I'm very excited for this year's convention BUT I am dreading feeling overwhelmed. Any suggestions so I do not feel like I am trying to take a sip from a fire hose of information?

I truly appreciate all the learning but dread feeling so overwhelmed for months afterwards. I know this sounds dumb but I just wish I knew how to create a plan to apply what I learn or how to change my focus.

Here'a tip: You need ONE idea.

Don't try to soak up the firehouse. I think we all suffered from that attempt the first time we went.

But I learned: the key for me was looking for THE one idea that often paid for my trip - and it sometimes it wasn't a speaker on stage, it was an attendee - but there will be ONE idea that makes the proverbial lightbuld go off over your head and change your landlording life.

Also: find ONE idea that you can implement immediately. That's a goal. Write it down and DO IT.

Then maybe look for the one you can implement in the near-term - in 2026.

The key is at least one take away. 2 conventions ago there were several speakers on mid term rentals. I have always been buy and hold single family homes. Buying a single family home these last few years doesn’t work in my market at the current interest rates. So I tried midterms and it is working for me.

Use the convention to help you think outside of your box. Try something new. Don’t be scared. Think. Prepare. Execute.

WMH, I like how you described just looking for one idea and not trying to take in the firehose. Perhaps that is how Ray gets his one ideas?

That said though, how do you know where to find that one idea if you don't take in the firehose?

I tried the note taking and couldn't keep up. When I am trying to take notes, I am concentrating on that, get stuck on a subject in my head, lose focus, and then miss the other things the speaker said. I never understood how people take notes and keep up with the speaker.

I don't seem to get the one takeaway. I wish I did. But then, like the OP, what do you do with it?

I went for the first time 2 years ago and found it helpful tyo take pics of what the speaker had on the screen. That way I could listen to what the speaker said. The pics were then a review.

The power of empathy is real. It is important to understand and wish others better. Then the convention comes and your support network increases 100 fold overnight.

Before you go think about which areas you think you could improve on. Maybe Screening applicants, or improving your leases, managing your pets policy were a few I focused on.

Then listen for tips in those areas, ask questions of the experienced speakers. Take notes, reread your notes at the end of each day and HIGHLIGHT actionable-items.

Then AFTER the convention on the way home I gathered actionable items into one document and prioritized where to begin.

Then I invited two landlord friends, who wanted to improve too, to come over my house once a month for a STUDY night. We discussed problems we are having, what we learned and together we worked on how to weave new ideas into our rentals in the most effective way.

I focused each month on one phase of the rental cycle like Advertising and Screening, Leasing, Collecting Deposits/Rents, Maintenance and Pets, Retaining Residents, MoveOuts and MakeReadys.