyles has a ton of free introductory classes and a free on-line getting started kit with a local vendor list. The most pitching they do is to get you to join their basic membership which is $500 for the first year, then $240 each year after. They do have more expensive memberships, but as a beginner I was able to purchase 10+ single family homes and a small apartment complex.

Go check them all out to get a feel, your gut will tell you with which group you "vibe" the best.

Adam Syphers · Answer

@alBunch, thanks for the invite. i have looked into meetup a little but tons on there too.  I will get getting out of a meeting around 6:15pm, its on the west side of town so i think we will try to swing by for a few min.  how long do people usually hang around

@Eric and @Lyall Storandt thanks for the advice.  When you go the the newbie club meetings are they sales pitches or is it good info.  I just get get the thought of a timeshare meeting out of my head.  I agree that we will get what we pay for, we just want to get into a group that feels right for us.

sounds like we need to get out there and see what is a good fit for us

Al Bunch · Answer

Try a meetup group where you can just get some face time with others doing the same thing...then decide if you want to join a club or sign up for a mentoring program.

I set this up for folks living in NW Houston, but anyone is welcome to join in...I'm sure there's one like this in your area as well.

http://www.meetup.com/Northwest-Houston-Real-Estate-Investing/

Also - welcome to Bigger Pockets!

Ben Hughes · Answer

Lyall pretty much summed it all up.

Al Bunch · Answer

@Adam Syphers I just put a start time of 6:30 - I'll be there until at least 8:30 - not sure how long others will be there though.

My direct number is in my signature - call or text if you're running late and want to make sure there are still people there.

-Al

Lyall Storandt · Answer

@Adam Syphers Hey Adam, first and foremost welcome to Bigger Pockets!

As far as local real estate clubs are concerned, there are several that come to mind:

I. Realty Investment Club of Houston (RICH) - They have a "newbie" meeting once every month or so and a ton of great educational events. They hold workshops every Monday night on a different topic related to real estate investing.

II. Wealth Club - They have a "newbie club" meeting once a month or so as well and this is also a good way to meet others who are in the same boat as you and your wife.

III. Lifestyles Unlimited - Probably the most expensive of the clubs, but they have a large and loyal following.

IV. Liberty Real Estate Academy - They have moved to a largely web-based model for their educational real estate investing courses, but they still host a "Main Event" once a month that is pretty well-attended and offers some good networking opportunities.

There are also a ton of other meet-up groups and events that take place on a pretty regular basis. One of the biggest is held the third Wednesday of each month at the Texans Grill in City Centre and is hosted by several local real estate investing vendors.

The most important thing to remember though is that you'll only get out of these groups / events what you put in to them.

Best of luck!

Eric Tait · Answer

I am a member of Lifestyles Unlimited and have been very happy with the training that I received there. I have also been a member of the RICH Club off and on for many years. Their guests speakers have been informative, but I am wary of some of their small group sessions. Welcome and I hope this helps.

Any luck with real estate investing groups in Houston??

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