With a plethora of real estate investment seminar companies in the Canadian marketplace promising massive wealth, it’s hard for a novice investor to determine which is best for their individual set of circumstances.
In the pursuit of real estate investing success, I have attended over a dozen different real estate seminars during the past three years, from national Canadian companies such as the Real Estate Investment Network (REIN), Keyspire, CREW’s Investor Forum and Raymond Aaron to national U.S. companies such as Rich Dad Seminars and Peak Potentials Real Estate Intensive to Vancouver area local Meet-ups such as Women Investing in Real Estate (WIRE), Synergy REIN and too many more to mention here.
Sometimes I would see the same people at some of these seminars and we would joke around with one another calling ourselves “Seminar Junkies.” Some were very serious investors, while others have never really gotten anywhere.
As a seminar junkie, I discovered that not all seminar companies are created equal. Based on your investment goals and your current financial situation, one company will likely be more suitable over another.
Choosing a seminar that’s right for you
Being a seminar junkie isn’t the most efficient way to reach your real estate investing goals. On the other hand, you don’t want to miss a seminar that could prove to be very valuable for you as an investor.
To help you decide which one is right for you right now, I’ve highlighted two of Canada’s top real estate investing education companies, as well as my favourite local Meetups.
REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT NETWORK
The Real Estate Investment Network™ (“REIN™”) has been around since 1992. Founded by Don Campbell, one of Canada’s most respected seminar trainers and successful investor, REIN has been educating novice to veteran investors how to create a business income from real estate.
REIN Highlights:
- monthly evening education and networking workshops from 5:30pm-10pm
- monthly “Behind the Curtains” report of news stories relating to real estate and how to read between the lines to learn what the real story is
- monthly magazine mailed to you with investment area highlights and investing tips
- on-line member forum containing educational blogs, area reports, essential forms, and an interactive area where you can ask questions and other REIN members can answer them, recommended real estate suppliers to form your ‘Power Team’
- focus on economic fundamentals of geographic areas and top investment towns
- focus on positioning yourself as an sweat equity partner in joint ventures with money partners
- focus on where and how to find (and analyze) income properties
- lots of networking time during workshops to build business relationships
- annual 3-day real estate intensive workshop aka ACRE weekend
- optional coaching program
Cost of REIN Membership:
Primary Member: $199/month with 18-month minimum commitment
Associate Members: $99/month if you go under another REIN member who is a spouse or business partner
Optional Coaching: $99-$499/month depending on level of coaching desired, with $499 for non-members
Teresa’s Recommendation: I believe that Motivated Go-Getters would benefit the most from a REIN membership. Many of my mentors and business partners are REIN Members who’s making some serious money with real estate investing as their full-time business. If I were to compare REIN with a car brand, it would be the Toyota. Reliable, affordable with long-term results.
KEYSPIRE
Keyspire, formerly known as Lifetime Wealth Academy, started in 2012. The founders are Michael Sarracini and Scott McGillivray of HGTV’s hit renovations show, Income Property. Even though Keyspire is relatively new to the Canadian marketplace, especially in Western Canada where they launched their first workshops in Spring of 2015, this company is attracting a new market of Action-takers.
Keyspire Highlights:
- 3 ways to invest: 1. Syndicated mortgages 2. Land development 3. Real estate asset investments
- 4 ways to win: 1. Cashflow 2. Principal recapture (mortgage pay-down) 3. Passive Appreciation 4. Active Appreciation with renovations
- preferred real estate power team suppliers such as Investor-focused REALTORS®, mortgage brokers, lawyers, accountants, syndicated mortgage companies and land development companies.
- year-round 3-day Investor Summit with expert guest speakers and successful investors (one Investor Summit included with annual membership)
- pre-analyzed deals ready to go
- Mastery 90 Events: quarterly market update, networking and goal setting workshops in local member cities facilitated by Keyspire Preferred REALTORS® and Keyspire team member(s)
- online webinars for training in all areas of real estate investing from goal setting to property management and joint ventures
- video blogs with real estate experts
- online member forum for deal announcements and joint venture opportunities
- access to proprietary investing software that is not available to the public (helping members to easily analyse properties and return on investment)
- on going coaching throughout the year with unlimited property analysing
- networking time during Investor Summit and Mastery 90 to build business relationships
- annual curriculum with focus on reaching real estate goals
Cost of 2-Hour Introductory Wealth Tour workshop: $25 or free if registering online prior to the event
Cost of 3-day workshop: $1,997 for 2 people (spouse, family member, friend, business partner)
Cost of annual membership: $15,000 for 2 people
Teresa’s Recommendation: I wouldn’t be put off by the seemingly high cost of the workshop or the annual membership as the value that Keyspire delivers is worth every penny. I would recommend Keyspire for professionals, business entrepreneurs and company executives who currently owns under-performing investments with their banks or financial advisor and want to learn options with real estate that produces much better returns. Keyspire’s annual membership gives members access to some exclusive investment opportunities, preferred service providers who understand real estate as an investment, and outstanding real estate education. What car brand would Keyspire be compared to? The Mercedes Benz: Understated sophistication.
CREW’s INVESTOR FORUM
CREW’S annual Investor Forum is a weekend event that usually happens every March in Toronto. They have amazing real estate investment experts from all over Canada to teach novice to experienced investors specialized topics to create success in this arena. I’ve been lucky enough to attend one in Vancouver a few years back when they had the event here, and in Toronto last year.
Investor Forum Highlights:
- gold nuggets of information from successful investor speakers throughout the weekend
- national speakers travel to speak at the workshops, saving people money and time by having all the experts in one place
- there’s a luncheon, awards ceremony and plenty of time for networking with Canada’s best in a comfortable atmosphere
- Canadian, US, and commercial investment advice
- no annual fees, so anyone can attend!
- Cost of Investor Summit Weekend: $67 to $495 depending on whether you want to attend the full meal deal or just pick and choose the events you are interested in. Take a peek at their website for more info. http://theinvestorforum.ca/
Teresa’s Recommendations: Investor Summit is a great place to learn and to create your investment power team; from REALTORS, to Real Estate Investment firms, to Accountants and Lawyers who specialize working with investors. You get to meet some of Canada’s best speakers and experts, making this an annual event one that should not be missed! CREW’s Investor Summit would be like the MINI Cooper. Compact, and full of value.
Women Investing in Real Estate (WIRE) Meetup
WIRE is a REIN spin-off founded by Veteran REIN Member, Laurie Finnigan of Legacy Wealth Income Properties. It’s mission is to offer a safe and relaxed environment for like-minded women to be educated, empowered and encouraged to invest in “income-producing” real estate with the goal of achieving financial freedom and independence.
WIRE Highlights:
- monthly workshops with various expert speakers, successful investors and REIN veterans & service providers
- topics such as rent-to-own, how to analyse a property for long-term cashflow, to financing tips
- introduction to Legacy Wealth Income Properties’ investment opportunities
- networking with like-minded women
Cost to attend a WIRE workshop: $25 which includes snacks and drinks (sometimes a glass of wine). No annual membership required.
Teresa’s Recommendation: WIRE is great for women who enjoy learning from the experience of successful female real estate investors. The low entry fee and no annual commitments means you can go to the workshops when there’s a topic that interests you. I would say that this is for the budget-conscious novice investor who is looking for affordable investment opportunities and networking with other like-minded women. WIRE would be the Ford Focus. Super affordable offering great value, and made especially for a woman (because it self-parallel parks too).
Synergy Real Estate Investment Network Meetup
Best-selling author and commercial mortgage broker, Sua Truong, founded Synergy REIN, formerly known as Surrey Real Estate Investment Network. Its mission is to provide an alternative Meetup group that is fun, inexpensive and full of structured education in a fun, friendly and relaxed atmosphere.
Synergy REIN Highlights:
- inexpensive education for the ‘Newbie Investor’
- quality speakers from local experts to successful investors
- specific monthly topics such as how to be successful with furnished rentals, how to avoid a tax audit in your real estate investments by former CRA auditor, to inspirational success stories
- USA and out of province investment topics
- ability for attendees to pitch deals and joint venture opportunities at the end of each workshop
- networking with like-minded individuals
- bi-weekly workshops in Surrey and in North Vancouver
- snacks, dessert, fruit and drinks
Cost of Synergy REIN Membership:
- $100 per year – includes all workshops at all chapter locations (Surrey, Burnaby, and Langley)
- or $10 to attend individual workshop
Teresa’s Recommendation: Synergy REIN is unlike any other education group as there is absolutely no selling or competition among the real estate service providers who run this non-profit organization. They allow attendees to share and pitch their deals, and the speakers always offer great education on various topics. I recommend this for investors of all levels and even to members of other seminar groups to supplement their local content, learn of deals from other members and to network. Synergy REIN would be like the Toyota Prius. Just like the hybrid, Synergy REIN is fun, inexpensive, and gives good mileage.
Now that you have the complete low-down on the major real estate investing education companies and workshops, it’s time to take action and join one or a few of them to advance your education in real estate investing.
Teresa Leung is an active Investor and Investment Realtor® (Keyspire™ Preferred Realtor®) specializing in helping people grow their wealth exponentially through the acquisition of strategic real estate investments. She is also CREW’s 2015 Finalist for Realtor® of the Year. www.pointBinvestment.ca.