The Building Trades Association (BTA) Accepts Our Membership

Building Trades Association (BTA)

Hi Folks,

   Happy Friday to all of you !

   Today, we are excited to announce that we have been accepted as a member of the Building Trades Association, or BTA, which consists of member companies involved in all phases of the building and construction industries.

   BTA had invited us to submit a membership application, but I personally figured that since our segment of the industry is different than their regular types of members, that it might be a stretch. Ultimately (and fortunately), we were accepted, and I believe it is primarily due to the vast amount of Builders that list their homes on our website.

   Some of the other top brass over here were mentioning to me at our morning meeting that they think it's also about our longevity in the industry and the service we provide to the Building/Construction segment. Whatever the deciding factor(s) were, we are honored to be a part of this highly-respected trade association. (You can view our BTA Membership Certificate Here)

   On a different topic, on Wednesday the 17th, the New Residential Construction figures are being released, so we'll keep an eye on those numbers.

   Also - don't forget to sign up to receive our Blog via E-mail. It's very easy...On top of the upper right column (under, "SUBSCRIBE BY E-MAIL", just enter your E-mail address, and when you receive the confirmation E-mail, click the link. Super-easy !

May You have a Wonderful Weekend, and Happy Rent-to-Owning !
HomeRun Homes Blog http://blogging.lease2buy.com
HomeRun Homes Website http://www.lease2buy.com

Valuable Real Estate and Construction Industry Associations

Hi Folks,
   Friday has come upon us quite fast this week. The sun is shining and it's cool out. Fall is here. Hooray !

   Today, I'd like to discuss the mortar that holds the Real Estate and Construction industries together, and that would be the industry associations. These groups and organizations allow the professionals from all sectors and niches of the Real Estate and Construction industry to mingle amongst each other in order to create better opportunities that drive the housing market.

   The first one that I would like to mention is the Building Trades Association (BTA), which is, as they describe on their website, "made up of thousands of companies involved in all phases of the building and construction industries". Additionally, they have an invaluable Contractor Directory, which can prove as vital to anyone in our industry. They charge a nominal fee for full access to their services and registration.

   Jessie Sidhu, a multi family investor and Real Estate Broker, names the Apartment Association as a very valuable resource, stating that, "They keep you informed of all latest rules, regulations, laws (local, state & federal) pertaining to landlords and renters", as well as, "provide insights into the industry/current trends along with local vendor resources and more".

   Raj Persaud, a Sales Agent and Business Development Manager for Manhattist Inc, cites the National Real Estate Investors Association (NREIA), Multiple Listing Service (MLS), and the Real Estate Board of New York (REBNY), as his most valuable industry associations.

   Persaud says that the NREIA is a, "very sophisticated association but you can tell that they do very real work which has very practical implications for the industry", and that he thinks that, "they are the most future-forward in fore-seeing approaching challenges and mobilizing investors and professionals to address them".

   For the MLS, Persaud says that, "to just be a part of this service is incredibly convenient and instantly enhances your company to marketing 2.0. They make a search for any property in NYC with open listings very easy and at your fingertips". In discussing the REBNY, Persaud says that is serves as the, "real backbone to the property market here in NYC. Their unity of professionals brings real hope to the industry and they are always promoting better standards, including energy efficiency in buildings across the state. This is the kind of force we all need".

   Have we missed any associations that are valuable to you? Please comment and let us know.

Have a Great Weekend, and Happy Rent-to-Owning !

Do REIA Memberships Still Have a Pulse?

Hi Folks,
   As we move into mid-week, we have been speaking with some folks that are involved with and/or administer Real Estate Investing Associations (REIA), along with some other Real Estate Investing Club contacts.

   In doing so, I realized that this would be an interesting topic to cover, from the angle of membership, during these days of housing market and economic turmoil.

   One such individual, Jeremy Burgess, the owner of Renegade Detroit Investors, says that, "Attendance numbers have been consistent". Concurring with this statement is Marc Sherby, a board member of the Diversified Real Estate Investor Group (DIG) in Fort Washington, PA, who says that, "We are a fairly large group, currently with membership at about 1,000 members", and that, "Our membership is actually on the rise in the past 12 months."

   Burgess goes on to say that they are getting less "beginning real estate investors and more experienced real estate investors". He says that the more expert investors are attending the meeting, which was not the case before." Burgess cites the decrease in interest to the beginners as attributable to the fact that, "they don't see this as a viable option, and more interest from those who are more experienced but looking for an edge".

   In terms of a trend in membership over the past few years, Sherby says that in 2009, "membership numbers nationwide were in serious decline and some of the RE investing groups around the country were closing up", since membership was as, "decimated as the real estate market itself."

   Sherby says that their membership is growing stronger since they are stressing to their members that, "contrary to what you hear in the news, now is a great time to be investing in real estate.", and that they are using multiple techniques to attract and keep members, such as a monthly newsletter, email blasts, postcard and mailings.

   From my own personal perspective, for quite some time, I have done private speaking engagements, and as you all know, I recently announced that I will be giving public speaking appearances. Since we have made that announcement, we have been deluged with requests from REIAs (#REIA) and Real Estate Investor Groups (#RealEstateInvestor) for me to speak at their meetings, conventions, expos, cruises, etc. From the response I have received, it appears that there is still an active and hungry desire to learn more about Real Estate Investing.

   What can we take from all of this? Real Estate Investing is going strong, and if you want to get involved and learn more, or even brush up on your skills, contact your local REIA. Here is a very good directory of Real Estate Investing club/REIA directories that I want to share with you: http://www.larrygoins.com/reiadirectory.asp

   As always, the floor is open for your questions and comments...over to you!

Have a Great Day, and Happy Rent-to-Owning !!