| Property
networking, like Test Cricket and Simon Cowell, just
isn't as popular in Scotland as in England. But that's
changing.
If the national sport of the English is talking about
the value of this or that house, then being stuck in
the same room at the same time as hundreds of other
people with the same obession must be close to heaven
for the Real Estate junkies. There are some superb networking
events down south (I know, because I've been to a good
few of them) but somehow, we just don't do it on the
same scale up here. For instance, I've never been to
a Scottish event with more than around 60 people in
attendance. At some of the top meetings in England,
such as the Berkshire, you can multiply that figure
by five. Maybe more.
What we currently have north of Hadrian's Wall are a
number of club-type affairs, dotted around the big cities
(Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen) and some smaller towns
that are home to prolific investors, such as Dunfermline.
Every one I have been to has well run and the speakers
are generally worth listening to. I've also made some
useful contacts by attending. And for that I thank the
organisers. You'll know who you are.
So what are people looking for. Information about property?
Definitely. Tips on how to make money? Absolutely. The
chance to dive headlong into an exciting new career?
Certainly. The chance to meet the love of their life?
Haven't seen it happen yet. There's a well worn saying
that your network is your net worth and that can work
on so many different levels. The more people you know,
the more chance you have of getting that brilliantly
original business idea off the ground; the more chance
you have of securing funding for the project of your
dreams; and the more likely you are to get into partnership
with someone who has already walked the walk and will
help you avoid the numerous pitfalls and sharks that
lie in wait for the unwary. This applies to the world
of buying and selling bricks and mortar more than just
about any other business.
You
get the feeling that the average man in the street has
garnered their property knowledge by watching repeats
from 2006 of Property Ladder and Location Location Location
on UKTV Gold. Remember those days? All you had to do
was buy a house, any house, and you were guaranteed
to make a fortune almost overnight. Didn't even have
to do anything to it. If it had a roof, four walls and
the odd window you were minted. Sort of.
But reality bites hard and the common wisdom now seems
to be that you should have nothing to do with property
of any sort or you'll go bankrupt. And then some banker
will use his £2million January bonus to buy up
your whole street.
The truth, of course, is nowhere near the received opinion
of the majority. As the father of James Caan, the greatest
of all the Dragons, once said: "Observe the masses
and do the opposite". Warren Buffet also lives
by that maxim and I think he's doing okay cash-wise
at the moment. My point is if you want to know what's
really going on in property, you won't get it from the
newspapers or television; you'll get it from the people
who are doing it for real - and they're all going to
networking meetings.
As
more people start to realise this, attendance at property
events is on an upward curve. Berkshire, the daddy (Sorry
Sylvia) of them all, can now sell out three or four
nights in a row, with hundreds and hundreds of people
heading for deepest, darkest Maidenhead to meet the
people that matter. And in London itself, new networking
groups seem to be springing up on an almost weekly basis,
proving that property education in the UK is now in
the hands of the professionals. And so it should be.
That's
not to say newcomers are not welcome. If you have a
genuine interest in networking, education and you have
something to offer, you will be warmly welcomed into
the fold. I know because I was. You'll meet new friends
and potential new partners in a stimulating environment.
And I guarantee that once you've been to one networking
event, addiction will set in. And as yet there's no
cure!
To
go back to my original point, it's about time there
was a large scale event for property networkers in Scotland.
Well, there is now.
The
Scottish Property Meet is launching this week in Glasgow
(January 21st) and Edinburgh (January 22nd) and the
special guest speakers are John Lee and Vincent Wong.
Some of you will know them already, but if not go to
their website (www.WealthDragons.co.uk) and prepare
to be impressed.
It's
a new decade and the time has arrived for networking
in Scotland to hit the big time. Most of the property
superstars have been lined up to include us on their
UK tour itineraries this year. And the ones that haven't
will soon be converted!
It
would be great to see you there.
Andrew
McInnes
www.ScottishPropertyMeet.com
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