Great Lakes Real Estate Investors Association

What Great Lakes Real Estate Investors Association does

Great Lakes Real Estate Investors Association (Great Lakes REIA / GLREIA) is a private, membership-based real estate investors association serving primarily the Northeast Ohio region, operating as a chapter of National REIA. The organization provides education, networking, and practical tools for real estate investors ranging from beginners to seasoned professionals, with members including individual investors, investor teams, real estate agents, and vendor/service providers such as contractors, lenders, attorneys, title companies, and property managers. Its core deliverables are a monthly main meeting held on the 3rd Thursday at Slyman's Tavern in Independence, Ohio, alongside five specialized virtual focus groups (Landlording Made Easy, Tax-Free Investing, Short-Term Rentals, All Things Flipping, Data Mining for REI Gold), plus member-accessible property listings, financial calculators (Mortgage, MAO, Rental Property Analyzer), event archives, and a real estate glossary.

The underlying technology stack is built on the Real Estate Promo platform, which powers the organization's website, member personal websites, property listings system, and Property Analyzer Tools (including Seller Net Sheet, Repair Estimate Worksheet, and Offer Generator Wizard). Zoom is used for virtual events and focus groups, Solupay Consulting handles PCI DSS-compliant payment processing, and the website employs SSL encryption. The platform integrates with TurboTenant for tenant screening and provides member websites in tiered formats (free Basic, $5.95/month Basic Ad-Free, $34.95/month Premium PAT).

The business model is subscription-driven across multiple membership tiers: Single Investor ($250/year or $25/month), Team Investor ($300/year or $29/month), Vendor ($450/year), Vendor Team ($499/year), Strategic Partner ($2,500/year), and Online Only ($180/year or $15/month for remote access). Supplementary revenue comes from non-member meeting fees ($30/event with first-time guest passes free) and premium website services. Distribution is primarily direct-to-consumer through website self-service signup and in-person events, with member referral incentives (quarterly prize drawings) driving word-of-mouth acquisition. The organization also extends National REIA sponsor benefits to members, including Home Depot Pro Xtra rebates (2% biannual), Rent Perfect property management, Foreclosure.com discounts (25% off), and Avis/Budget car rental programs.

Name

Great Lakes Real Estate Investors Association

Legal name

Great Lakes Real Estate Investors Association

Website

https://greatlakesreia.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Great Lakes REIA is a Northeast Ohio membership association and National REIA chapter that provides education, networking, and investor tools — including monthly meetings, specialized focus groups, property listings, financial calculators, and a member website builder — for real estate investors, teams, and vendors.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Mentor

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Subscriptions: Recurring membership fees in various tiers (Single Investor Annual $250, Monthly $25; Team Annual $300, Monthly $29; Vendor Annual $450; Strategic Partner $2,500; Online Only $15/month or $180/year). Paid members receive free attendance at monthly meetings, access to focus groups, property listings, member directory, and discounts on website services.
2. Event Fees (Non-Members): Non-members pay $30 per meeting attendance. First-time guests receive a complimentary guest pass for their initial visit, creating a conversion pathway to paid membership.
3. Premium Website Services: Website builder services including Basic Ad-Free ($5.95/month), Premium PAT ($34.95/month), with member discounts of $29-$79 off setup fees. Additional lead credits available for purchase.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Great Lakes REIA is a membership-based real estate investors association serving the Northeast Ohio region. It delivers monthly in-person educational meetings, recurring virtual focus groups on specialized investing strategies, a property listings platform, member financial calculators, a personal website builder, and a members directory. As a chapter of National REIA, it provides members access to national sponsor benefits including Home Depot rebates, tenant screening tools, and various business discounts.

Product overview

Great Lakes REIA operates as a real estate investors association offering a multi-component platform centered on educational events and membership services. The core offering consists of monthly Main Monthly Meetings (held 3rd Thursday at Slyman's Tavern, Independence, OH) and specialized Focus Groups covering strategies including Landlording, Tax-Free Investing, Short-Term Rentals, Data Mining, and Flipping. The membership program provides access to property listing tools, a RealEstate Promo-powered personal website builder with Property Analyzer Tools (including MAO Calculator, Mortgage Calculator, Rental Property Analyzer, and Offer Generator), and connections through a Members Directory and Vendor Listings. The organization serves as a chapter of National REIA, providing members access to sponsor benefits including Home Depot programs, Rent Perfect, and various partner discounts. Educational resources include a Real Estate Glossary and Event Archives.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Membership Plans Multiple recurring membership tiers including Single Investor Annual ($250/year) and Monthly ($25/month), Team Investor Annual ($300/year) and Monthly ($29/month), Vendor Annual ($450/year), Vendor Team Annual ($499/year), Strategic Partner ($2,500/year), and Online Only ($180/year or $15/month). Paid members receive free meeting attendance, focus group access, property listings, member directory, and National REIA benefits.
• Main Monthly Meetings Cornerstone monthly educational and networking events held on the 3rd Thursday of each month at Slyman's Tavern in Independence, OH. Features real-world education from experienced speakers, local investor/lender/vendor networking, free appetizers, and after-hours networking. Members attend free; non-members pay $30; first-time guests receive free guest pass.
• Focus Groups Specialized recurring virtual meetings covering specific investment strategies including Landlording Made Easy (2nd Tuesday), Tax-Free Investing (4th Thursday), Short-Term Rentals (last Monday), Data Mining for REI Gold (monthly), and All Things Flipping (biweekly). Led by experienced investors and available exclusively to members with free guest pass for first-timers.
• Personal Website Builder Real Estate Promo-powered website builder offering members customizable real estate websites with property listings, buyer/seller lead collection forms, and special reports. Available in Basic (Free for members), Basic Ad-Free ($5.95/month), and Premium PAT ($34.95/month) tiers. Premium PAT includes Property Analyzer Tools (Seller Net Sheet, Repair Estimate Worksheet, Offer Generator Wizard).
• Property Listings Platform Member-accessible property listing system supporting Single Family, Multi Family, and Commercial property types. Members can list properties with photos, pricing, and contact information; listings remain active for approximately 90 days with extension options. Includes search filters for pricing, bedrooms/bathrooms, location, and property type.
• National REIA Benefits Program Chapter membership includes access to National REIA sponsor benefits: Home Depot Pro Xtra (2% biannual rebates, 20% paint discounts, cabinet programs), Rent Perfect tenant screening, Avis/Budget car rentals, CallFire SMS/voice, Constant Contact email marketing, Foreclosure.com listings, and FedEx/PartnerShip shipping discounts.
• Members Directory Searchable member directory enabling members to connect with other real estate professionals in the network. Includes search by name, company, city, and state; directory shows members from Ohio, Nevada, Arizona, Georgia, and other states.

Quantifiable outcome

• Meetings held on 3rd Thursday of each month with check-in, networking, appetizers from 5:30 PM - 8:00 PM
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• National REIAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGreat Lakes REIA is a Proud Chapter of National REIA. This affiliation provides members access to national benefits including Home Depot Pro Xtra rebates (2% biannual), paint program (20% off), cabinet discounts, insurance programs, shipping discounts through FedEx, software discounts (QuickBooks, REI Pro), and educational resources through National REIAU.
• Real Estate PromocoreTechnology or IntegrationWebsite platform provider powering member websites, property listings, and real estate tools. Provides the technical infrastructure for member website builder, property listing system, and lead management features. Partnership enables member website services.
• TurboTenantminorGTM or Marketing PartnerTenant screening partner. Links provided for TurboTenant rental screening, rent estimates, and financial freedom calculator tools. Provides tenant credit check guidance for landlords.
• Home DepotcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerNational REIA partnership offering members: 2% biannual rebate on net purchases (requires $12,500 spending per period), 20% off interior/exterior paints, up to 20% off cabinets, volume pricing through Pro Bid Room (minimum $2,500 order for average 10%+ savings). PRO Xtra account required.
• Rent PerfectminorGTM or Marketing PartnerProperty management software partner through National REIA. Offers online applications, background checks, digital leases, rent collection, work orders, and renter's insurance. National REIA members get account setup for 95 cents.
• Foreclosure.comminorGTM or Marketing PartnerForeclosure listings partner offering National REIA members 25% discount plus unlimited nationwide property access, customized alerts, and property photos/maps.
• REI ProminorGTM or Marketing PartnerReal estate investing software partner offering step-by-step investing platform with nationwide leads, marketing tools, direct mail engine, and contracts. National REIA members receive discounted pricing.
• Avis and BudgetminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCar rental discount programs through National REIA. Avis offers AWD (Avis Worldwide Discount) for automatic lowest rate shopping. Budget offers BCD (Budget Customer Discount) with automatic rate comparison and member coupons.
• REIASureminorGTM or Marketing PartnerInsurance partner offering SES Master Policy for Small Multifamily Dwellings. Portfolio-level coverage with ability to add assets throughout term.
• Slyman's TaverncoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRegular venue for monthly main meetings. Located at 6901 Rockside Rd, Independence, OH 44131. Provides food service (appetizers) for networking events.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Fortune Builders: Real estate investor education and coaching company offering training programs, masterminds, and mentorship. Comparable to Great Lakes REIA's educational focus groups and event-driven investor development content, though delivered via paid courses rather than community membership.
• BiggerPockets: The largest online community, education platform, and marketplace for real estate investors in the U.S. Highly comparable as it serves the same investor education, networking, and deal-sourcing needs as Great Lakes REIA, but at a national scale and primarily digitally.
• Dean Graziosi (MasterMind.com): Real estate investing education and personal development brand delivering coaching, masterminds, and training programs to retail investors. Comparable to Great Lakes REIA's investor education and community-building function, though operating as a personal brand rather than a chapter association.

Broad incumbents

• Roofstock: Online marketplace for single-family rental investment properties with accompanying educational content (Roofstock Academy). Comparable to Great Lakes REIA on the investor education and property listing dimensions, but operating as a national technology platform.
• National REIA: The umbrella association of which Great Lakes REIA is a chapter. National REIA operates at a broader scope, aggregating regional REIAs and negotiating national vendor benefits — directly comparable as it shares the same mission, member-benefit structure, and chapter-based GTM.
• Fundrise: Real estate investment platform offering access to diversified real estate portfolios with educational resources for investors. Comparable to Great Lakes REIA as a real estate investor enablement platform, though Fundrise offers direct investment products rather than community membership.

Regional players

• Real Estate Investment Network (REIN): Canadian-based membership association for real estate investors offering education, networking, and resources. Comparable to Great Lakes REIA as a membership-driven REIA model, but operating primarily in Canada rather than the U.S.
• North Texas Real Estate Investors Association: One of the oldest and largest regional REIAs in the U.S., serving the Dallas-Fort Worth metro with monthly meetings, education, and a member directory. Directly comparable to Great Lakes REIA on the local association model, but at a significantly larger scale and in a different geography.
• Chicago Real Estate Investors Association: Regional REIA serving the Chicago metropolitan area with monthly meetings, education, and networking for real estate investors. Operates the same chapter-based REIA model as Great Lakes REIA but in a different geography, making it a directly comparable peer for benchmarking.

Emerging players

• ActivePassive Investments: Real estate investor education brand offering training on passive rental investing, tax strategies, and deal structuring. Comparable to Great Lakes REIA's Tax-Free Investing and Landlording focus groups, though primarily delivering content through courses and online cohorts.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/GreatLakesREIA
• Facebookfacebook.com/GreatLakesReia
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/great-lakes-real-estate-investors-association

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Great Lakes Real Estate Investors Association