I can't believe most of you immediately are talking bad about said friends...I am starting to get the feeling people don't really use logic to think and jump on things only using emotion, impulse.. tsk tsk.Here is my take on it... 

Not having read the rest of the thread, my first impulse - in your case - would be to say pay off your student loans first.

Dave Ramsey has become famous for helping people with impulse control issues, might not like hearing it but it's the truth and fact.

I mean pretty much every sales system ever is set up to be "impulse buy" lol.

They have huge problems with their impulse control probably. 

Such contradictions in your post and yet I totally understand that impulse.

lol, @Debbie LeeI personally don't need a guru warning...I guess what I was trying to suggest is that even though these meetings will sometimes have national Gurus selling their programs (we haven't bought any guru programs since we are not impulse buyers and a little bit of smartphone research usually tells us whatever they are selling is not as easy as they pitch it to be), I do get value out of the meetings by other content that is presented such as discussion of State of Illinois senate and house bills landlords need to lobby against or be aware of, and some local people I meet who are already successfully RE investing.

I also asked for the analyzer on impulse because it could be such a valuable tool.

., so a big part of your plan is how well you can control your impulses and stick to a long term plan. 

And it's a $500 mistake gone, instead of impulsively buying another house that he may not be fit for.You're looking at it like it's a candy store.