WiscoREIA upcoming events

WiscoREIA Racine-Kenosha: Real Estate Nightmares & Horror Stories (20 Oct 2026)

Tue, 20 Oct 2026 22:30:00 GMT

Real Estate Nightmares & Horror Stories

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Every real estate investor has a story…

The contractor who vanished halfway through the job.

The “can’t-miss” deal that became a money pit.

The tenant nightmare that escalated overnight.

The flip that… well, flipped on you.

Every investor has a story—the deal that looked perfect on paper, the mistake that cost more than expected, or the situation that had you wondering, “How did I get myself into this?”

This October, WiscoREIA Racine-Kenosha is bringing those stories to the table for a Halloween-themed night of real estate horror stories, audience participation, and lessons learned the hard way.

We’re opening the floor for investors to share their worst deals, biggest mistakes, unexpected disasters, contractor nightmares, tenant troubles, and costly lessons. Whether you’re sharing your own horror story or listening to someone else’s, you’re guaranteed to walk away with valuable insights—and probably a few laughs along the way.

Come for the stories. Stay for the lessons. Leave with fewer nightmares of your own.

Join us this October to network with local investors, swap war stories, and discover why sometimes the best real estate education comes from the deals that haunt us the most.

Because in real estate, the scariest lessons are often the ones that cost us money.

WiscoREIA Racine-Kenosha Always Meets on the 3rd Tuesday of the Month from 5:30 pm to 8:15 pm!

Host: Ray Thorsen & Ken Collins

Ray began his interest in real estate investing in 1999. His parents let him continue to live at home for free after he finished school, as long as he was saving his money. This allowed him to buy his first duplex, which he renovated, put tenants in, refinanced and bought another duplex. Today, that is called the “BRRRR” method. He continued to “House Hack” and “BRRRR” numerous times which led to experience in flipping houses, private lending, as well as, creative finance deals.

He always loves talking about real estate sharing what he has learned to do and what not to do. He also enjoys making business connections and learning from others’ trials and triumphs.

Outside of real estate, he loves spending time with his family. He is an aspiring wood worker, welder, and tinkerer. He likes to play golf, ride motorcycles, and go for cruises in the convertible with his kid.

Ken's journey began in the field of social work and psychotherapy, where he dedicated a decade to helping others navigate their personal challenges. Seeking new horizons, he transitioned into the tech industry, joining Hewlett-Packard. Over the next 24 years, he evolved from a Computer Engineer to a Global Project Manager, culminating in his leadership of the Global Sales Lead program, which under his stewardship generated nearly $1 billion in sales each year.

In 2016, Ken pivoted to real estate investing, initially employing the BRRRR (Buy, Rehab, Rent, Refinance, Repeat) method. Upon retiring from corporate life, he focused on creative deal structuring, mastering techniques like Subject-To (Sub2), Lease/Options, and Land Trusts. His portfolio includes over 50 Real Estate transactions in the last 8 years, ranging from mobile homes, single family and multifamily properties, showcasing his versatility and expertise in the real estate market.

Ken credits much of his real estate knowledge and sharpened skills to his active participation in the many WiscoREIA Madison education programs. Through joining their Coaching Program, completing the Blueprint course, and engaging in numerous educational opportunities including hands-on property tours and weekend training events from a variety of speakers sponsored by the REIA, Ken has continuously expanded his expertise in real estate.

Ken is renowned for his proficiency in lead generation and deal negotiation, leveraging a multitude of creative strategies to craft win-win scenarios in real estate. He now steps into his role as a coach for aspiring real estate investors, eager to share his knowledge and experience. He is always on the lookout for personal growth opportunities, being an active member of groups like Lifeonaire and the Generations of Wealth Mastermind group, which further fuel his passion for continuous learning and development.

With a life that beautifully blends family, community, technology, and real estate, Ken Collins is not just a coach but a mentor who understands the art of building wealth through real estate while maintaining a life of balance and fulfillment.

Make sure to bring tons of business cards as you will be meeting with people that you want to get to know!

Meeting Location:

Route 20 Bar & Grill

14001 Washington Ave

Sturtevant, WI 53177

Please enjoy food, drinks, and TIP YOUR SERVERS!

5:30 pm - 6:00 pm - Doors open early for Networking/Check-in

6:00 pm - 8:15 pm - Speaker Presentation

The meeting ends at 9:00 PM, but we’ll continue with an informal after-meeting for anyone who’d like to stay.

You can stay after the meeting as well to network! Remember to bring your deals!

Our doors are open to EVERYONE!

***Make sure to pre-register - We are now Cashless***

Click here to pre-register!

WiscoREIA Racine-Kenosha: Courthouse to Contract (17 Nov 2026)

Tue, 17 Nov 2026 23:30:00 GMT

Courthouse to Contract

Click here to pre-register!

How to Market to Divorce, Eviction, Probate & Pre-Foreclosure Leads Without Sounding Like Every Other Investor

Anyone can pull a public records list.

Divorce. Eviction. Probate. Pre-foreclosure.

These are some of the most talked-about lead sources in real estate investing—and for good reason. But if everyone has access to the same data, why do some investors consistently turn those lists into conversations and contracts while others get ignored?

Because the list isn’t the strategy.

Behind every filing is a real person dealing with a very different situation. A landlord in the middle of an eviction doesn’t need the same message as a personal representative handling a probate. A homeowner facing pre-foreclosure is thinking about something entirely different from someone navigating a divorce.

When your marketing treats them all the same, it sounds generic—and generic gets ignored.

In Courthouse to Contract, Andrew Engel will break down four powerful public-record lead types and show you how to approach each one with more relevance, timing, and intention.

You’ll learn who is actually on the other end of the lead, what may be driving their decisions, which outreach channels make the most sense, when to use them, and how to start conversations without sounding like every other investor chasing the same list.

If you’re already pulling these leads—or thinking about adding them to your marketing—this session will help you move beyond simply having the data and start using it more effectively.

The same list can produce very different results. The difference is how you approach the person behind it.

Andrew Engel is a husband, a father of 3, and a full-time investor in Oshkosh who focuses on off-market properties to wholesale, flip and buy rentals. His primary emphasis in the business is marketing to sellers and closing deals in Northeast Wisconsin.

Andrew also is the founder of Fresh Picked Leads, a lead generation company designed to collect and distribute the freshest motivated seller lists in Wisconsin. He has served investors statewide since 2018.

When not working, Andrew enjoys spending time with his family, friends, and golf.