What's Happening at Atlanta REIA the Week of May 14, 2012

The Gwinnett Investors Group (aka "The Fish Club"), led by Aaron McGinnis, meets on the 3rd Tuesday of every month at the Red Lobster Seafood Restaurant located at 2055 Pleasant Hill Road in Duluth just off I-85. This group is an educational and networking group that brings in local, active investors and service providers to provide information and education in a low or no-sales environment. This group is open to everyone for $2 per person. Please be prepared to patron the restaurant, enjoy the networking, and the outstanding information!

One of the biggest challenges facing both new and seasoned investors in today's ever changing real estate market is to be able to accurately determining a property's current market value. This is especially true with all the short sales, foreclosures, REOs and shadow inventory out there affecting property values. In the current market it is critical to be able to look at pricing objectively and avoid overpaying for a property. So how can you accurately determine a property's value you that you want to purchase and/or resell?

You can start by joining us at this month's Atlanta REIA North Meeting on Wednesday, May 16th at 6:30 PM at 1960 Skylar Hill Dr, Suite D, Buford, GA with special guest and seasoned appraiser, Donn Myers, who will share his insights and experience with you. Donn evaluates properties for banks, mortgage lenders, asset managers, investors as well as doing appraisals and review appraisals for federal institutions. Donn has years of experience as a residential and commercial appraiser as well as an investor and is a longtime REIA member. Join us at the meeting where Donn will be discussing:

• How is the current economy affecting the appraisal process?
• How do you tell when a neighborhood has "bottomed out"
• Are appraisers using REO's and Foreclosures as comps?
• Can the appraiser use FSBO's as comps?
• How current must the comps be?
• Must the sale comps be in the same neighborhood as the subject property?
• What outside pressures are influencing the appraiser?
• How reliable are the free valuation web sites?
• How can investors accurately determine the Current Market Value(CMV) of a property?
• How can investors best determine the After Repaired Value(ARV) of a property?
• What are the institutional investors currently buying?
• What yardsticks are the institutional investors using to determine their purchase prices?
• Answers to your burning questions and much more!

Immediately after the Atlanta REIA North Monthly Meeting at approximately 9 PM, we will reconvene at the Mall of Georgia Tilted Kilt located at 3480 Financial Center Pkwy in Buford, GA for the meeting-after-the-meeting, AKA Late Nite Networking. We hope you will come out and eat, drink, network, learn and have fun with us and keep the investing conversations going late into the evening!

Haves and Wants is a weekly investor's networking, brainstorming and deal making jam session hosted by Joe Thompson and held every Thursday at 5 Seasons Brewing at the Prado from 1:30 PM till approximately 3:00 PM. This group has been meeting for over 5 years and is all about networking, sharing information, doing deals and making money right now. If you are a real estate player or want to be, this is one meeting you don't want to miss!

5 Seasons Brewing is located at 5600 Roswell Rd (map) inside the Perimeter at the "Prado" in Sandy Springs. The all natural, organic food at the 5 Seasons is excellent and the hand-crafted beer is even better! Come out and eat, drink, network and do some deals with us! There is no charge to attend this meeting for Atlanta REIA Members or guests. Feel free to come early and stay late.

Movers and Shakers is an educational and networking group led by Gordon Catts that is designed to meet the interests of intermediate and advanced investors rather than new investors. The group meets on Monday, May 21st at 11:00 AM and on the 3rd Monday of each month at 5 Seasons Brewing in Alpharetta. The doors open at 11:00 AM and the program officially starts at 11:30 AM. Atlanta REIA members can attend at no charge and non-members for $5.00.

Oprah Winfrey knows about a $40 Billion Dollar niche, and Russ Hiner has the Insider's Secrets on how you can get your piece of the pie! Ever wondered what happens to the all of the money at a foreclosure sale when there's a bid over the amount of the mortgage? What about when there's an over bid at the tax sale-where do those funds go? This month at our Atlanta REIA West Meeting on Monday, May 21st at 6:30 PM at the Cherokee Cattle Company, local subgroup leader and real estate expert Russ Hiner will be speaking on "Unclaimed Money"! Russ will show us where there's money that's free for the customer, and abundant for you. Join us at Atlanta REIA West and find out how you too can cash in! Read More >>

The Note Buyers Group an Atlanta REIA educational and networking subgroup led by Tom Boyer that is designed to teach real estate investors how to buy and sell the mortgage notes that secure a property rather than buying the property itself. The group's goal is to transact deals within the group and increase our professionalism through education in a changing credit market. The agenda for this month's meeting is (1) Haves/Wants, (2) Notes for Sale - Bring yours for analysis, (3) Smaller investment amount opportunities and (4) Strategies using seller financing to buy/sell properties, and (4) Legislation update as appropriate.

The Note Buyers Group meets on the 4th Tuesday of each month from 6:30 PM to 9:00 PM at Olive Garden located at 2467 Cobb Parkway SE in Smyrna about 1/2 mile from I-285. If you are a new investor, this is a great opportunity to pick up pointers on what to do and what not to do when investing in notes. Atlanta REIA Members can attend at no charge. Read more >>

The Atlanta REIA Beginning Investors Group (BIG) is an educational and networking special interest group, hosted by Alan McDonald, for new investors who are just getting started in real estate investing as well as "new again" real estate investors who've taken a few years off and are looking to start investing again. The entire purpose of this group is to help new investors get their first deal and help new again investors get their next deal. Read more >>

The Cash Cows Commercial Real Estate Group is an educational, networking and call to action subgroup, led by Steve Brown for new, intermediate and advanced investors with a serious interest in purchasing commercial real estate. This month, Steve will be covering Mobile Home Parks which are truly "Cash Cows". This meetings is a "must attend" for anyone serious about mobile home investing. In fact, Steve will show you 2 Local Mobile Home Parks that you can purchase with creative financing. The Cash Cows group meets on Thursday, May 24th 11:30 AM and the 4th Thursday of each month at at 5 Seasons Brewing located at 5600 Roswell Rd in Sandy Springs, GA at the Prado. If you yearn to learn, come learn to earn!

Haves and Wants is a weekly investor's networking, brainstorming and deal making jam session hosted by Joe Thompson and held every Thursday at 5 Seasons Brewing at the Prado from 1:30 PM till approximately 3:00 PM. This group has been meeting for over 5 years and is all about networking, sharing information, doing deals and making money right now. If you are a real estate player or want to be, this is one meeting you don't want to miss!

5 Seasons Brewing is located at 5600 Roswell Rd (map) inside the Perimeter at the "Prado" in Sandy Springs. The all natural, organic food at the 5 Seasons is excellent and the hand-crafted beer is even better! Come out and eat, drink, network and do some deals with us! There is no charge to attend this meeting for Atlanta REIA Members or guests. Feel free to come early and stay late.

If you missed Ben Rao, President of the Community Buying Group, at the Atlanta REIA Main Meeting for May, he will be back with us on the What's Hot in Real Estate Investing Webcast on Thursday, May 24th at 7PM to discuss all the hot new Member Benefits available to Atlanta REIA Members through our new relationship with the Community Buying Group. Don’t miss this opportunity to pick up new ideas on doing business better and how to save money on products and services you may already be using. There are no programs to buy since these benefits are already included in your paid Atlanta REIA Membership. Ben will show you how to get started so you can save BIG!

Join us on the webcast and learn...

• See how other Real Estate Investors and Landlords are putting more money into their deals by saving money on materials, services and products they use everyday
• Tools and Tips to expand your sphere of influence and network more effectively with other RE Investors locally and nationwide
• Showcase your business or services to other RE investors in your Community
• Learn how to use technology to do business better
• Learn the importance of building your brand and see tools to build your own brand.

Come hear about these incredible benefits and discounts that are now included in your Atlanta REIA Membership. You now have access to more tools to help you save you both time and money. We also will show you how you can get bigger discounts at from suppliers such as Lowe’s, Sun Belt Tool Rentals, Sherwin Williams, Sears Commercial, Sprint /Nextel, Rent Fast, Build a Sign and others.