Coffee is a small price to pay to get to network with a fellow investor.  

Since you live right down the road, I'd like to extend an offer for coffee or drinks and we can talk about the local market.

I have found that a garage with 60 amps means someone could hook up an air compressor in the garage and have a wood shop.

If you jump into the fray maybe I'll open my own shop.  

You don't "shop" for short sale banks, it's the lender that gave you the loan you deal with, as they have to agree to any short.

A meeting at a coffee shop turned into something much more grand.

Do you have a one stop shop place that you would recommend that I go to learn as much as possible?  

We are currently meeting at the Caribou Coffee on Ingersoll Ave in Des Moines. 

Resources, support, education, relationships, a sense of purpose, the opportunity to make a difference, ... most of which you can't get from "the gurus".We have a saying around the office: come for the coffee, stay for the education.

The end of each powwow is often concluded with an animated exchange of contact details or business cards and perhaps even an agreement to meet over coffee at a later date.