Washington, Washington D.C. · Member since 2012 · 5 posts · 2 votes
Hello everyone,
I have been looking through the site for the last couple of days and have found so much useful information. I have owned a SF rental in Virginia for a long time and my wife and I also have a townhouse in Washington that we are renting out. I have been wanting to acquire additional properties for quite some time and have finally got the courage to go for it! We are primarily interested in 2-4 unit M/F properties to buy and hold. We are always on the lookout here in DC, but the market is crazy here... we also have relatives in Cleveland OH and have been seriously considering trying to jump into the market there... any current NE Ohio, specifically Clevelanders who are willing to discuss the rental market prospects would be greatly appreciated. Looking forward to learning a lot from this site!
Washington, Washington D.C. · Member since 2012 · 66 posts · 15 votes
13y
Hey Matt Dean, Ned Carey, Jason Cohen, Chris Drury, Deirdre Brown, Travis Lauchman, Leonid Sapronov and others,
So I've met with some local DC RE investors, and the consensus I've gathered is that there is a lot of interest in starting a meetup group for DC and the surrounding area. For those not familiar with Meetup.com, its a website where you organize meetings among people with similar hobbies.
This would be a group where new, inexperienced investors like me could find mentors or partnerships for their first investment, and the more experienced investors could offer advice, find partnerships, and find investment money. I would propose that the group stay true to the biggerpockets investment philosophy, offering free help without pressure to buy anything.
I am willing to organize this group but would request help from interested locals. It seems like a hotel conference room would work well, but I have no experience organizing something like this.
I am proposing that people send me their email in a colleague request, and I will setup the meetup.com group and email everyone link invites. From this we can guage the interest, and determine a good meeting ground based on how many people RSVP to a meetup. Let me know what you all think!
Investor · Laurel, MD · Member since 2012 · 149 posts · 33 votes
13y
Will K, Jason Cohen - guys it's great that you are taking the initiative and creating the meetup group and, please, don't take my comment as discouragement, but the first thing I did when I started reading up on REI is join 7 meet up groups in the DC area. And there are a bunch more out there. Do we need another group and if so, how will it differentiate itself from the existing ones?
BTW, I haven't made it out any meetup get-togethers yet, mostly due to my crazy work schedule. Does anyone have any experience (hopefully positive) with any of the local groups?
Involved In Real Estate · Hyattsville , MD · Member since 2011 · 298 posts · 256 votes
13y
Hey everyone, haven't posted in ages. Would love to join the meetup. I'm currently flipping in pg county,since 2010-also been a landlord for 11years. Never been to any kind of meeting in the area but would love to join.
Rental Property Investor · Arlington, VA · Member since 2013 · 121 posts · 46 votes
13y
Leonid Sapronov It's true there are many REI groups in the DC area. I can't speak to the usefulness of any of these groups, as I haven't been to any yet (been living overseas for some time). However, from a simple web search, it seems that many of these groups require a membership fee or want to upsell guru type products or seminars. I would much prefer to network and learn from other BP members in a more casual setting without any pressure to purchase something. I don't think we necessarily need some kind of objective in order to network and learn from others.
Ophelia, would love to hear about your experiences in PG! I am currently under contract for my first purchase in PG and see a lot of potential there. Hope to see you at the meetup.
Rockville, MD · Member since 2013 · 36 posts · 4 votes
13y
Great timing for me! I just began reading books and studying real estate investing and came upon this thread.
I am a young, new investor from Rockville, MD looking to learn as much as I can about real estate investing in the DC/MD/VA area. Although I feel bad that I will have little information to offer to the group as I have no experience, I am incredibly eager to learn and look forward to meeting everyone in the meetup.
Investor · Laurel, MD · Member since 2012 · 149 posts · 33 votes
13y
Sean Stewart I'm in the same boat - nothing to offer and hungry to leech off other more-experienced people. :-)
In all seriousness though, given how much I've learned in the past three months, in another few I WILL have something to offer. The learning curve is steep, but it's cool to realize that you now understand things you had not idea about before.
@Tanya S. Valid point. A lot of the groups do try to sell something or charge you for membership. I'm all for a laid back and friendly meetup.
Northern, VA · Member since 2013 · 141 posts · 29 votes
13y
I am definitely interested in meeting up with a smaller group of local investors. Unfortunately, it looks like I just missed the first meetup you guys had. How did it go?
Landlord · Silver Spring, MD · Member since 2013 · 23 posts · 2 votes
13y
Hello all,
My name is Benaiah Grimes and I am new to this arena. I recently inherited four multi units from my grandfather that are operating in Las Vegas but the proceeds are split four ways between family members. It is a great asset, but I would like to start my own assets our here in MD. I believe having these properties can be used as a great tool for collateral and the bank since they are such penny pinchers due to the economy but I am really trying to see what I need to do in order to start with a fourplex here in MD or Baltimore. A good friend of mine started with houses and rents out rooms making about $2000 a house and he now has 10 houses bringing in over $20k a month, however I don't want to do it this way. I would rather have several multiunits to avoid having to manage so many different properities and effectively recreate the same income. He purchased a house in full with cash, built up the equity and borrowed to purchase new house, etc. I would like to do the same and start in Baltimore since the duplex's, etc. there are cheap. I would love to do a group meetup. I have also noticed the charge just to go to these so called investment meetings. I look forward to meeting with experienced people and possibly teaming up on something big by the end of the summer.
Fredericksburg, VA · Member since 2013 · 2 posts · 0 votes
13y
Hi everyone, we also recently joined biggerpockets and we are located in northern VA. we started in real estate investing not too long ago. We are also excited to network with all of you and see how we can help each other in this business. We are primarily rehabbers. If anyone of you have a wholesale deal in the DMV area, we would love to work with you. We'll make our networking worthwhile!
Brian
Investor · Raleigh, NC · Member since 2012 · 4 posts · 0 votes
13y
Goodmorning all,
Just joined the meetup group as well. I'm in the Air Force, stationed at Ft. Meade and have been interested in Real Estate Investing for the past year--reading everything I could get my hands on. I'm currently living in Crofton, MD.
I've been in talks with a great Re/max agent for months now and am looking to buy my first property later this summer with my VA benefits.
I hope to make the next meeting and chat with you all about your experiences and see if I can assist or take on a mentor in some form. I'm eager to learn anything there is, and also willing to run errands and assist where possible for those who have established themselves in investing. I'm just wanting to learn from others' experiences and help out where possible. I could sit and listen to others talking about their past experiences with real estate for hours upon hours. So I'm anxious to meetup next time.
Hi All,
Really glad I checked in here again....and first off wanted to say hi to the new folks. I'm a RE investor/landlord w/ a few places here in NoVa (Fairfax county) and have been looking to partner up/share/learn more about flipping/renting properties in DC and Baltimore. I started about 10 years ago, and even while I'd lived out west invested in more places out this way. Lately I just feel like the numbers in Ffx and Arlington counties don't make a lot of sense in terms of cash flow..hud/Fannie/Freddie properties are hard to . I've come close to buying a propery in Baltimore a cpl times (hard to ignore the numbers there), but . Would love to be involved in any meetings/etc that come up and meet some other similar-minded folks around here.
Investor · Reston, VA · Member since 2011 · 683 posts · 191 votes
13y
Will K, I wouldn't call myself fulltime, but I don't work. I spend a lot of time looking and reading REI related stuff - but I goof-off mostly. I haven't been able to make a meeting yet but plan to.
Brian Cindy Walls, I've got a few places in KG and just closed on a short in N. Stafford. It seems that Stafford numbers still work for me. Our summer place is in KG, so the distance from Reston (home) isn't an issue. How is F-Burg? The market seems still quite weak. PM me if you want to talk about F-Burg, Stafford or KG.
Investor · Baltimore, MD · Member since 2008 · 17k+ posts · 13k+ votes
13y
Ok gang I will be going to the BWI meetup in Columbia Maryland tomorrow Wednesday April 10
http://www.meetup.com/BwiMeetup/ I'd love to chat with any of you that want to show up.
Matt Dean Jason Cohen, Chris Drury, Deirdre Brown Travis Lauchman, Atul P., Leonid Sapronov, Randy Coffren, Will K, Cheryl C., Tanya S. Ophelia Nicholson, Sean Stewart, Ezinwanne Hawkins, Curtis N. Benaiah Grimes, Jamaal Hunt, Justin Worster, Raj Tirbany
Northern, VA · Member since 2013 · 141 posts · 29 votes
13y
Originally posted by Ned Carey:
Ok gang I will be going to the BWI meetup in Columbia Maryland tomorrow Wednesday April 10
http://www.meetup.com/BwiMeetup/ I'd love to chat with any of you that want to show up.
Matt Dean Jason Cohen, Chris Drury, Deirdre Brown Travis Lauchman, Atul P., Leonid Sapronov, Randy Coffren, Will K, Cheryl C., Tanya S. Ophelia Nicholson, Sean Stewart, Ezinwanne Hawkins, Curtis N. Benaiah Grimes, Jamaal Hunt, Justin Worster, Raj Tirbany
I hope to see some or all of you there. Ned Carey
I would be in but it's just a tad too far away for me. Looks like a nice big group, though. Thanks for the invite!
Washington, Washington D.C. · Member since 2012 · 66 posts · 15 votes
13y
Ned Carey I would love to come Ned but unfortunately its a little late notice for me, but thanks for the heads up.
Any chance you could make it down for one of the DC meetups? We're a fledgling REI group that is planning on having our next one somewhere in NW DC, probably adams morgan or columbia heights.
At this time we're looking at May 22nd, and we're also looking for speakers. Based on your posts you have a lot of experience, and I think a lot of our members could really benefit from listening to you. Let me know if you would consider it!
Rental Property Investor · Arlington, VA · Member since 2013 · 121 posts · 46 votes
13y
I should be able to make May 22. Ned Carey You should definitely come down to DC and share your wealth and meet the rest of the BP folk. Some interesting peeps at the last meeting.
A little off topic, but anyone here attending the Baltimore REI Expo on April 27-28? www.reiexpo.com On the fence about attending.