Grand Rapids Real Estate Investor Monthly Meetup

Free Event | Open to All

Registration required.
Click here to register on the event website.

Join West Michigan’s real estate investors and housing providers for another evening of networking and collaboration at Peppino’s (Upper Deck) in downtown Grand Rapids from 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM.

Join us for the May Grand Rapids Real Estate Investor Meetup as we host a conversation on women in real estate, featuring local real estate investors and housing providers sharing their experience in the business.

This month’s meetup will include an all-women panel discussing how they got started, what they have learned along the way, the realities of building in this business, and the challenges and opportunities they see in today’s market. As always, the meetup will also leave plenty of room for conversation and connection with other local investors, housing providers, and real estate professionals.

Panelists:

Amy Kelly
Amy Kelly jumped into real estate investing in 2022 after joining the Women’s Real Estate Investors Network. She and her carpenter husband have rehabbed nine homes in the Muskegon and Ludington areas and are looking for more flips this year.

She especially enjoys investing in co-living homes that provide stable, supportive housing. Her first project was a men’s recovery residence created with partners from WREIN. Through her company, Rockwater Home Solutions, Amy now owns and manages three co-living homes serving residents referred by agencies such as Community Mental Health, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, Volunteers of America, and Offender Success.

Amy’s long-term goal is to retire from her 30-year nursing career and focus on growing her real estate business while spending more time with her five children and three grandchildren.

Holly Ippel
Holly Ippel is a real estate investor and renovator who used real estate to step away from her W-2 career as an engineer at age 23. Growing up learning the trades alongside her father, she now manages a portfolio with her husband and father that includes 12 mid-term units and 5 long-term rentals, with a current day-to-day focus on active flips.

As a co-founder of Living Water Corporate Housing, Holly is driven by the creative transformation from Point A to Point B. Along with her husband, she has lived the house-hacking lifestyle from many angles, from Airbnb-ing her own home in Norton Shores to living on-site at an active cabin flip in Northern Michigan and in her own four-unit property in downtown Grand Rapids.

By pairing a work-boots work ethic with high-level coordination, Holly has successfully managed her business while traveling for months at a time through Europe, Costa Rica, and across the United States by RV. She joins the panel to share how grit and design can build a business that supports a life of adventure and intentionality.

Sarah Rusthoven
Sarah Rusthoven is a real estate investor, residential redeveloper, and property manager. She co-founded Legacy Heritage Management Inc. with her husband and has been actively investing in real estate for 28 years.

Together, they oversee a diverse, long-term-focused portfolio that includes single-family and multifamily rental properties, along with multiple types of commercial real estate. In addition to managing and growing their holdings, they have completed multiple residential redevelopment projects, including property renovations and flips.

What to Expect:
• Networking: Connect with a diverse mix of real estate investors in a relaxed setting designed to spark conversation and build relationships
• On the Menu: Light appetizers will be provided, with Peppino’s full menu and bar available for purchase

Who Should Attend:
Real estate investors and housing providers of all types, including residential and commercial investors, buy-and-hold and fix-and-flip operators, short-term rental owners, property managers, and the professionals who support the industry.

Event Details:
Date: Monday, May 11, 2026
Time: 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Location: Peppino’s Downtown (Upper Deck), 130 Ionia Ave SW, Grand Rapids
Cost: Free to attend (registration required)

Registration is free but required. Please register in advance to reserve your spot and check in upon arrival.
Click here to register.

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Next Up for Women in Real Estate:
Interested in more conversations around women in real estate? Join us Tuesday, May 19 from 5:00–7:00 PM for the first gathering of RPOAM’s new women-centered real estate group.
Learn more and register here.