RE Investing CLUB - Posted by Corne de Jager

Posted by Tim Fierro (Tacoma, WA) on July 11, 2002 at 12:48:07:

Contact others investors in the area and find out if they wish to pursue this club formation and willing to participate.

Find out day of the week and times people would like to meet for a general consensus.

Find a place to hold the amount of people expected to show up for the first meeting and make sure the date/time can be made that would accomodate the most people.

Get together and network!

I started a local club and the above was what some of the first things I did. I also created a web site, called all ads in the papers that looked like investors and left them information about the club and how to get more information via phone or web. I also called all We Buy Houses signs to let those investors know we exist. I called Money To Lend folks from the paper as well to let them know about us and if they wish to participate, we would like to see them. I have tried to let our site be known on web sites that have club listings, tell those who call from my signs (when I find out they are investors also) about the club so they know there are more of us out here. I purchased a P.O. Box for club mail that would be sent to us. I made arrangements with the restaurant where we have meetings so that we are consistent with our dates and times of our meetings. I discussed our menu choices for breakfast in advance so that we are consistent.

This month I will be looking at purchasing a banner for the doorway so new people know that they have found the right place. I will also be looking at purchasing an easel for presentations. I will also be having a discussion with the restaurant manager to see if we could pay in advance for 10 months and get 2 months free (for the banquet hall). And I am going to be working with another club member this month on name tags for everyone that could be used each month from their excess inventory of name tags. All we would do is distribute them each month with a slide in name card; and then collect them again at the end of the meeting for their later use. And when I get a free moment this month, I am creating our logo. Oh, and I have 2 people (inspiration speaker, and a lender) that I need to call to set up speaking arrangements over the the coming months. These 2 people were recommended by another club member.

The members have given presentations, recommended speakers, brought news to the club about seminars happening, and are willing to help out should I need some further assistance.

I don’t really spend a whole lot of time on this as it is not very time consuming. I may spend about 2 hours a week doing something club related, but I do it because I enjoy doing it so it is not a problem.

If you need help, get the members of the club to pitch in and if they have suggestions, listen to them. We are still informal in the club I started, and I like to consider myself a Benevolent Dictator. The club has no formal board of directors or anything of that sort, so I make all the decisions for the club. However, I listen to all members (pros and cons) and make some rational decision for the good of the club. When we only have meetings once a month, and we are very informal in our meeting structure, I don’t want a board to get in the way of progress of the club. If I say we need a P.O. Box, I will go get one. All my decisions are geared toward the continuation of the club in the long run, keeping the informal gathering as close to these roots as possible as time progresses, bring topics of discussion to the meetings for enlightenment, provide an atmosphere of togetherness and networking possibilities to all who attend, and to be a good person in regards to my activities in the club.

RE Investing CLUB - Posted by Corne de Jager

Posted by Corne de Jager on July 11, 2002 at 09:22:05:

Hi there, I live in South Africa and want to start the first South African Real Estate Investing Club!

I need some help on how to start, and what to do in a club!Any info on how some of you started and what many of you do in the club, and what you do for the members of your club would help me a lot!!!

Corne