Should you Invest in Property, Gold or Stocks this 2014

Once all the new year celebrations are done with, it is time to deal with the more intricate and complex things that are bound to shape the rest of your 2014, at least in financial terms. Investing has always been an important aspect for every salaried man as it increases their chances at a better life and a slightly higher income. However, these investments always tag along with their own set of risks, which also need to be addressed so as to not lose all your savings in the same. Therefore, before you even consider investing, you need to measure the pros and cons of the same. Ideally, there are three markets which seem intensely attractive to an investor and can help give you good returns depending on the situation. However, the question is, where should you invest? Given below is a detailed account of what you can possibly expect and where you are likely to achieve more positive results.

1.) Real estate:

Essentially, price and the corresponding affordability have a huge impact on the decisions that you make. In any ideal situation, the gap between price and affordability should be lower. However, with the year 2013 rounding up and even after the beginning of 2014, the real estate market has not shown any real improvement. The gap between these two fators continues to widen, with the property rates shooting up every passing day and the corresponding affordability staying constant or sinking down due to the inability of employers to raise income. Therefore, the negative growth in income and the continuous growth in property rates make it extremely volatile for you to invest in real estate. It is being predicted that this scenario is likely to change with the advent of General Elections; however, it is very unlikely that this will have any effect on the benefits that you may enjoy from investing in real estate this 2014.

2.) Stock market:

In Jan 2008, Sensex achieved a commendable feat of reaching 21000 level points. But instead of things improving from that point on, there has been a nearly 50% downfall. Therefore, many people are flustered as to whether or not this is the right area for invetsing in 2014.

Ideally, predicting how a stock market will do is not in the hands of people. Even the best investor or employee may be unable to answer that for you. The fact if the stock market will climb at least 24000 points and upwards remains a mystery. However, the sustainable bull market plays the deciding role for this and since the two factors that define this phenomenon– inflation and interest rates are not exactly in the country’s favour, it may be difficult to predict.

3.) Gold:

Gold has not just been the jewellery of choice but also a popular choice among investors. However, with the prices of gold falling to an all time low, with nearly 40% the past year, this trend continues to see the lower grounds even in 2014 and therefore, would not be very advisable. Not much progress in prices was made past 2013, and the situation is likely to remain the same or fall even further.

4.) So, where should you invest?

Ideally, it would be most rewarding to have your investments in products that are also known as debt products.This includes a vast range of fixed deposits and bonds. It is important that the places in which you invest will give you a redeemable offer and help save money at the very same time. As a rule of thumb, investing in Mutual funds, especially the short term bond funds will do your finances and savings a world of good this 2014.

Author’s bio:
Cher Keel is a finance analyst and works with a well known financial company. She enjoys learning nd reading extensively on investments. She is also a guest lecturer at a renowned finance institute and also writes a finance blog giving out investment advice.

Looking To Invest? 5 Foreign Investment Ideas For Your Portfolio

Luckily, no one needs to scour through information on hundreds of countries or upcoming trends in developing states in order to invest internationally. Instead, here is a look at five simple investment ideas that many have not though of when it comes to expanding the portfolio. 

1. French Wine

What many investors are surprised to hear is that wine funds are both popular and a great investment. Much like a hedge fund, a specialist in both wines and finances will allow investors to pool money in order to invest in new or established wineries, bottles, or companies.

This not only will diversity your portfolio, but it yields good results as well. When investing it is best to spread out your money, this is a great option to mix things up and still be happy with the results. 

2. Chinese Clean Energy

While China is a global player, the country is now encountering huge issues with air pollution, toxins in the soil, and irreversible damage to wildlife. This has led them to begin looking at projects for clean energy in all parts of the country. Investors should take a look at their up-and-coming hydroelectric plants and solar panel fields to get an idea on the scale of growth they can expect. This is a great potential opportunity. Something is going to have to be done in China, if you are invested in the right companies you could really benefit through the market. 

3. Iraqi Currency

The value of the Iraqi dinar has risen and fallen due to instability in the region, but many are looking to dinar news to see that this form of currency is looking profitable in the near future. For those that do buy dinar, even minor changes to the region could result in dramatic increases to the currency’s global worth making it an excellent investment opportunity.

4. German Housing Market

Japan has long been one of the most undervalued investment markets for property, but foreign investing can become a lifelong hassle. This is why many investors may want to look at the German housing market. Both German land and German houses have remained chronically undervalued by as much as 15 percent when rent, home sales, and land prices are taken into consideration.

By being aware of history and trends, you will be able to better understand the market and how the stocks will react and change. 

5. Globally Appealing Art

A few pieces of art around one’s home can be much more than decoration, but investing in art is not for the faint of heart. Sometimes considered to be more complex than any other form of investment, investors will want to ensure that they not only love art, but are devoted to the extensive research that each piece will require along with global art trends.

Diversifying one’s portfolio is an absolute must in today’s volatile economic climate. With these few international ideas, investors have a number of great new options for unique and exciting markets.

Brionna Kennedy is native to the Pacific Northwest, growing up in Washington, then moving down to Oregon for college. She enjoys writing on fashion and business, but any subject will do, she loves to learn about new topics. When she isn't writing, she lives for the outdoors. Oregon has been the perfect setting to indulge her love of kayaking, rock climbing, and hiking.

Wine is a Hot Investment- Invest in What You Drink

The history of wine and investment goes way longer than one could anticipate. The fine wine market has gained popularity only after the 1990s, but history has proved that wine collectors have been storing wines for hundreds of years. The past 25 years have witnessed more than 15% rise in wine investment on an average. According to experts, the past 20 years have seen best wine among the best investment options available in the market. However, it is a long-term investment and one need to give it plenty of time to grow. The impact of the financial crisis is comparatively less intense in wine investment as compared to other financial products.
 

 
If you are a budding fine wine investor, here is a short guide for getting started with the investment. 

How should you start with Wine Investment?

• Understand Wine Investments: The financial market is full of investments including commodity products, traditional products, and alternative financial products. It is necessary to be aware of the product you want to invest your money in.Fine wine investment is another mainstream investment unlike cars and the arts. These are long-term investments and offer returns in double figures or more. 
• Research the Wine Investment Industry:Every investor should do ample research about the industry before investing, and the same is true for wine investing. The wine market is driven by the extraordinary demand and limited supply principle. Compare wine investment products with other traditional ones and analyze its returns for the past few years. Keep in mind that only a few products in Bordeaux witness a significant increase in value and it are best to understand the reason behind its popularity. 
• Benefits of wine investments: The key to investing is to find out the benefits for the investor. Fine wine investments have performed very-well and offer high ROI (Return on Investment; comparatively low risk; rising prices (low supply=high demand principle); recession-proof; and status symbol. At the same time, you need to consider the shortcomings of wine investments. It includes fraud and scam suppliers; drinking it yourself; past performance does not guarantee future benefits; unregulated market.

 

• Choose a reliable wine broker: It is essential to find a reliable wine broker group or an individual. For large-scale investment, it is better to choose reputable wine broker agencies. Invest some time and find out about the history and track record of the company in wine investments. 
• Develop an investment strategy: It is up to the investor to establish requirements and expectations from an investment. Devise your own strategy including potential risks; long-term and short-term goals; potential returns; and a strategy for the portfolio. It is the investor who will lose or gain money, and it is best to avoid relying on others for your best interests. 
• Invest in stock:After developing a portfolio strategy, it is time to purchase stocks. The wine investment broker will help in choosing wine products depending upon the goals of the investor. If you are investing a large sum, prefer high capital growth options and crosscheck the options suggested by the broker. Maintain proper communication with the broker and get your ownership certificate after purchase. 
• Authenticity and Provenance of Wine: It is important to test the provenance and authenticity of the wine. With the increasing interest in the wine industry, there has been an increase in the number of scammers and fraudulent ripping off new investors.The lack of proper storage history and damaged bottle may lower the price of the investment. Make sure to receive the storage details and certificates as a proof. 
• Storage of Wine: In the end, it all comes down to the storage of wine. You can rent storage space for high-value luxury wine bottles, as it requires specific temperature and humidity level for perfect taste. A wine with an excellent storage history will attract high-end buyers and yield maximum profits. One should prefer bond storage to avoid any duty or taxes at the later stage.

 

Sell at a profitable price: Once your wine has matured, it is ready to be sold in the open market. There is no time-period attached with wine and it can be sold in any currency or market. Consult your broker for perfect market and get best results from your investment. You are ready to repeat the cycle.

Author Bio: The article is written by a well known freelance writer and blogger Jason Phillips. He divides his time among work, writing and family life. Moreover he is running a site wineinvestment.com which has a highly trained team of investment specialists.

Simple Ways to Invest In Real Estate

Real estate is one sector where you can expect your hard earned money to multiply. There are several ways you can do so. Experts are of the opinion that instead of locking your cash in bonds and stocks or keeping in banks, investing in real estate is always a wise decision as it gives you good returns. Let us see how and what your options are. 

• Getting a property at a lower price - Let us say it has come to your knowledge that a family in your neighborhood is trying to sell off their house as they are in dire need of cash. As such they are looking for buyers and they are also ready to dispose it off at a price which is way below the market value. In other words, the homeowner is planning to release the trapped equity in his house by selling it off. If you can approach the homeowner and offer to buy his house, you can be benefited in the long run. Also find out for how much the homeowner is planning to sell it off. 
• Buying property to let out - It has also been observed that there are many investors that buy property only to let it out so that they can get good returns every month. There is a common trend among homeowner and that is if they have a house for which they are paying mortgage, they prefer to put the property on rent so that the rent they earn can service the mortgage payments. In this way the financial burden is also reduced to a considerable extent. 
• Wait for property appreciation - There are many investors in real estate that buy property and wait for a certain period so that they can get good returns once the property appreciates. But in this case, you as an investor have to wait for the property appreciation. The trick to get the maximum return from this property is to wait for as long as you can. The longer you wait the better are your returns. Investing in property for a short time span and waiting for it to appreciate will put you at a loss. 
• Enhance the look of property - Let us say you have invested in property but there are few drawbacks of the same. You can make modification of the same and make it inhabitable. 

So, by following the above guidelines your real estate investment is sure to give you good returns as these are all tested methods.

ImageCredit:http://www.flickr.com/photos/realestateinvestinggurureview/6259652837/in/photostream/

3 Secrets to Understanding the Truth Behind Venture Capitalist Pitches

Venture capital is all about placing your faith in an entrepreneur with a strong business plan, and a great idea. Investors place their money and support behind something new, and different, hoping that it becomes the next big thing, or that at least builds to the point of profitability.

Unfortunately, a capitalist can get caught up in the excitement or emotion behind a business venture, and end up placing their money in a concept that will never get off the ground. In a buyer-beware environment, it is essential that every investor understand the truth behind venture capitalist pitches, and throw their funding and support behind something that is more likely to thrive.

1) The Story

Every pitch contains a personal story of investment. This is the part of the pitch where investors find out exactly what the product is, and what successes the entrepreneur has had in marketing up to that point. It is the section of the pitch designed to get capitalists excited and onboard with the venture. Unfortunately, the story can put the investor at risk. It is essential that the investor try to stay detached from the story, and remain emotionally neutral. Getting emotionally involved in the entrepreneur's story can lead to rash, emotion-based decision making, rather than a fact-based investment. Draw important facts from the story, but ignore any emotional pleas. If the story proves to be all emotion, and no fact, dismiss the investment.

2) Company Positioning

The pitch will try to position the company within your known holdings. Pay attention to any misrepresentation that occurs during the positioning portion of the pitch. A good investment does not have to align with an investor's other investments, if there is a sound business plan in place. If the entrepreneur seems to go out on a limb, or skew their business plan to make it fit more completely with your current portfolio, then they are not giving you an honest view of the company. Ignore any element of the pitch that specifically targets how this project fits in with your other venture capital investments. Instead, try to view the investment as a stand alone proposition, regardless of your other holdings. It should be strong enough to stand alone if it is a sound investment.

3) Overlooking Less Obvious Investments

The final element in the pitch is designed to convince investors that this product, and business plan, is far superior to its competitors. It works to make this venture look like the obvious choice. Take the time to look or less obvious choice. Many venture capitalists have missed out on a fortune because they took the larger, more obvious investment opportunity, and let what looked like a small-time entrepreneurial venture get away. Truly analyze what makes each project unique. Look for what qualities set a product or service apart from its competitors, and go with the pitch that offers the most unique and well thought out plan, regardless of size, or salesmanship.

Kevin Aldrige is a business consultant. His articles have been posted on a number of business and finance blogs. Click to visit CSS Partners for capital growth info.