Meetups: where agents go to thrive

NEW YORK -- Real Estate Connect is winding down and some agents might wonder how to keep up what they've learned or learn from those who attended. Create or join a meetup group, suggested Scott Heiferman, co-founder and CEO of Meetup.com, in Friday's keynote address.

"Everybody has something to teach and, it may sound funny, but everybody needs a support group," the CEO said.

Meetups are local support groups that meet face-to-face, but are organized on a Web site. There are 5.7 million Meetup.com members in nearly 59,000 local groups in more than 11,000 cities, according to the company's site. More than 4,000 meetups around the world occurred Friday, Heiferman said.

"The Internet is not just locking us in constant screens 24/7, it also facilitates these groups," he said.

Real estate professionals can use meetups to catalyze a feeling of community around their business, Heiferman said. Agents can not only join a meetup for local real estate professionals, but they can connect with local real estate buyers groups and sponsor non-real-estate-related groups. He gave the example of a RE/MAX agent in Dallas who sponsored a local wildlife meetup.

"(People are) thanking that sponsor face-to-face in the real world," Heiferman said.

The most popular types of groups on the site are meetups for moms, fitness-related (hiking, running, etc.) meetups, and small-business and entrepreneur meetups.

"Meet other people going through what (you're) going through," he said.

"Imagine a 'Real Estate Connect' meetup in hundreds of cities."

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