SLREIA or UVREIA or Both?

Question

Hello fellow investors from Utah,

I started investing midway through 2014 by moving and turning my old home into my first SFR. I now plan to do some networking and was wondering about the local REIA's. I live in Eagle Mountain, but work in Salt Lake.

My rental is in Lehi so I thought about joining the UVREIA, but with working in Salt Lake I thought it would be easy to hit the meetings on lunch break or after work.

Any suggestions?

William Hochstedler · Answer

We joined both groups last year and get down there as much as we can.  There is a lot of overlap as UVREIA is kind of a splinter from the larger SLREIA.

I think both of them are worthwhile.  Here are my impressions of my first year going to both:

UVREIA is smaller and more clubby.  Matt Atkinson runs these meetings much like a workshop and they tend to be much more participatory.  Because of the size and participation level, it's easier to get a sense of who's who in the room.

SLREIA operates in a large seminar hall of the Salt Lake Community College making the presentations much more seminar-like.  The membership is much larger (but not always the attendance).  The membership is more diverse and there are major players that drop into this meeting a couple times a year.  In this way, many more entire networks are represented here, but as a new member it's hard to distinguish who everyone is.  More actual deals happen before and after this meeting.

I haven't been to any of the luncheons due to our distance, but imagine these are more intimate than the larger meetings.

We have certainly found that repeat attendance has it's rewards.  I always learn something from the presentations, but it is only after a year that I feel I am beginning to develop relationships with other members and understand who is doing what.  Belonging to both doubles your face time.

Finally, both these REIA's provide incredible access to people with a lot of experience who wouldn't have the time to return your phone call outside of these meetings.  But again it takes time and repeat attendance to know who to talk to.

See you there!

Lync Jones · Answer

Thank you Jim Henderson for your responses. I was beginning to wonder if anyone local saw my post. I will be at both meeting this month to feel them out and plan to continue thereafter.

Jim Henderson · Answer

I went to my first SLREIA lunch last month.  I thought it was worthwhile.  I will be back next month.