What Is a Real Estate Club and Should I Join One?

A real estate club is a professional group for people who are in the business of buying and selling real estate. The majority of people who choose to join a real estate club are real estate agents and other people who make a living working in the business of real estate. However, it’s possible that there may be other reasons to join a real estate club even if you’re only a casual or one-time investor in real estate.

The purpose and benefits of a real estate club

Like any other club, the core purpose of a real estate club is networking. This type of club allows professionals in the real estate industry to network with other professionals in the same industry. Benefits of this include:

·      Better access to information in the real estate industry. The more people that you know in the real estate industry, the more likely it is that you’re going to have the most up-to-date information about real estate. This could include everything from general real estate market information to niche information such as news about real estate for people interested in alternative home building materials.

·      Career opportunities. These days you have to do all that you can to network with others in the hopes of developing your job prospects. If you work in the real estate business or any field that is even remotely linked to this business then you may use a real estate club to network for career opportunities.

·      Education. Real estate clubs tend to offer education in the form of workshops and seminars. You can take advantage of this to learn more about real estate, get continuing education credits for your real estate license and/or boost your resume.

·      Socializing. It’s hard to make new friends as an adult. Clubs that are centered around the work or investing that you do give you connections to other people with similar interests. Real estate clubs may interest for you their social benefits. They often include group trips to view real estate which can be a lot of fun for some people.

Types of real estate clubs

There are two things you need to consider when it comes to the types of real estate clubs that are available: physical presence and club level. By physical presence, I mean that you have the option of choosing a local real estate club or one centered on an online presence. By club level, I am referring to the choice of joining a real estate clubs for elite investors or one that’s a more casual social club for people interested in real estate. The options available to you will, of course, vary depending on what you’re looking for and what region of the world you’re looking in. A quick search online will give you a basic overview of the different clubs that are in your area although contacting a local real estate professional may get you further.

Real estate club member requirements

Joining a club tends to mean that you have to meet certain obligations as a member of the club. Those obligations may vary from one real estate club to the next. Typical requirements can include:

·      Pay dues. You may need to pay monthly or annual club membership dues to be a member of your real estate club.

·      Volunteer activities. Many clubs keep their dues low by asking members to engage in different volunteer activities throughout the year which keep the club running.

·      Attendance. Some clubs require that you attend a certain number of meetings or events during the year if you want to remain a member.

Should you join a real estate club?

There are clear benefits to joining a real estate club if you are a real estate agent or a professional real estate investor. But what if you’re just an average person who is interested in real estate? Why would you join a real estate club? In addition to the aforementioned general benefits of joining a real estate club, some of the reasons include:

·      Affordable education in the industry. If you’re interested in investing in real estate down the line but hesitate because you’re not sure if you know enough to be good at it, then joining a real estate club can be a smart choice. You can learn a whole lot of useful information about real estate investing from the club members and events and the total cost to you will be nominal.

·      Insider information for buying a home. Even if you just want to buy a home for yourself someday, it’s always smart to get a home that is likely to increase in value over time. If you have connections to the right people in the industry then it’s a lot easier to find such a home. A real estate club gives you those connections.

·      Learn something new during the recession. If you are underemployed or unemployed during the recession, you need to keep busy. Meeting new people, learning a new industry and boosting your resume with additional seminars and classes are things that can only help you. The situation you’re in may not be ideal but use the time as best as you can. Joining a real estate club is one option.

Summary

In truth, a real estate club is best for real estate investors who want to network with one another. However, real estate professionals and even the average person can benefit from joining the right real estate club. It could be worth looking in to.