Carolinas Real Estate Investors Association

What Carolinas Real Estate Investors Association does

The Carolinas Real Estate Investors Association (CREIA), DBA CREIANC and CREIA, is a North Carolina-incorporated 501(c)(6) not-for-profit trade association founded in the mid-1980s and headquartered in Asheville, NC. It operates as the largest real estate investors association in Western North Carolina with approximately 300 members, governed by an annually elected volunteer Board of Directors. CREIA serves individual SMB real estate investors and a surrounding ecosystem of vendors — wholesalers, rehabbers, landlords, contractors, private lenders, note buyers, and property managers — across Western North Carolina and, through a reciprocal affiliate arrangement, the Upstate South Carolina market via UCREIA in Greenville.

CREIA's core product is a tiered membership ($25/month, $75/quarter, $197/year individual, $247/year plus-one) delivering monthly in-person meetings at the Highland Brewing Event Center, eight recurring focus groups (Newbies, Advanced Investors, All About Money, All Things Rental, Young Investors Social, Women in Real Estate, Coffee & CREIA, and Haves Needs & Wants), and access to a member-only property listing marketplace with weekly email digests. The platform is powered by Real Estate Promo (realestatepromo.com), which also provides a free personal website builder with premium analyzer tools (MAO Calculator, Mortgage Calculator, Rental Property Analyzer, Seller Net Sheet, Offer Generator Wizard), a members directory, Groups.io-based email discussion board, and an educational content library (articles, glossary, home study courses, vendor expo). Vendor-side monetization includes Gold/Silver/Bronze sponsorship tiers ($600-$1,000/year), annual Vendor Expo table fees, and stacked partner discounts through Think Realty, Sherwin Williams, Bel Air Lending, AmericanIRA, Advanta IRA, House in Order Property Management, Future Home Loans, and ALFIE Loans.

Revenue is generated primarily from individual membership dues, vendor sponsorship tiers, vendor expo table fees, non-member meeting attendance fees, and one-time educational product sales. The go-to-market motion is community-led: growth is driven by word-of-mouth referrals, free first-visit guest passes, monthly in-person meetings, eight virtual/in-person focus groups, and partnerships with affiliate organizations. Marketing is multi-channel but lightweight, relying on a Facebook public group, a members-only private Facebook group, an Instagram account, the Groups.io discussion board, the website content and event calendar, and partner referral channels. The organization is member-funded with no external parent, no institutional investors, and no disclosed funding rounds; a 30-day money-back guarantee is offered on annual memberships contingent on attending at least six events in the first six months.

Name

Carolinas Real Estate Investors Association

Legal name

Carolinas Real Estate Investors Association

Website

https://creianc.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1985

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

The Carolinas Real Estate Investors Association (CREIA) is an Asheville, NC-based 501(c)(6) nonprofit trade association serving roughly 300 individual SMB real estate investors and vendors across Western North Carolina through tiered memberships, monthly meetings, focus groups, and a member property-listing platform.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Real Estate Investor Trade Association

NAICS

Business Associations (813910), Professional Organizations (813920)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Investors, Nec (6799)

akta.pro primary industry

Commercial Real Estate Asset Management (BPAJAMAB)

Keywords

• Real estate investor association
• Investor education
• Member networking
• Property listing platform
• Investor focus groups

Headquarters

HQ city

Asheville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Individual Membership Fees: Annual individual membership at $197/year provides core recurring revenue. Also quarterly ($75) and monthly ($25) options available for flexibility
2. Vendor Sponsorships: Gold ($1,000/year for 3 members), Silver ($750/year for 2 members), and Bronze ($600/year for 2 members) sponsorship tiers. Includes table at main meetings, newsletter advertising, website logo placement, and focus group speaking opportunities
3. Educational Products: Sale of educational courses, training materials, and products such as How to Create a Credibility Package ($147), Virtual Property Inspection Tour ($97), and VIP tickets ($25)
4. Vendor Expo Fees: Vendor expo table fees - $129 for non-members, free for current CREIA vendors. Additional sponsorship add-ons for Expert Lounge ($100) and Barrel Room ($250)
5. Event Fees: Non-members pay $20 per meeting attendance. Some special events and focus groups included in membership, others may have additional fees

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

CREIA is a not-for-profit 501(c)(6) trade association that delivers a membership-based community for real estate investors. Core offerings include tiered individual memberships (annual, quarterly, monthly), monthly in-person meetings at Highland Brewing Event Center, eight specialized focus groups, an online property listing platform, educational home-study courses, financial calculators, and vendor sponsorship programs connecting investors with service providers.

Product overview

CREIANC operates as a real estate investors association offering a membership-based platform with tiered options (Annual Individual at $197, Annual Member Plus One at $247, Quarterly at $75, Monthly at $25) plus vendor sponsorships. The core offering combines monthly meetings and eight focus groups (Newbys for Newbies, Advanced Investors, All About Money, All Things Rental, Young Investors Social, WIRE, Coffee & CREIA, Haves Needs & Wants) with a property listing platform, personal website builder powered by Real Estate Promo, educational courses (How to Create a Credibility Package, Virtual Property Inspection Tour, Total Traction Program), and financial calculators (MAO Calculator, Mortgage Calculator, Rental Property Analyzer). Members also receive access to a vendor sponsorship program with Gold ($1,000), Silver ($750), and Bronze ($600) tiers, plus partner discounts through Think Realty. A 30-day money back guarantee is offered for annual members who attend at least 6 events in the first 6 months.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• CREIANC Membership Annual ($197), quarterly ($75), and monthly ($25) membership options providing access to monthly meetings, focus groups, property listings, member directory, vendor discounts, and educational resources for individual real estate investors.
• Real Estate Educational Courses Home study courses and educational products including How to Create a Credibility Package, Virtual Property Inspection and Repair Estimation Tour, and Total Traction Program covering negotiation and investor tools for real estate investors.
• Property Listing Platform Members post and search properties for sale or rent, including single family, multi-family, and commercial listings. Listings searchable by price, bedrooms, bathrooms, location, and property type, with weekly email notifications of new listings.
• Focus Groups Eight specialized focus groups: Newbys for Newbies, Advanced Investors, All About Money, All Things Rental, Young Investors Social, Women in Real Estate (WIRE), Coffee & CREIA, and Haves Needs & Wants peer exchange. Delivered virtually and in-person for members.
• Vendor Sponsorship Program Tiered vendor sponsorship (Gold $1,000, Silver $750, Bronze $600 annually) providing service providers with access to CREIA members through meeting tables, newsletter advertising, website logo placement, focus group speaking slots, and vendor expo tables.
• Monthly Main Meetings Main monthly in-person meetings at Highland Brewing Event Center featuring hot seat speakers, professional investors, roundtable discussions, and buy-sell opportunities. Free for members, $20 for non-members.
• WNC Real Estate Investing Vendor Expo Annual vendor expo event connecting vendors with hundreds of real estate investors in Western North Carolina. Includes Expert Lounge and Barrel Room sponsorship opportunities and vendor expo tables ($129 for non-members, free for current CREIA vendors).
• Mortgage and Financial Calculators Online calculators including MAO (Maximum Allowable Offer) Calculator, Mortgage Calculator, and Rental Property Analyzer (premium member feature) to help investors analyze deals and financing options.

Quantifiable outcome

• Members receive access to hundreds of available property listings weekly
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Upstate Carolina REIA (UCREIA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint venture partnership with UCREIA based in Greenville, SC. CREIA members receive free affiliate membership with full access to UCREIA events including main meetings and all focus groups. Joint Haves Needs & Wants meetings held bi-monthly between the two associations
• Think RealtycoreGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership provides CREIA members with free Think Realty membership offering discounts at major retailers including Home Depot Pro, Office Depot/Office Max, Sunbelt Rentals, and benefits from Realeflow, Motili and more. CREIA listed as REIA Group on Think Realty website
• Bel Air LendingminorOthersPrivate real estate investment fund offering 10% annualized interest rates on loans. Specializes in buy-and-hold, fix-and-flip, and new construction loans secured by first-position liens
• AmericanIRAminorOthersSelf-directed IRA administration with over $700 Million in client assets. Provides custodial services for alternative assets including real estate and private lending. $0 fees until first transaction, A+ BBB rating
• House in Order Property ManagementminorOthersFull-service long-term property management firm handling marketing, tenant screening, rent collection, repairs, and financial reporting for rental properties
• Sherwin WilliamsminorOthersNational paint and coatings company offering CREIA members 30% discount on paints/coatings/supplies and 33% discount on brushes/rollers at 10 WNC locations through Carolina's REIA cash account
• Future Home LoansminorOthersVeteran-owned mortgage brokerage providing financing for investment properties including no-income verification loans, interest-only payments, cash-out refinances, and 1031 exchanges
• Advanta IRAminorOthersSelf-directed IRA administration with over $1.5 billion in client assets. Nearly 20 years experience with dedicated account managers for each client
• ALFIE LoansminorOthersReal estate collateral-based lender offering flexible financing from $100K-$5M+ with 3-month to 24-month terms. Lends up to 65% LTV on residential and commercial projects
• Real Estate PromocoreTechnology or IntegrationWebsite platform provider powering CREIANC.org with member management, event registration, property listings, vendor marketplace, calculators, and personal website builder functionality

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Emerging players

• REIWholesalers: Online community of real estate wholesalers and investors. Comparable because it overlaps with CREIA's wholesaler and deal-maker member segments and competes for share of investor attention and education.
• BiggerPockets: Largest online community and education platform for real estate investors in the US. Both serve individual real estate investors seeking education, networking, and deal flow, though BiggerPockets operates nationally online while CREIA is a regional in-person association.

Others

• Real Estate Promo: Technology platform provider that powers CREIA's website, member management, property listings, vendor marketplace, and calculators. A direct technology enabler and infrastructure peer for association-based REIA websites.
• Think Realty: National real estate investor network and benefits provider that is an active GTM partner of CREIA. Comparable because it delivers member benefits, education, and supplier discounts to real estate investors through a partnership/affiliate model.

Direct peers

• National REIA: Umbrella trade association for local/regional REIAs across the United States. Directly comparable as a real estate investor trade association model that CREIA is structurally aligned with as a member REIA.
• Atlanta REIA: Established Southeast US real estate investors association offering monthly meetings, focus groups, vendor sponsorships, and educational programming. Closely mirrors CREIA's membership and event-driven business model.
• Texas REIA: One of the largest regional real estate investors associations in the US. Operates the same trade-association model (monthly meetings, focus groups, vendor sponsorships, education) at significantly larger scale, serving as a comparable benchmark.
• Upstate Carolina REIA (UCREIA): Sister real estate investors association based in Greenville, SC with which CREIA has a formal affiliate partnership. Operates an essentially identical membership, focus group, and sponsorship model in an adjacent Carolina geography.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/CREIANC
• Instagraminstagram.com/creia_wnc
• Xx.com/creianc
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/carolinas-real-estate-investor

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

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 Carolinas Real Estate Investors Association