Investment Management Archives

Austin, Texas is in the middle of a real estate boom. Having been voted the highest growth market by Yahoo Finance in 2021, the city continues to draw tech professionals, artists, and everyone else that is looking for a better quality of life. Matthew Teifke from Teikfe Real Estate has been a market leader in the different Texan cities of Austin, Houston, San Antonio, and Corpus Christi.

Matthew Teifke - Austin Texas

Born and brought up in Texas, Matthew Teifke realized his passion for dealing in everything real estate from a very young age. The Round Rock native started early, gaining his real estate license at the tender age of 18. He was active in dealing with his family properties and was clear that this was all that he wanted to do for the rest of his life.

The principal reason for starting Teifke Real Estate was to bring financial freedom for everyone from buyers, and sellers to even agents and consultants. The company was formed in 2015-2016 by Matthew with the aim of catering to the Texan cities of Austin, San Antonio, Houston, and Corpus Christi.

With the belief that Texas was going to be the hottest real estate destination in the country in the coming years, Matthew brought in his friend, Alex Coffman. Alex was equally passionate about real estate and jumped on board to join Teifke Real Estate as Co-Founder. Together, they ventured into offering diverse real estate services for the Texan housing market.

The Growth of Austin, Texas as one of America’s Premier Real Estate Market

According to Matthew Teikfe, this was a long time coming. He states, “Texas has always been a great place to live, raise a family, explore employment opportunities and maintain an affordable standard of living.” He attributes that the interest of real estate investors in cities like Austin, San Antonio, and Houston is not something new.

“The potential was always there. People kept migrating to cities like Austin from different parts of the country. Look at the migration numbers that Austin sees every single day. People know that this can be a place that can help them live well on an income that would be difficult for them in places like San Francisco or New York City.”

Matthew is right. According to a report published by U-Haul, 145 individuals are moving to Texas every single day. The numbers match up and show that Texas has been attracting individuals from the West, Midwest, and other parts of the country. Fewer taxes (Texas does not have state personal income tax), sunshine, and larger living spaces are major factors.

There is no denying the fact that big tech companies are lining up to shift operations and offices to Texas. Look at Tesla’s Elon Musk who recently announced that they are investing more than $1.1 Billion in building a new headquarters in Austin. Oracle, Facebook, PayPal, AMD, and Texan native, Dell already are generating thousands of new jobs in the state.

As Matthew opines, “You have these young tech professionals that are moving in with their young families, children and pets and exploring great school districts in Austin. They work as software developers or game designers. They earn well, have always dreamt of having a house and want a far more relaxed living condition as compared to NYC or Silicon Valley.”

Teifke Real Estate: The Beginning of the Promise of Financial Freedom

There are tons of real estate companies in Texas. Matthew knows that. He still feels that what they are trying to do at Teikfe Real Estate is vastly different from what some of his peers are up to. More than just securing a commission here and there, Teifke Real Estate is geared toward achieving financial freedom for everyone that is involved in this ecosystem.

As Matthew puts it best, “Our goal is to help different real estate agents attain financial freedom. We want our sellers to get the best and most realistic prices for their properties. Likewise, we are also committed to helping all our buyers and investors get the best deals and prices on the market.” He truly believes that there can be a situation where everyone can be a winner!

This shows how Teifke Real Estate has been able to shape its various offerings. Let us shed some light on what they offer, as has been on the Teifke Real Estate website:

Coaching present and prospective real estate agents
Buying assistance with regard to residential, commercial, and investment properties
Selling assistance for residential, commercial, and investment properties
Assisting with construction, renovations, and remodeling work
Sourcing deals and arranging finances for prospective buying or selling
All-cash house purchases to help sellers that are looking for immediate help

Both Matthew and Alef run an excellent podcast on the real estate markets. Together they help enlighten and educate audiences on the ins and outs of buying, selling, and investing in the Texas real estate markets.

Matthew Teifke’s personal take on Austin’s Real Estate Situation

Every possible marker, news journal, or real estate magazine points to the growth in the Austin real estate markets. Matthew believes that this is the best time to get in on the action. You do not want to end up in a FOMO situation later on.

While the growth is there, it is still possible to get your hands on your dream house in Austin, Texas. “Look at the median house prices in Austin. It is still somewhere around $470,000 if I am not wrong. You give this another year or so and you are looking at a figure of $700,000. Just wait for Tesla to open and you will see 10,000 highly paid tech professionals in an all-out bidding war.”

Matthew is right. Prices are rising, but when you compare the house prices in Austin with somewhere like San Francisco, NYC, or even Washington, you see that the affordability factor is still there. Not for long though. Waiting is going to do no good since inventory is always in short supply as compared to the demand, which will always keep increasing.

Matthew suggests that if you have been an individual or family that was waiting for a high-growth real estate market, one where you will be able to double your investments in three to four years, Austin is the place to be right now.

We couldn’t agree more.

Investment Management

A Guide to Investing During High Inflation

ByCFI.co Blogger

When you invest, no matter the larger economic conditions, you always want to ensure you’re diversifying your portfolio.

investing

This is a concept that major corporations and wealthy people understand well. For example, corporations like UBS invest in blue-chip art. Many of these banks and global companies have full-time curators for their collections in order to diversify their investments.

While you may not be a multimillionaire or a global bank, the principles of diversification are critical to a good investment strategy. Your approach may also need some tweaking during periods of high inflation, like what we’re in now.

The following are things to know generally about inflation and how it might affect your investment strategy and approach to diversification.

An Overview of Diversification

A diversified portfolio is one with a broad mix of different types of investments. The longstanding wisdom was a 60/40 portfolio where you allocated 60% of your capital to invest in stocks, then 40% of your portfolio went to fixed-income investments, such as bonds.

There are opponents of this approach who feel there should be more stock exposure, particularly for younger people.

Overall, with a diversified portfolio, you might hold a wide variety of healthcare, energy, and tech stocks, as well as some from other industries. You don’t need exposure to every sector, but you should have a pretty varied portfolio made up of a healthy mix of quality companies.

You also want to have a combination of divided, large-cap, small-cap, growth, and value stocks.

Then, in addition to diversification in your stock portfolio, you want investments included in the mix that aren’t correlated. That means these investments don’t go up and down with the stock market.

Crypto, art, gold, bonds, bank CDs, and real estate are all examples of non-correlated investments.

What to Know About Inflation

Inflation is an increase in the overall price of goods and services. Inflation is measured as an annual percentage increase. The annual percentage increase is reported in the Consumer Price Index or CPI, which the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics prepares monthly. When inflation goes up, purchasing power goes down.

The rise of inflation affected fixed-asset values, and companies will raise their prices to compensate for their own rising costs.

As a consumer, you’re paying more across the board for goods and services. If you have certain assets, like a house, inflation can be a good thing. Your income may also rise, although maybe not enough to keep up with inflation.

Inflation increases the cost of living, and if it gets too high, it harms the economy.

The effects on the economy largely depend on the type of inflation. Walking inflation ranges from 3-10% a year while creeping inflation isn’t as dramatic. Running inflation indicates very aggressive pricing increases that might be leading to hyperinflation.

Rising prices might indicate the economy is growing very quickly. People then tend to stockpile and overbuy because they want to avoid future higher prices, and suppliers can’t keep up with demand, nor can wages. Everyday goods and services could be out of reach for many people in situations with severe inflation.

Inflation doesn’t always have to affect everything in the same ways. For example, during the financial crisis of 2008, home prices went down almost 20%, but gas prices doubled.

Mild inflation can be good for the economy because consumer spending is propelling economic growth.

The Federal Reserve sets an inflation target, with a healthy core inflation rate considered around 2%, taking out the impact of energy and food prices.

Other specific effects of inflation can include:

Inflation can have negative effects on retirement planning. The amount you target to save has to go up in order to pay for the same quality of life. Basically, your savings is going to buy you less over time. You have to start saving as soon as possible for retirement to utilize compounding interest, and you should use other strategies as well to hedge against inflation’s effects.
Treasury bonds are fixed-income assets that pay the same every year. If inflation goes up faster than the return on this asset, they’re less valuable. People will then try to sell them in response, bringing down their value further. The U.S. government has to issue higher Treasury yields to sell them, so mortgage interest rates often go up as a result. Higher rates lower the value of your investment, and the interest on national debt rises.
If you have a fixed-rate mortgage, inflation can be beneficial. The value of the monthly payments you make on your mortgage goes down over time.
If you have debt with a variable interest rate, you’re probably going to see that your minimum payments go up as inflation increases. This is most often the case with high interest credit cards but can apply to mortgages with a variable rate.
If you’re trying to buy a house, inflation has negative effects because their prices will typically rise along with inflation.

How Do You Invest to Protect Against Inflation?

When you’re an investor, you have to think about the best ways to hedge against inflation. You can plan for it by investing in asset classes that outperform the market during times of high inflation.

The following are particular investments to consider to protect against inflation:

Art

When you invest in art, it is a good hedge against inflation, and it also diversifies your portfolio and reduces volatility.

Many investors assume they’re not wealthy enough to get involved in the art marketplace. In reality, it can be accessible for anyone.

There are even new platforms that allow investors to own a piece of blue-chip art, much like an ETF.

Art is an asset class not correlated to other major asset classes, so this means if you have traditional assets like stocks or bonds that aren’t doing well, your art investments are more likely to hold their value.

Since art can be a physical asset, it tends to do well in inflationary periods.

Of course, any investment carries risks, but unlike equities which are sensitive to movements in the market, the art market as a whole has been growing steadily.

There are downsides you have to think about, like the lack of liquidity. Selling a piece of art can be time-consuming, which is why options that allow you to buy fractional shares are appealing, in addition to the lower point of entry.

Gold

Gold can serve as a hedge against inflation, and some describe it as an alternative currency, especially in places where the value of the native currency is declining.

Gold is a physical asset that largely tends to hold its value.

If you want to invest in gold to protect against inflation, you have three primary options. You can buy the physical asset, meaning you buy actual gold. You can buy shares of an ETF or mutual fund that follows the price of gold, or you can trade in the commodities market. Trading futures and options in the commodities market is usually left best to highly experienced investors.

While gold is an option, it’s not a perfect inflation hedge. For example, when inflation goes up, central banks will usually raise interest rates. If you have gold, it doesn’t pay a yield, so it’s not going to have as much value as an asset that does, especially when rates are higher.

Commodities

Commodities are a category including things like grain, electricity, oil, beef, orange juice, and natural gas. Commodities also include foreign currencies and financial instruments.

Commodities are an indicator of future inflation, so as their price goes up, so does the price of the products it’s used to produce.

You can invest in commodities through an ETF.

They’re very volatile and highly dependent on supply and demand, so it’s best suited to more sophisticated investors.

Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs)

A REIT is a company that owns and also operates real estate-producing income. When inflation rises, property prices and rental rates tend to go up. When you invest in a REIT, it’s a pool of real estate. As an investor, you’re paid dividends.

REITs can be good to include in your portfolio, particularly during inflationary periods, but they can come with some downsides. For example, when interest rates go up, Treasury securities become more appealing, taking funds out of REITs. REITs also have to pay property taxes, which can be as much as 25% of operating expenses.

Real Estate

Finally, investing in real estate can, in some cases, be a hedge against inflation. You can earn income by renting out a property because, as we’ve touched on, when inflation goes up, typically so do property values. That means if you’re a landlord, you may be able to charge more for rent.

You can keep up with rising inflation.

Of course, this isn’t a guarantee, and real estate isn’t liquid. Plus, if you buy a property, it’s going to require maintenance, and the costs can add up fast.

The best thing you can do when it comes to investing during inflation is to think about your goals and the direction you’d like to take and make sure you have a good mix making up your portfolio.

Investment Management

8 Essential Money Management Tips for 2021

ByCFI.co

Money: it makes the world go ’round. Not only do we need it to pay bills and buy groceries but to send our kids to college and eventually retire.

The trouble with money, however, is that it’s difficult to manage. We spend it so frequently and on so many different things that we can have issues maximising its usefulness.

This is why it’s important for you to brush up on your money management skills. Need a little help with the matter? Then read on because here are eight essential money management tips for 2021.

1. Establish a Budget

The first thing you should do is establish a budget. This will help you see where your money is going and how much money is left over after you’ve paid all of your necessary expenses. Necessary expenses include rent, utilities, taxes, insurance premiums, groceries, gas, and the like (things that you have to pay for in order to survive).

To create your budget, we advise you to use either a phone app or an online spreadsheet. There are all sorts of budgeting apps out there, including Mint and Personal Capital, to name just two.

Use these apps to write down the name of each expense as well as the amount of money that you need to allocate to each of them. This will show you how much spare money you’re working with each month, helping you to realise new ways of spending your disposable income.

2. Track All Spending

In addition to creating a budget, you should also track all of your expenses. This includes non-necessary expenses as well as necessary expenses. Non-necessary expenses include but aren’t limited to money spent on hobbies, money spent eating out, money put in savings accounts, and the like.

Only by tracking these expenses can you know whether or not you’re over or underspending in a particular area. For instance, you might find that you’re spending too much on fast food and too little on your retirement contributions.

If you don’t track your spending, you become susceptible to making an excess of frivolous purchases. These purchases will provide you with a feeling of quick gratification but will hurt your financial standing in the long-run.

3. Save for Emergencies

Life is unpredictable. Rarely do things go to plan. Whether it’s a perfectly good furnace that stops working in the dead of winter or an automobile that gets sideswiped by an aggressive driver, emergencies do occur.

What’s important is that we have the money saved up to help us get through these emergencies. If we don’t have this money, we’re forced to turn to credit cards, and once we turn to credit cards, we start sinking further and further into debt.

This is why, every month or so, you should be putting some of your money into an emergency fund savings account. Generally speaking, it’s wise for your emergency fund to equal 3 to 6 months of your average monthly expenses.

4. Contribute to a Retirement Fund

You don’t want to have to work for the rest of your life. In fact, if you’re like many people living on this planet, health issues will eventually prevent you from doing so. This is why you need to contribute to a retirement fund.

Generally speaking, it’s wise to contribute 10% to 20% of your income to retirement, year in and year out.

5. Take Advantage of Multiple Accounts

One of the reasons that some individuals have trouble managing money is that all of their money exists within the same bank account. As a result, they end up spending money that they would have used for other purposes. For instance, instead of using the money for future healthcare expenses, they end up spending it on fast food.

How do you get past this problem? The answer is to take advantage of multiple bank accounts. This way, you can separate everyday spending money, emergency savings money, healthcare savings money, and otherwise.

6. Set Goals

You should always have financial goals that you’re working towards. Whether this is buying real estate, purchasing a car, stashing money away for retirement, or otherwise, setting goals can help to keep you on the straight and narrow.

If you don’t set goals for yourself, you’re likely to spend money on hollow purchases. For instance, you might overindulge in food or alcohol or musical performances, or athletic events.

7. Pay Off Debt Strategically

If you’re like many people on this planet, you have debt to pay off. This could be credit card debt, student loan debt, a mortgage, an auto loan, or otherwise. In any case, you should pay it off as strategically as possible.

First, see if you can get any of your interest rates reduced. You might be able to refinance with a different lender or you might be able to talk down one of your current lenders. It’s possible and certainly worth a try.

Next, establish a debt payoff plan. We recommend attacking the high-interest debt first. While doing so, just be sure to pay the minimums on your other loans.

The reason for doing this is to eliminate some of your interest burdens. The quicker you pay off the principal, the less interest you’ll have levied against you.

8. Set Some Money Aside for Fun

While you don’t want to spend all of your disposable income on non-necessary expenses, you should still spend some of it on them. After all, if you’re not having fun in life, you’re barely living in the first place.

It’s often recommended that you set aside 30% of your income for fun money. However, this isn’t manageable for everyone. Meet your savings goals first, and then budget for fun.

Need More Help With Money Management?

Money management isn’t an easy matter. It can take a lot of research and a lot of practice. If you need assistance with it, our website can help.

We have articles on everything from business to economics to hedge funds to insurance and more. If you’re looking to brush up on your financial expertise, this is the place to be.

Browse more of our money management strategies now!

Investment Management

Investing in the Good: The Impressive Rise of Impact Investing

ByCFI.co

Societal issues continue to get the media’s attention as many people take the fight a notch higher for a better society. But it’s all for a good cause because society starts to see good changes taking place.

As usual, investors want to be part of the change. They’re now focusing their efforts on opportunities geared towards supporting social goals. This is where social impact investing comes in.

Business is no longer all about making financial gains. It now involves environmental and social impact with its actions. Yes, investing is growing financial returns but for more noble causes such as the betterment of society.

Read this article and understand everything you need to know about global network impact investing and why it’s growing so fast. Let’s get started.

Understanding Social Impact Investing

If you’re new to this concept, it can be quite complex. Any information on the subject only gives rise to more questions. You can blame this on insufficient data available on the subject matter. There is not much information concerning impact investing and its profitability to either the investor or society.

But then, what exactly is impact investing?

Impact investing simply means unleashing the power of capital for everyone’s good. The main goal of this kind of investment is to generate positive social and environmental impact as well as make some financial returns.

Don’t get it confused with charity donations and social foundations. While both are geared towards helping society, impact investing is more of a win-win situation.

Impact investment focuses on helping society make some capital through your business. The capital would then address some challenges in society. Both the investor and society benefit in equal measures.

The funds usually go to noble causes such as renewable energy, environmental conservation, sustainable agriculture, and accessibility of basic services like education, housing, and healthcare. Anything deemed helpful to the environment and society calls for impact investing.

The Growth of Impact

The idea of investing with intentions beyond financial returns isn’t a new concept. There are many faith-based organizations working in accordance with their values of a better society. Catholic and Islamic organizations started this kind of investing a long time ago, and it looks like it’s not going anywhere.

The only thing that makes this intentional investing look like a new concept is that it has been known for a very long time as corporate social responsibility, sustainable investing, or socially responsible investing.

Companies have measured their performance not only on financial lines but also on how they perform along the lines of social, environmental, and corporate impact. The performance is more focused on these dimensions and how the company aligns with its values and social goals.

The type of investing is often referred to as a ‘double bottom line.’ The organization focuses on financial goals as well as its environmental and social impact. All these are aligned with their sustainable development goals.

A Growing Focus for Investors

While this kind of investing is still at its infancy stages, many global investors are continuously getting involved. Companies are coming up with their own impacting investing funds. It seems like something very lucrative in the business world as well as a noble course in society.

The Global Impact Investors Network (GIIN) estimates up to $228 billion in assets associated with impact investing firms. The figures show that this sector of the economy has been seeing tremendous growth over the past years.

Impact Investment Returns

As usual, no one wants to buy a dying horse. So, is impact investing really profitable? This is a question that many financial consultants have had to deal with many times. Of course, any serious investor will ask this question before making any kind of investment regardless of how noble it looks.

Some business people have subscribed to a common misconception that any double-edged business is doomed to fail. By this, they mean that any business that focuses on social impact and financial return will yield low returns.

Some researchers have strongly disputed this belief. They have proven that anything that is good for the environment and society is good for business. Others have proven the existence of a good relationship between investing in social, environmental, and governance with corporate financial performance.

There is a lot of evidence proving that impact investing is profitable to both the society and the organization.

Impact Investing Challenges

Like any other business, impact investing has its own share of challenges. It’s crucial to understand the challenges that come with any kind of investing and prepare for the risks involved.

This kind of business is also subject to the rules of the marketplace. The first challenge with impact is the difficulty in finding companies that meet the stringent requirement and still stick to the market rate of return.

Many businesses fail to meet all these two goals. The few that manage have to go extra miles to use additional resources and deal with great risks. You should trust your financial advisor to give you a better explanation of the challenges and the risks associated with social impact investing.

The Growth If Yet to Come

From the look of things, impact investing will continue to grow, and in the years to come, it will be the trend in the business world. The kind of investment has gained traction in the eyes of investors, and that’s all it needs to see success.

However, the future of this kind of business depends on the understanding that people will have on it. Everyone must learn to differentiate it from the philanthropic way of charity giving. You must understand that charity is no longer the only way to make a difference in society.

Now you have some knowledge of impact investment even though the concept is still complicated. Do you want to learn more about issues regarding investment, running a business, and managing your finances? Feel free to view our website for more educational blogs like this one.

Investment Management

7 Benefits and Reasons to Invest in Mutual Funds

ByCFI.co

According to industry watchers, the net asset value of mutual funds across the United States stood at $17.71 trillion as of 2018.

Many individuals are looking to put their wealth into securities and other assets. However, due to the small size of their checks, investing in securities carries high costs.

Mutual funds come in to help aggregate individual investors. A principal mutual funds advantage is that you enjoy more convenience in investing. Here are seven reasons why a mutual fund is right for you.

What Is a Mutual Fund?

A mutual fund is an investment firm that brings together money from various investors to buy large-sized assets.

The assets that mutual funds typically put their money into are stocks, bonds, and other securities. The total sum of all the holdings a mutual fund invests in is called a portfolio and is managed by paid professionals.

When you give a mutual fund your money, you’re effectively buying its shares to become a part-owner earning from the income it generates.

How Mutual Funds Work

Regardless of the kind of fund you invest in, its performance (and revenue) will depend on its kind of management.

A passive mutual fund will invest according to a set strategy whose goal is to match a particular market index. As a result, these kinds of mutual funds don’t require you to have deep investment skills.

Passive funds charge lower management fees since they don’t call for as much hands-on management.

It’s worth noting that two popular types of passive mutual funds today are exchange-traded funds (ETFs) and index funds.

Actively traded funds, on the other hand, work to outperform the market indices. Consequently, they hold the potential to earn you more. They also carry a higher risk than passively traded funds, which you must put into consideration.

How Do You Make Money With a Mutual Fund?

Once a mutual fund makes a profit, there are three ways that you, as an investor, can earn a return – dividends, net asset value (NAV), or capital gains.

Dividends come from when the fund receives interest on the share it holds. Each investor in the fund gets a proportional amount, and you can choose to reinvest that in the fund.

When a mutual fund sells a security at a higher price than it bought it, it makes a capital gain. You’ll receive your portion of this income annually from the fund.

NAV is where the security you own increases in value due to the fund’s astute management. While you don’t immediately receive funds from the growing NAV, it means you stand to make more money should you sell your stake in the fund.

Mutual Funds Advantage

Mutual funds hold distinctive advantages as tools to help you grow your wealth. These benefits include:

1. Your Investment Is Diversified

Any financial consultant will tell you to take a diversified approach when it comes to wealth management. Diversification is whereby you mix the resources and investments in your portfolio to reduce the risk you face.

A mutual fund helps you to access various investments that face varying risks that can offset one another.

As a result, if a crisis or loss hits one sector, you won’t face as significant a loss as investments in other sectors can help offset the outflows.

2. Economies of Scale

One of the most compelling features of a mutual fund is the scale at which it operates. When many investors come together and pool their funds, they can buy into more lucrative assets that would have been hard to purchase as individuals.

Additionally, because of the large size of mutual funds, individual investors pay less for the service.

3. There’s Professional Management

If you don’t like picking the stocks to buy due to a lack of time or in-depth knowledge, then a mutual fund is for you.

Each mutual fund employs professional managers who do the heavy lifting with the research, picking stocks, and managing the portfolio. Thus, you get to access a full-time investment manager to help you grow your holdings at a fraction of the cost.

4. Liquidity

When you’re considering an investment as an individual investor, you have to assess its liquidity. The easier it is to sell what you hold, the faster you can access your money when you need it.

You can buy and sell a mutual find relatively easily unlike say disposing of property you have invested in.

In case you need money urgently, you can sell your holding in the fund fast. Should you spy out an opportunity in a sector your fund invests in, you can quickly and easily take up a position to benefit.

5. There’s Variety

As an individual investor, a mutual fund opens up a variety of options to put your money in that you’d not access on your own.

For example, a manager can run a fund that employs several investment approaches. You can access value investing, macroeconomic investing, and other methods all in one package.

Some mutual funds (known as bear funds) are structured to make money from a falling market. Such funds can enable you to protect your downside in ways you couldn’t as an individual.

Through this variety, you get to access foreign and domestic deals that can attractively grow your portfolio.

6. Easy Access to Specialized Sectors

If you’re interested in securing a position in complex sectors as an individual investor, then a mutual fund is the best tool to use.

Mutual funds have built up a track record of tackling extremely complex investment areas in a logistically easier manner for you. With one, low ticket investment, you get to outsource all the hard work that goes into such investment selections.

7. Transparency in Investment

Where you put your hard-earned money to work for you must be secure, and mutual funds give you this advantage.

Every mutual fund is heavily regulated to ensure investors are treated fairly. Therefore, with a mutual fund, you can have peace of mind since there is greater visibility into where you invest your money.

Let Your Money Work for You

Securities are a great way to grow your wealth, but as an individual investor, it can be costly to invest in them. A mutual fund is a vehicle through which your small check can make consistent returns. Another significant mutual funds advantage is the convenience you have as professional managers handle things. Pull together with other small investors to gain access to consistent investment returns.

Capital Finance International (CFI.co) is your premier online resource for all things investment. Reach out to us today for news, commentary, and analysis that will shift your investment thinking.

Investment Management

How a Financial Consultant Can Help You

ByCFI.co

For most people, money is one of the primary driving forces in their lives. After all, you need it in order to buy food, shelter, clothes, and all other goods and services.

Money causes stress while also providing a sense of security. Much of your time and effort are invested in your career to provide a certain standard of living for your family and to prepare for retirement.

A skilled financial consultant can help you reduce debt and make the most of your money. This article takes a look at the reasons why you should consider working with an advisor to prepare for the future.

They Help You Understand Your Goals

Believe it or not, many people have no idea what they really want. Even though the average life expectancy is around 73 years, few people approach the future with any sort of goals in mind.

A lot of the population lives paycheck to paycheck, without much rhyme or reason to their financial decision-making.

A chartered financial planner will ask a series of questions designed to encourage you to think about the future so that you can plan accordingly. This will enable you to be conscious of the financial decisions you make going forward rather than simply winging it as you have in the past.

They Help You Develop a Plan

Once you’ve figured out some of your long-term goals, you’ll be able to develop a plan for how to actually reach those goals.

A good plan provides structure, enabling you to create a step by step roadmap that can be adjusted year after year as your wealth grows and your goals shift and change.

Advisors are skilled at building a financial investing plan. This will be specifically tailored to meet your needs. The more specific you can be about what you want out of life, the more they can help.

They Show You the Best Ways to Invest

There are many ways to invest your money. Each type of investment tool offers different degrees of risk and reward. The key is to understand how aggressive you want to be in building wealth.

This requires working closely with your advisor.

Be open and honest. This will provide valuable information that will help them know how best to proceed. It’ll also help them find the most efficient resources and tools to utilize when managing your wealth.

Keep in mind that an experienced financial advisor will explain all the investment options that are available, along with the pros and cons that come with each.

Don’t feel pressured to invest too aggressively, but also listen closely to their advice. Try to be as open as possible to educated advice regarding ways to maximize your investment funds.

They Help Avoid Stupid Investments

It’s important to remember that your financial advisor is an expert. Investing is a complicated business, with an incredible amount of data to track and variables to consider.

Because of this, it can be easy to make a mistake, to chase a trend that’s leading to a dead-end, or to find yourself excited about an investment opportunity that will only end up costing you money and causing frustration and pain.

An experienced advisor will help you avoid as many mistakes as possible. They have the training and skills needed to identify bad trends and unreliable sectors in the marketplace.

It can be hard to trust someone with your money. Especially when you feel like you’ve discovered a great investment opportunity. Yet, trust is exactly what will be required in order to build the level of wealth that most people only dream of.

They Provide a Sounding Board

A good advisor will also be a great listener. This might not sound like a big deal, but it’s actually one of the most important qualities to look for when seeking an investment professional.

You should never feel hesitant to talk to your consultant like a real person. Tell them your hopes and feelings. Mention ideas you’ve been thinking about, and never feel stupid for asking tons of questions.

Remember, they work for you. They are there to answer questions, provide feedback, and help give you confidence that your future is on the right track.

They Help Enforce Financial Discipline

Saving money isn’t fun. It can be a huge challenge.

After all, it’s much more exciting to spend money on shiny new toys rather than sock cash away for the future.

This is another reason why an experienced consultant is so valuable. They will help you keep your eyes on the prize because they won’t have any emotional attachment to your finances. This means they can approach making smart investments and building your wealth from a purely educated and logical vantage point.

They Help You Connect With Other Professionals

Your financial advisor will also connect you to a good lawyer and accountant. This will help ensure that your money matters are legal, and keep any potential tax issues from arising.

They Help You Relax

Finally, knowing that you have an experienced consultant on your team will help you relax. You have a pro working for you, after all.

They’ll choose investments that will make your money work for you, and grow your wealth day after day. You can rest assured knowing that when you’re ready to retire, you’ll have the resources to enjoy your golden years to the fullest.

A Guide to the Benefits of Hiring a Financial Consultant

Planning for retirement can be confusing. Fortunately, hiring a skilled financial consultant will help make the process a little less stressful.

Click here to learn how to form an investing strategy for European markets.

Investment Management

The Best Place to Invest 100K: Understanding UK Savings Accounts

ByCFI.co

If you have £100,000 or more in savings, keeping in safe is essential.

The risk-free, common-sense option to keep your money safe is to put into a savings account. Not only will your money be held safely, but it will also accrue interest.

But, are your savings working well for you? Are you getting the maximum amount of interest possible?

How well do you understand UK savings accounts?

We’ll explore the different savings options and the best place to invest 100k.

How to Find the Best Place to Invest 100k

There are several factors to consider before finding the best place to invest £100k.

Decide how long you would like to lock your cash away. The longer you leave your money, the more interest you will accrue.

Fixed-rate savings accounts that require you to hold your money in place over a certain amount of time can provide good returns. However, if you need your money back before then, you may not be able to access it.

Are you a pensioner or a student? Banks and building societies often offer preferential interest rates for different age groups. In which case, you should look for the best saving rates for pensioners or the best savings account for students.

You should also consider that you may need to split your money between multiple accounts.

Decide on whether you need access to your cash. Do you require online banking?

Is customer service important? Will you need to service your account in your local branch?

Work out what’s important to you, and make sure that you find an account that ticks all of the relevant boxes.

Don’t Put All of Your Eggs in One Basket

By spreading your investments across a range of different savings accounts, you will enjoy a variety of benefits.

If you have short-term requirements on some of your cash, put that money into an easy-access account with the best interest rates. For the rest of your cash, look for longer-term savings accounts that offer the best returns.

Similarly, if you are unsure about what you want to do with your money, keep it in easy-access savings accounts until you have decided. That way, you can still move your money out when you have a long term plan.

Financial Services Compensation Scheme

When you invest any money into a UK bank or building society account, you are protected. The Financial Services Compensation Scheme protects savings of up to £85,000, or £170,000 if it is a joint account.

If you are looking to place your £100,000 or more into any type of savings account, you will need to set up at least two different accounts with different banks to protect your money.

Alternatively, if you can set up a joint account, you will benefit from the higher level of protection.

The Financial Services Compensation Scheme is in place to protect your money in the event of the bank or building society being able to pay you your own money.

Making Use of ISAs

Savings accounts in the UK are subject to tax-deductions on interest payments.

Individual Savings Accounts (ISAs) offer the opportunity to save up to £20,000 each year, tax-free. If you have a partner, you could both invest £20,000 each in your own ISAs.

If you want to make the most of your savings, then you should take advantage of your tax-free savings allowance by opening an ISA.

You could opt for Cash ISA or stocks and shares ISA or a combination of both.

A cash ISA will act in much the same way as a savings account. With a stocks and shares ISA, your money is invested into stocks, corporate, and government bonds. You may return a greater degree of interest with this type of ISA; however, you may lose money too.

Finding the Right Savings Accounts

Find a savings account that offers you a rate of interest that is higher than the rate of inflation.

Inflation rates directly affect the value of your savings. If you place your money into an account with a 2% interest rate, then after one year, you will have 2% more money.

However, if the rate of inflation is greater than 2%, you will have more money, but that money will have lower purchase power than it did a year before.

Regular Savers

Regular savers accounts often offer interest rates that are higher than the rate of inflation.

With rates of up to 5% available, this type of savings account is certainly worth exploring.

You will need to be aware of maximum deposit limits, as well as the length of time that the rates will be valid.

Fixed-Rate Savings Accounts

Fixed-rate savings accounts will offer you the same rate of interest over a specified period of time. Typically, your money will be locked into the account for between one and five years.

The longer you are willing to leave your money in this type of account, the higher the interest returns will be.

Don’t Overlook Current Accounts

It is easy to think that a current account is just for holding your cash and paying your direct debits; however, they can be a useful tool for depositing large sums of money.

Many current accounts will offer a reasonably high rate of interest.

Usually, current accounts will offer a higher rate of interest for a small amount, and then a lower rate for any money thereafter.

For example, a current account may offer 5% on the first £2,500 for one year, and then 1% on everything above that amount.

Always Research the Best Deals

The best place to invest 100k will depend on the interest rates offered by banks and building societies. Banking products change, so shop around and find the best savings account that will work for your money.

For more advice and information about making your money work for you, explore the other articles on the blog.

Investment Management

How to Form an Investing Strategy For European Markets

ByCFI.co

Europe is a global economic nexus, an incredibly stable and developed market.

Its heart is EU, which operates as a single market of 28 different states and 500 million customers. Technology and innovation are driving forces behind slow but steady growth.

This upward trajectory instils confidence when it comes to investment prospects. Many lucrative opportunities are just a few clicks away. You can pursue them without running into risks that emerging markets are rife with.

Alas, launching an international investment endeavour is a daunting task. You have to do your homework and tailor the investing strategy to specifics of the landscape.

Here is a guide on how to establish a strong foothold and enhance your portfolio.

Doing the Spadework

The European market is a mature, diverse, and liquid ecosystem.

The investment risk is low, save in times of crisis. Europe is also a highly dynamic and competitive investment arena, home to leading companies of today.

Yes, it’s easily one of the most inviting investing destinations. However, succeeding is easier said than done. To maximise your chances, you have to show due diligence.

Start by running a proper market analysis and scour the continent to discover where the best opportunities are. Evaluate your risk tolerance and put a risk management strategy in place. Two main weapons for chipping away at risk are market knowledge and portfolio diversification.

We would implore you to pay special attention to the currency risk. We’re talking about fluctuations in the foreign exchange market. They can be a double-edged sword, spurring both unexpected losses and profits.

Once research tasks are sorted out, set your chief objectives. Do you want to go for foreign direct investment (FDI) or portfolio investment? Is your goal to have a small portion of shares, source raw materials or control a whole company?

Get your priorities straight before moving to the next stage.

The Main Pathways to Investment Glory

One of the easiest ways to gain exposure is thru exchange-traded funds (ETFs).

The three main options are:

Broad European ETFs
Regional European ETFs
Country-Specific European ETFs

They offer simple means of portfolio diversification, unlike the US, which is a predominantly stock-based market. It’s possible to invest in hundreds of different companies, as well as specific industries/countries. At the same time, you can avoid the steep fees associated with mutual funds.

Familiarity is another benefit you can score. Europe harbours some of the most renowned names in modern business.

There is also an alternative approach, which is two-fold. The first tactic is buying American Depository Receipts (ADRs). The second one is acquiring stocks via foreign stock brokers.

The drawback is you have to worry about legal and tax issues. You also face hurdles such as translating foreign languages and currencies. On top of that, it can be tricky to conduct in-depth research on foreign stocks.

Note that ADRs are free of these risks. Unfortunately, they are limited to large foreign corporations that boast liquidity in spades.

The Million Dollar Question of Where

It makes a lot of sense to examine investing opportunities thru regional lenses.

Eastern Europe is an interesting region due to the potential for rapid growth. Investors comfortable with higher risks head there chasing hefty profit margins.

On the other hand, one enters Western European markets for reasons other than explosive growth. Namely, those who favour a climate with low volatility should feel at home here.

Germany is probably a must-consider, as the largest economy of Europe. It houses many of the top-500 publically traded companies in the world. County’s biggest companies (by market capitalisation) are available via the DAX 30 index, which is similar to the Dow Jones index in the US.

In terms of other, small economies, there are certain rules of thumb. You want to pay close attention to conditions like domestic policies and international agreements. These are the main tools countries employ in order to attract foreign investment.

Apart from that, it’s a good idea to stick to predictable and transparent markets. EU member states have an advantage in this regard. Common institutions handle and synchronise investment rules, including areas like dispute resolution.

The Old-School Way

Beyond that, you should feel free to invest in asset classes such as property.

The yields tend to be higher than in the case of bonds. This trend persists across different regions and states. What is more, the returns are often adjusted up for inflation.

This is to say real estate investment can act as a blanket insulating you from monetary risk. Besides, the spectrum of possibilities is very wide. You can aim for steady cash flow or speculative profit.

One piece of advice is to keep an eye on hot local markets such as Amsterdam. There, a combination of limited supply, demographic influx, and scarce land inflates prices year after year.

Finally, we shouldn’t overlook the commodities.

This traditional asset class involves minerals, fossil fuels, ores, crops, and trees. Propelled by global economic growth, the consumption and demand remain stable, while supply is finite.

Again, one of the main benefits is protection against inflation. Of course, commodities also come with risks such as price volatility. Just take the example of gold, which has been on a rollercoaster in recent years.

The lesson to draw is clear: be ever vigilant and be advised.

Investing Strategy for Europe: Taking Portfolio to the Next Level

The world’s largest regional economy is a Promised Land for many investors.

However, that doesn’t mean profits are just there for the taking. You need to put together a smart investing strategy before anything else. Rely on facts and figures to make it as sound as the Euro.

Likewise, make sure to assess your risk tolerance and financial appetites. Pick your region and industry sector accordingly. Identify up-and-coming companies and business champions with a bright future.

You can hardly go wrong fuelling your investments via European ETFs.

Just stay quick on your feet and steer away from pitfalls in the shifting monetary dimension. Keep up the pace with changing regulations and standards. Following these steps, you should be able to make headways into burgeoning European markets.

Don’t hesitate to contact us with any lingering questions and dilemmas. It’s time to elevate and diversify your portfolio.

Economics

Boris Johnson must release the potential of property post-Brexit

ByCFI.co Blogger

The past few months have seen a huge amount of political change. In December 2019, for example, the Conservative Party won their largest Parliamentary majority since 1987, while January of this year featured the passing of the EU Withdrawal Bill through parliament. With the recent cabinet reshuffle, and Sajid Javid’s resignation as Chancellor, February has also proven to be an eventful month.

Boris Johnson must release the potential of property post-Brexit — **CEO and co-founder of FJP Investment:** Jamie Johnson

However, in the period since the election, there has been a growing sense that we have returned to some semblance of normality. The three years after the referendum were turbulent and hostile, with nail-biting parliamentary votes and overheated political discourse becoming par for the course. With no election likely until the middle of this decade, and with the Government in a relatively strong position, this stress is seeming to subside. Whatever your political disposition, this is no doubt a good thing for businesses and investors.

Data suggests that the UK stock market grew by an impressive £33 billion in the immediate aftermath of the general election. The effects of the so-called Boris bounce have likely been overstated, but it has hasn’t been as short-lived as some had predicted. Property also saw an uptick; according to Zoopla’s UK Cities Price Index, demand for UK property rose at the fastest rate since 2017. Similarly, according to Nationwide, prices in January were at a 14-month high. This is especially good news in light of modest house price growth in recent years as a result of Brexit uncertainty.

Looking forward, then, the property market could be set for renewed growth.

What can the Government do to propel the property market forward?

As mentioned, following through on their Brexit promises is crucial. Whether you voted remain or leave, 2019’s missed deadlines created profound uncertainty amongst business leaders. Therefore, it’s not just about the completion of the process, but also about making sure negotiations go smoothly and businesses are being made aware of the progress made.

The EU Withdrawal Bill passing through parliament was an important first step. Indeed, it showed that this majority has allowed Boris Johnson to get on with Brexit in a way his predecessors found difficult. But the Government’s ability to tick all the other boxes during the transition period is unproven. There is still a long way to go in terms of reassuring the property market that Brexit is in safe hands and that investing can continue without concern.

Furthermore, the Government must also deliver on its previously stated aims for policy in the property space. The domestic market, for example, is supportive of a new stamp duty surcharge on international buyers of UK property — an approach the Conservative Party has previously supported. According to a recent poll conducted by FJP Investment, as many as 70% of UK property investors are in favour of such a move.

There are also other areas that the Government should follow through on to help realise the full potential of UK property. Fighting the housing crisis, for example, will require coordinated policy to encourage construction, investment, and stakeholder engagement. On that last point, the Conservative Party has previously suggested consulting local people on the design of new-build developments. Doing so would hugely increase the attractiveness of such developments, so it’s little wonder that 68% of investors surveyed by FJP Investment supported the policy.

The Government must also commit the necessary resources to construction if it is to tackle the central challenge to UK property: insufficient supply. More homes being built will almost certainly bring prices down and make rents more affordable, but a national building revolution, of sorts, may be required.

A recent promise of £100 billion for construction over the next five years is a step in the right direction, while Boris Johnson’s promise of a million new homes over the same period shows ambition for UK property. But governments of all stripes have set, and missed, huge housebuilding aims, and property leaders are tired of empty promises. Now is the time for investment and reform to fulfil that huge target.

Looking forward, UK property appears to be in a strong position. With so much latent demand, and with prices rising, 2020 is likely to be more positive than last year. Further, with Brexit likely to be completed, the entire market may be set for an upturn. However, this can only happen with the right government support and policy implementation — indeed, without it, the housing crisis will not be resolved. Thankfully, the Government’s aims broadly align with property investors’, meaning they likely have the right priorities to help property return to form.

Jamie Johnson is the CEO and co-founder of FJP Investment

Asset Management

The Dutch Fund for Climate and Development open for business

ByCFI.co Blogger

The Hague, November 15, 2019 – The Dutch Fund for Climate and Development (DFCD) has officially been launched in the presence of government officials, NGOs, investors, politicians and other interested parties. In May of this year, the DFCD was awarded to the consortium of Dutch development bank FMO, SNV Netherlands Development Organisation (SNV), World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF-NL) and Climate Fund Managers (CFM). “Today’s launch means that the DFCD is officially open for business,” said Linda Broekhuizen, Chief Investment Officer at FMO. “The consortium is keen to connect with innovative entrepreneurs with climate-related businesses and with private investors keen to mobilize much-needed funding from the private sector to join us in our mission to create a more climate-resilient world.”

Climate change is one of the biggest challenges we face today. It is already affecting people and nature across the globe, with developing countries being most impacted. “The poorest communities are the most vulnerable to climate change. Poor farmers and others at the bottom of the pyramid suffer and lose their livelihoods even with small changes in rainfall patterns or temperature”, as Meike van Ginneken, Chief Executive Officer at SNV explained.

There is an urgent need for investment to enable vulnerable communities and ecosystems to adapt to climate change. Carola van Rijnsoever, Director of Inclusive Green Growth, and Ambassador for Sustainable Development, Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said: „The challenge we face to help communities adapt to and mitigate the effects of climate change is enormous, and the case for action is incredibly clear. We cannot do this with governments alone. We need all stakeholders to be strong enough to confront this challenge. The set-up of this consortium in which finance and NGOs come together, is unique and uniquely positioned to do this.“ The government of The Netherlands has committed to addressing this need through the DFCD, making EUR 160 million available in the period 2019-2022 for climate adaptation and mitigation, of which at least 50% is earmarked for climate adaptation projects.

DFCD is a direct response to the increasing demand for climate adaptation projects that have to date suffered from a lack of funding compared with mitigation efforts. Linda Broekhuizen adds: “In 2018, USD 612 billion was invested in climate mitigation which is important and much needed. In contrast however, only 5%, USD 30 billion, was invested in adaptation. Adaptation may have to be USD 180 billion a year if the 2030 goal is to reach the USD 1.7 trillion as required according to the most recent report of the Global Commission on Adaptation.”

To help bridge this funding gap the DFCD aims to mobilize upwards of EUR 500 million from private sector investors. Andrew Johnstone, Chief Executive Officer of Climate Fund Managers adds: “The opportunities are there. Take water for example: 80% of the world’s wastewater enters rivers and oceans untreated and by 2025, half of the world’s population will be living in water stressed areas. Neither the private nor the public sector is doing enough, but together the investment potential is enormous, as is the impact to be delivered.”

This partnership of NGOs and financiers seeks to develop and finance sustainable private sector solutions to enhance resilience to the effects of climate change. These projects will boost the health of freshwater, forest, agricultural and ocean ecosystems, and improve water management.

“The consortium takes a landscape approach through investing in projects which are planned in an inclusive manner, and build on a solid understanding of the landscape, ecosystems and communities. In this way these projects will contribute to healthier ecosystems,” said Kirsten Schuijt, Chief Executive Officer of WWF-NL. “New and incredibly exciting in this consortium is that there is early-stage funding available to convert adaptation opportunities into bankable projects.”

WWF and SNV take on the key role of developing climate-relevant projects from an early-stage idea to a bankable business case. Climate Fund Managers and FMO provide investment capital, delivering projects to full operations. This combination of early-stage involvement with full life-cycle funding will ensure lasting, long-term impact that contributes to the Paris Agreement and the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Interested parties can contact the DFCD through: www.thedfcd.com.

The Dutch Fund for Climate and Development open for business — In picture from left to right the DFCD partners at the official launch event in The Hague: Andrew Johnstone, CEO of Climate Fund Managers, Kirsten Schuijt, CEO of WWF-NL, Linda Broekhuizen, CIO of FMO, Albert Bokkestijn, project manger DFCD at SNV, Carola van Rijnsoever, Director of Inclusive Green Growth, and Ambassador for Sustainable Development, Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

In picture from left to right the DFCD partners at the official launch event in The Hague: Andrew Johnstone, CEO of Climate Fund Managers, Kirsten Schuijt, CEO of WWF-NL, Linda Broekhuizen, CIO of FMO, Albert Bokkestijn, project manger DFCD at SNV, Carola van Rijnsoever, Director Inclusive Green Growth, and Ambassador Sustainable Development, Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs.