Investments Archives | Page 17 of 40

The Myths of Investing in Commodities

It’s really time to cut through all of those misconceptions surrounding investing in commodities. One of the biggest of all the wild claims against the commodities market is that you can’t make money when trading commodities. Well we know that isn’t true, because it’s been proven over and over again by successful traders. But these myths make new traders reluctant to enter the commodities market. Do keep in mind that myths stating you can’t make money are typically investors who were not prepared beforehand. Like any sort of trading, you want to spend adequate time studying and learning before you even consider making a move. By understanding how the market works, you can protect yourself from failure and earn nice profits.

Using Leverage Wisely

Knowing how much to leverage an account is where inexperienced commodity traders can fail. Unlike the stock market, you only need to put up from 3% to 15% of your futures contract in the futures margin. This gives commodity traders incredible leverage. This is also where it’s important to learn about holding back a little. For the best long-term success, stay on the low side. Instead of trading as many contracts as allowed by the margin requirements, trade fewer. A safe rule of thumb is to only trade one or two futures at a time. This will help you avoid failing due to getting tripped up with too much leverage.

Dumping Commodities in Your Front Yard

Have you ever heard the myth that trading in commodities can mean you might get a contract of soybeans dumped in your front yard? Taking possession of commodities isn’t something that you need to think about too much, and it shouldn’t keep you from entering the commodities market. The trades that are involved with taking delivery of contracts are commercial players. You will have ample warning to close your futures contract in time. This usually happens weeks before the end of your contract. If you forget to close it before the first notice day, your broker is sure to remind you.

Trading Commodities for the Long Haul

When entering into the commodities market, think of it as a long-term investment. It is actually a zero-sum kind of situation where every time one person loses a dollar, someone else along the line profits by a dollar or two. You might not be the one who wins every time, but if you average out your winnings over a number of years you will see your profits. For those who come to the table ill-prepared, they are most likely to lose all their money in the first few months and leave with their tail between their legs. If you enjoy the trading scene but aren’t earning nice profits, at some point you need to take a close look at your strategy. Don’t stop trading but examine where you are going wrong and determine how you can make the correct adjustments. Whether you are a novice or an experienced investor, you should always periodically stop what you’re doing to check that your trading strategy is leading you towards your goals.

What To Look For In A Chicago Real Estate Investing Online Coaching Program

Real estate is a property that consists of everything that we find on the identified land area. The buildings, fauna, livestock, mineral, and water deposits make up a real estate. In essence, a real estate is a location that has rights to everything in its territory whether above or under the ground.

There are three categories of real estate:

Residential Real Estate

These are properties that include houses, underdeveloped lands, townhouses, and condominiums

Commercial Real Estate

Commercial real estate is a property used for trade and commerce which includes office buildings, skyscrapers, shopping centers, restaurants, hotels, and the likes.

Industrial Real Estate

An industrial real estate is a property used for production, distribution of products, storage, and research. An example of this real estate is a manufacturing facility.

Many people invest in real estate because of its potential to give high rewards. Other entrepreneurs and realtors like the ones in bestrealestatedirectory.com make money through various real estate investing and selling techniques developed over the years.

The question is: “How can you increase its potential or its value?” Learn the tricks on how to boost the value of a real estate property by going through this article.

The Low-Cost Ways

The smallest of things can do so much more. You don’t have to spend too much to improve the quality of your real estate. These simple tips could double the value of your property:

Clean your real estate inside and out. A clean property means that it is well-maintained.
Repaint the walls and other surfaces that can quickly catch the eye. It is highly recommended to use neutral paint colors as it brings an additional appeal. A newly painted property gives a brand new impression.
Accessorize your property by adding attractive plants, outdoor lights, or a new mailbox. These small details invite the senses even more.
Replace your fixtures to bring new life to your real estate. Change the light switches, door and cabinet handle, doorknobs, and faucets. These are the things that are always touched. Give our potential buyer the brand new feel.
Upgrade your property’s interior design by placing the furniture strategically. Don’t put in so many details in each room as it will exhaust the eyes. Many buyers are also attracted to unconventional approaches when it comes to interior designs. So, don’t hesitate to experiment as long it doesn’t go overboard.

The High-Cost Ways

If you have money to spend, then a renovation can catapult the value of your real estate to a whole new level. Of course, the cost depends on the extent of the makeover and the materials that you will use.

Here’s what you could do:

Replace or add doors and windows. These upgrades can make your property more attractive, and it also improves the acoustics of the property by reducing the internal noise. New windows can bring more light. A well-positioned window or door can highlight the outside view of your property.
Replace the carpet and upgrade your tiles or hardwood to make it look brand new. A great looking floor is irresistible.
People love a quiet place. Make your property noise-free by adding insulations which include rugs, carpets, double pane windows, and even indoor plants.
Improve the bathroom by installing new sinks, tubs, faucets, cabinets, lighting, shower, and toilet.
Give your property more function by adding a room or removing a wall. This method will improve the floor area. Example: You could take down the living room wall to connect it to the dining area. This upgrade will make the interior look bigger.
Put in additional square footage by transforming other rooms into more functional living spaces. Example: You can turn the garage into a guest room.

A complete renovation is the most expensive way of increasing the value of your real estate. This process is time-consuming because it needs to tear down the old materials before installing the new ones. However, this makeover gives way for a more modern design which has a high value in the market.

As a general rule, do not over-improve. It is always better to go on the safe side than risk everything in an attempt to impress the others. Buyers don’t want too many details because they want to leave something for themselves to add or change. Your goal is to get a high return compared to your investment.

It is best to research before you jump into your improvement program. Know the cost of each material that you will use. Determine what will be the value of your property after the improvement to gauge how much money that you need to spend.

Axi Trader Review: Pros Vs Cons

Typically, dealing with forex trading can be a bit disturbing. Without proper information at hand, making a sound financial decision about it can also be difficult. Thus, if you’re planning to invest in a forex exchange business like AxiTrader, you can get some ideas about it from an online review before you get started. Remember, knowing all the information and insights beforehand can prevent you from committing any financial mistake. So, read on this article to learn more about the pros and cons of an AxiTrader Review.

Pros:

Provides a feeling of security – If you consider buying a financial product from AxiTrader, taking advantage of a product or service review can be a great idea. It gives the customers like you a feeling of security before making any buying decision. With a review provided by a specific information service provider, you’ll know whether the product or service of AxiTrader is appropriate for your financial circumstances.
Offers free advertising and content – An AxiTrader review provides free advertising and content for its products or services. The advertisement and information created by a review partner can encourage prospects to invest in any of these products.
Improves trust and confidence in the business – Making use of a product or service review for forex trading online can be beneficial. The information it provides can also establish trust and confidence among the prospects. After all, customers will more likely choose a financial product/service they fully trust and know.
Offer insights about the product or service – An AxiTrader review online allows you to get valuable insights about the products or services they’re offering. Not only that but you’ll also have a general idea of whether AxiTrader is the right forex broker for your situation.
Enhances customer credibility – The reviews about AxiTrader can help improve its overall credibility by allowing contrary opinions to be posted. By reading the online reviews, you’ll know that AxiTrader is a trustworthy investment service provider company based in Australia.
Reduces complaints – With an AxiTrader review in place, there’ll be a reduction in complaints as customers can see any negative points about the product or service if there’s any before purchasing. Thus, taking a look at the reviews can make a huge difference in your financial decisions.
Provides additional resources to customers – As a customer, you always want to have a better product or service experience. That being said, it’s essential that you read an AxiTrader review and gain additional resources that can help improve your customer experience.

Cons:

Gives customers a skewed impression of the product or service – If the review or rating isn’t positive, customers will more likely have a skewed perception. Consequently, you’ll be discouraged to purchase the product or service involved.
Allows customers to publish vindictive information – In many times, reviews are done independently. With that in mind, any person or customer may post vindictive or damaging information about a particular product or service according to what they’ve experienced. As a result, people looking for the same product or service may start having hesitations in considering it as one of their choices.
Increases customer’s wariness about the product or service – A negative online review about AxiTrader can increase suspicion among the customers, thereby affecting their decision to make a purchase.
Needs to be current and up-to-date – If you want to get the most out of product or service reviews, they need to be current and updated or else they’ll become out of date and irrelevant. As a result, customers will no longer rely on the information presented in the reviews.

Conclusion

When it comes to forex trading online, one must know the pros and cons of using online reviews. While the pros can be helpful, taking the cons for granted can potentially give you an adverse outcome that you set out to achieve. It’s important to note that if you consider using reviews when choosing a forex broker like AxiTrader, don’t forget to think about the pros and cons mentioned in this post. If you’re looking to employ the services of AxiTrader for forex trading, take time to check this interesting article to help you make an informed decision.

What On Earth Is Goal-Based Investing?

First and foremost, we must define what traditional investing is. Traditional asset allocation optimizes the structure of a portfolio based on a generalized approach. Although it typically suits the needs of the institutional investors, it is not necessarily adapted to suit the needs of a private investor. A private investor, such as yourself, tends to create different portfolios corresponding to different needs.

On the other hand, goal-based investing is a relatively new approach in investing where the end justifies the means. Investing is directed to attain specific financial goals throughout an investor’s life.

“Goal-based investing involves a wealth manager or investment firm’s clients measuring their progress towards the specific life goals, such as saving for children’s education or building a retirement nest-egg, rather than focusing on generating the highest possible portfolio return or beating the market.” – Investopedia

Simply put, it re-frames success based on an investor’s needs and goals. Say that an investor’s primary goals are to save for the golden years and to save for the educational fund of his grandchildren. Goal-based investment plan would be more conservative for the former and more aggressive for the latter. As you can see, this approach will help you to withstand most market conditions and volatility.

Apply goal-based investing to your wealth management by following these steps:

Image Credits: pixabay.com

STEP 1: DETERMINE YOUR GOALS

Before anything else, you must identify your financial goals depending on your current life stage. Let us dive into some practical examples. As a young working adult, you may be eyeing on the latest gadgets (e.g., smart glasses, laptops, or smartphones). As a devoted parent, you may be considering the different educational options for your child. As a Singaporean reaching 62, you may be thinking about building your retirement fund. Having multiple goals in mind throughout the course of your life is perfectly fine!

STEP 2: ESTABLISH A TIMELINE

As you list down all your financial goals at the moment, you must keep prioritization in mind. Prioritize your goals by examining which ones you need and which ones you want to have. Afterwards, you must create a timeline for your final set of financial goals.

Do you aim to travel next month? Or, do you need to purchase a flat in the next 10 years? Measure the amount of time needed to realistically reach your short-term and long-term goals.

STEP 3: KNOW WHERE YOU START

How can you plan ahead, if you do not know where to start? Pinning your starting point is important in helping you achieve your financial goals. Administer a simple financial assessment by asking yourself a few questions. Firstly, how much money have you saved up? Secondly, do you have an emergency fund? Lastly, how much are your net worth and cash flow?

STEP 4: CREATE AN INVESTMENT PLAN

You are done with determining your final set of goals, setting a realistic timeline, and drafting your starting point. What is next for you? Well, you must put all of the above information together to create an Investment Plan. Create this by looking at four factors namely: risk profile, investment options, target amount, and asset allocation.

STEP 5: EXECUTE THE INVESTMENT PLAN

Investing for your financial goals does not stop with opening a savings account. You do not need to accumulate a massive amount of money to start investing neither. Instead, you must invest in a consistently as early as possible. As you invest religiously throughout your life, you need to review whether there are on the right path. Are you doing these things to achieve your financial goals? If so, continue on.

Image Credits: pixabay.com

Goal-based investing is a relatively new approach in investing where the end justifies the means. It may seem like an obvious or an oversimplified concept, but it represents a departure from the typical risk-tolerance framework. Will this investment strategy work well with your wealth management practices?

Sources: 1 & 2

Is Blockchain a Viable Investment Option?

In truth, cryptocurrencies have dominated the news during the last 18 months, thanks primarily to Bitcoin’s historic price run last year. Altcoins such as Litecoin have also generated significant interest among investors, however, while driving high levels of engagement across social media.

Although the interest in cryptocurrency investment remains largely speculative in the mainstream, there’s no doubt that the blockchain technology behind this marketplace is evolving at a rapid pace and continuing to disrupt a huge array of alternative industries.

In fact, blockchain is now emerging as the fastest-growing digital technology since the evolution of the Internet, with its distributed and immutable qualities promising to revolutionise the social and economic landscape.

In this post, we’ll explore blockchain further while asking whether or not it’s a viable investment option.

What is Blockchain Technology?

A blockchain represents a growing list of records and data, with each individual block linked by cryptography.

The brainchild of Bitcoin innovator Satoshi Nakamoto, blockchain is a decentralised technology that has become synonymous with cryptocurrency and the financial market as a whole. In fact, blockchain is based on the principle of distributing rather than copying digital information, creating far greater security and removing the need for a central authority to manage data sets.

This highlights one of the main benefits of blockchain, namely its ability to provide immutable data records that cannot be manipulated. This, along with the anonymity provided by the blockchain, has created a technology that is tailor made the financial market and entities such as forex.

Is Blockchain a Viable Investment Option in the Digital Age?

Despite being synonymous with cryptocurrency, developers have also created an array of alternative applications for blockchain.

It’s certainly having an impact on the wider stock market, with NASDAQ having launched a ground-breaking LINQ platform based on this technology. This is a digital ledger that leverages blockchain to manage the entire process of issuing and managing private equity shares, creating a comprehensive and transparent set of records while optimising efficiencies.

NASDAQ continues to blaze a trail in this respect, however, with blockchain technology now used to underpin its own transactions and to support external marketplaces that are looking to integrate distributed ledgers into their business models.

This has involved a number of innovative and crucial collaborations, including a number of particularly interesting partnerships involving organisations such as Citigroup. Wealth management brands are also evolving to incorporate blockchain technology, in order to enhance the range of assets and the efficiency of service provided

Beyond this, blockchain is also having a huge impact on the modern supply chain, with distributed ledgers being used to introduce greater transparency into the logistics sector. Not only are these ledgers highly scalable, but they also improve the accuracy of recorded data and make it easier to monitor shipments in real-time.

The Last Word

As we can see, blockchain is an exceptionally diverse technology and one that has a growing number of potential applications available.

Not only this, but the blockchain market is also growing at a considerable pace and set to achieve a market value of $16 billion by the end of 2024.

With this in mind, it’s little wonder that RSM recently suggested that blockchain technology is “too powerful to ignore”, and this is certainly a worthwhile consideration for investors across the globe.

Ultimately, there’s no doubt that this technology offers value from both a short and a long-term perspective, while investing early may well increase your returns over time.

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