It was the summer of 2002. I had just founded AZREIA and was anxiously trying to determine how to make Arizona real estate investors aware of it and to gauge the interest in an investor association. To my disbelief several people told me that it had been tried before and the main problem is, “you will run out of topics for your meeting within six months”. AZREIA first meeting was November 2002. That was 100 meetings ago and we haven’t run out of topics yet.
Okay, I know some of you are saying that we have repeated topics these last 100 months and you’re right, we have. Actually, we have repeated some topics multiple times, some even eight times. The interesting aspect is what we cover on a topic today may be completely different when we cover it the next year or in two or three years. Why, because our market is constantly changing. Also, we have found different ways to cover the information about a topic and different people to convey the information.
Having a speaker talk or lecture about Buy & Hold is completely different than having a panel of local experts discuss the different aspects of rental property, yet they are the same topic. The same is true as the information shared about REOs in 2004 was different than what we are communicating today. Times are different.
I have put a lot more stress on myself the last year or so in the area of “program development” for AZREIA meetings. I used to determine the topics for AZREIA meetings on a yearly basis and then figure out how to deliver the information and lastly, who to do the presentation. These days I try to “time” the topic to our market dynamics, so I only book out about 60 to 90 days. Stressful as it may limit the opportunities for a speaker, but worth it as it makes our meetings more reflective of our current market.
The AZREIA staff and I are proud of our meetings and the quality and amount of information we deliver. I know of no other place where Arizona real estate investors can get the volume of timely information that is relevant to their investing.
Like a mentioned in the first paragraph, February marks AZREIA 100th meeting. Well, that really isn’t completely true. It is the AZREIA Phoenix Chapter’s 100th meeting. We have held 88 Phoenix Real Estate club meetings, 84 AZREIA Tucson meetings, 91 AZREIA Prescott meetings and hundreds of AZREIA sub-group meetings. Amazing! I trust we will have hundreds more!
Back to running out of topics for meetings… I am no more worried about that today than I was in the summer of 2002, but I will graciously accept your help. If there is a topic you would like to see covered, please let me know. If it is appropriate, I will get it on the schedule.
I enjoy seeing each of you at our AZREIA meeting. I appreciate the trust and confidence you have in me and the staff to manage these meetings and deliver to you important, factual, pertinent and timely information and education that is in keeping with my motto….
Smarter investing,
Alan Langston