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Real estate investing can be a challenge when you're doing it alone. You might just be learning the basics, or you might have questions about things like tax sales, short sales, and pre-foreclosures.
Thankfully, mobile apps are changing how we invest, so now having a community of people you can learn from and ask questions of is easier than ever. Having a community to draw upon can also give you a confidence boost to just get started with your first or your next investment property.
There are a lot of forums out there, and all are not a fit for every investor. We've curated this list so when you’re choosing a real estate investing forum you want to call home, you'll know what to expect when it comes to the advice and connections available there.
BiggerPockets
The BiggerPockets forums are some of the most popular on this list. BiggerPockets has a stellar reputation in the industry and offers complimentary access to its forums.
The forums focus on a variety of topics, including rental properties, buying and selling, starting out, flipping, wholesaling, and more. Many forums are also dedicated to specific cities or regions of the country, which makes it easier to connect with people where you live or invest.
Although you can sign up for a premium membership, you don't need to pay to create or comment on posts to seek advice or make connections. In fact, free members also have access to the BiggerPockets blog, podcast, beginner's guides, and more.
Who is this a good fit for? BiggerPockets is a good fit for people who want to become more connected investors and be part of a total ecosphere of forums, articles, webinars, books, podcasts, and in-person events.
BiggerPockets Fans
Although there are numerous Facebook groups dedicated to real estate, the BiggerPockets Fans group is one of the largest with nearly 55,000 members.
This group is not officially associated with BiggerPockets, but it is filled with people who know and love the brand. The group encourages a lively but respectful conversation about experiences, deals, strategies, success stories, and the latest news about passive income and real estate investing (often abbreviated to REI online).
The BiggerPockets Fans Facebook group has an express no spam rule. Members are not allowed to promote their own links, courses, or seminars, so it makes for a safer environment to learn and connect with people.
Who is this a good fit for? People who like BiggerPockets and prefer to use the Facebook platform to ask questions and connect with others.
Reddit is one of the most popular online forum websites. There are numerous sub-Reddit communities that focus on specific real estate topics and strategies.
You can join different sub-Reddit groups based on the topics that appeal to you the most. These topics range from a broad Real Estate category to a more specific Rental Property, Toronto Real Estate, or Commercial Real Estate groups. Reddit is free, but it is possible to upgrade to premium to eliminate ads and get other benefits.
Who is this a good fit for? People who like Reddit and communities built around specific niches of the real estate market.
City-Data.com
City-Data.com offers detailed profiles on cities around the U.S. based on data compiled from government and private sources. The website has more than 14 million users per month, with over 2 million of these visitors participating in its forums to create 15,000 new posts every day. You can view the forums without signing up. However, you'll need to register for free to participate in the discussion.
The City-Data Real Estate Forum features more than 46,000 threads and 800,000 posts to explore. If those numbers overwhelm you, it is possible to drill down into specific niches to narrow the conversation to foreclosures, mortgages, real estate professionals, or renting. Forums for states and cities are also available.
City-Data’s tools are limited to narrow any further beyond these sub-forums. You may search for specific terms, but the best way to learn is by scrolling through the threads until you find one you're interested in.
Who is this a good fit for? City-Data Real Estate Forums are good for people who are OK with scrolling through a diverse array of threads while searching for something interesting.
Real Estate Investing Club
The Real Estate Investing Club is another Facebook group that helps people learn about real estate investing. With about 11,000 members, the Real Estate Investing Club offers "tips, tactics, and strategies for building a thriving real estate investing business." The group prohibits self-promotion and affiliate links to keep the conversation focused on learning versus selling.
Members in this community share resources such as articles and podcast episodes regularly so others can learn from that content. Unfortunately, with Facebook groups, finding threads that you're interested in requires scrolling through the feed or performing a search. There are no categories to filter the conversation to specific topics.
Who is this a good fit for? This group is a good fit for people who prefer to ask questions and meet people through Facebook.
CRE Online
CREOnline.com, which stands for commercial real estate, is an online platform that encourages local connections through real estate investment clubs and associations (REIAs) around the world. CREOnline offers educational materials on all types of investing, ranging from multi-family to industrial to mobile home parks.
In addition to selling books and courses, CREOnline also offers the CREOnline Forums, in which both real estate agents and investors discuss a variety of topics and creative real estate techniques. Members can filter conversations by a number of real estate categories, like law, financing, apartments, Section 8, and more. There is no cost to join the CRE Online forums.
Who is this a good fit for? These forums are a good fit for investors who want to easily drill down to specific topics and possibly make local connections as well.
RealEstateForums.net
This real estate investing forum evolved from Redfin's Bay Area (California) forum, which closed in 2016. Some of its forums cater to the Bay Area and specific cities in Northern California. However, many offer general real estate conversations that apply anywhere. Some of the threads extend beyond real estate to talk about the stock market, inflation, and other newsworthy topics.
On the RealEstateForums.net home page, you'll find a thread of the latest posts. This information includes the number of replies, views, and when the latest activity occurred. There have been about 2,200 new posts in the past 30 days on a variety of topics. Users can filter posts based on categories, tags, and time to drill down into conversations they're most interested in.
Who is this a good fit for? The investors who will benefit the most are those interested in the Bay Area of California.
Commercial Real Estate Professionals and Investor Group
The Commercial Real Estate Professionals and Investor Group (CREPIG) forums is a social networking site for people in the CRE industry.
These forums are designed to allow investors to find resources, deals, lenders, projects, and industry connections. Unlike the other forums, this one is exclusively focused on commercial real estate. However, scrolling through the threads, it seems like it is lightly moderated because there are a number of spam posts.
Who is this a good fit for? Investors who are interested in commercial real estate discussions and connections.
FAQs
How much does an average real estate investor make?
The amount of money you can make as a real estate investor depends on what niche of real estate investing you pursue. Wholesalers could make several thousand dollars or more, for every successful transaction they close. Fix-and-flip investors could make tens of thousands of dollars on profitable deals. Rental property investors typically seek to meet the 1% rule, in which a property's monthly rents are equal to at least 1% of your total investment in that property. Whether or not you want to handle your own property management can impact your profits as well.
How can I invest in real estate with $10?
If you’re wondering how to invest money in real estate, the good news is that you have numerous options that don't require a large sum of cash thanks to things like REITs and crowdfunding. Real estate investment trusts, or REITs, are companies that pool together the money of numerous investors to purchase and manage an investment property. They then pay out dividends.
Crowdfunding is another way that a centralized organization can bring together money from a variety of investors. This can allow smaller investors to get in on new opportunities. For example, Fundrise allows investors to purchase fractional shares of institutional quality properties starting with just $10.
Is owning rental property worth it?
Owning rental properties can be worth it when you purchase a good deal and manage it effectively. Investors control how much money they make with rental properties based on three variables: purchase price, rehab costs, and occupancy.
Buying at the right price, controlling the rehab budget, and keeping the property occupied with a quality tenant are key drivers of your profitability. Over time, you'll earn monthly cash flow from rents, pay down your mortgage balance, and increase your equity through appreciation.
Bottom line
Investing in real estate or any other asset is inherently risky. It is possible to lose some or all of your money any time you invest. But being a part of a community gives investors a comfortable place to discuss deals and ask questions about more complicated topics like lease options and tax liens.
The people that you meet can act as a sounding board and help you identify points of concern before investing. Reading our beginner's guide on how to invest in real estate will also give you a solid foundation of the basics as you start your journey and help you understand some of the common terms mentioned in these forums.
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