About Minnesota Real Estate Exchangors
MREE is about Networking and Deal Making!
Some may consider attending networking meetings of little value in this 'Electronic Age' because real estate information so easily accessed. Many take it for granted that they can do their investigations and make their decisions on a desktop. How wrong-headed is that?
Lack of ‘personal contact’ is the missing ingredient and a major reason many deals do not get done. “Real Estate is a Contact Sport.”
MREE has members with widely diverse backgrounds, e.g.: investors, sellers, buyers, real estate licensees, attorneys, title companies, experts at 1031’s, bankers and the list goes on in other specialties. At a MREE Event, you’ll interact with more people and often hear about more deals at one meeting than you will the rest of your week. If you are serious about real estate investment and doing transactions you need to be a MREE member.
MREE meets twice a month to share opportunities, exchange useful information, get educated on important topics and interact with others ‘Face-to-Face’. If MREE Members do not know how to help, they know someone who can help.
Our History
The Minnesota Real Estate Exchangors (MREE) grew out of the pioneering work of Richard Reno and Charles Chatham, two innovators who reshaped how real estate professionals think about exchanging property. Reno introduced creative exchange strategies, while Chatham emphasized counseling clients based on their circumstances — a philosophy that still guides MREE today.
The Early Years
MREE began in 1962 as the Minnesota Property Exchange (MPE), holding its first meeting under President Leon Shapiro. What started as a small group built on creative real estate concepts has grown into one of the longest running exchange organizations in the country.
- 63+ years of continuous meetings
- 58 past presidents
- More than 1,600 meetings held
Where We’ve Met
Over the decades, MREE has gathered at numerous locations across the Twin Cities, including:
- Edina Country Club
- Golden Valley Country Club
- Knights of Columbus – Bloomington
- Thunderbird Motel
- Centennial Lakes – Edina
- Canterbury Casino – Shakopee
- Hellmuth & Johnson – Edina
These venues reflect the organization’s long history and strong community presence.
What Happens at a Meeting
MREE meetings are designed to educate, inspire creativity, and facilitate real estate transactions. A typical meeting includes:
- Educational presentations on timely real estate topics
- Moderated package presentations
- Matrix exposure to member inventory
- “Have/Wants” rapid fire pitches
- Country Store property postings
- Round table discussions
- Zander Board-visual of all the deals and three-ways
- Member favorite extras like Speed Dealing, Deal of the Day, and Success Stories
A Tradition of Education
Education has always been central to MREE’s mission. Members have learned from some of the most respected names in creative real estate, with courses covering:
- Creative financing
- Negotiation and cash generation
- Contract for Deeds
- Debt and paper investing
- Single family and investment strategies
- Mechanics of exchanging
- Business brokering
- Broker Estate Building
- Real Estate Equity Exchanging 101
- 1031 and Reverse 1031 Exchanging
- Options and Purchase Agreements
- How to Counsel your Client: Preparing your Client for a Real Estate Exchange
These programs have featured instructors such as Charles Chatham, Peter Fortunato, Jimmy Napier, Jack Miller, John Brennan, Gary Vandenburg, Charles Sutherland, Blake Allen, Steve Smullen, Jeff Peterson, and many others.
Community And Activities
Beyond real estate, MREE has built a strong sense of community through decades of memorable events:
- Holiday parties
- Lake Minnetonka boat trips
- Golf outings
- Top Golf gatherings
- Horse racing events
- Casino nights
- Personal property exchanges: The Cowboy Auction
- Group trips, including Society of ExhangeCounselors (SEC) Duluth and Florida Real Estate Exchangors (FREE) Orlando
- MREE Members regularly attend the National Council of Exchangors (NCE) meetings in Las Vegas
People Who Shaped Us
MREE’s legacy is enriched by the contributions of many dedicated members, including:
Frank Holmes • Tom Wickenhouser • John Bervin • Paul Kelley • John Fitzgerald • Bill Anderson
For questions, Please reach out to the chapter administrator Jessica Hawthorne
at [email protected].
