Category Archives: Investment Planning

5 Realistic and Effective Ways to Invest $100K Right Now

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So, you got $100k right now and got an itch to spend them? But you don’t know where? Here are the best options for you to explore. Be judicious as your money is judicious with itself, right?

Invest $100K here!

  • Spend some money on land or a store that will pay you monthly rent.
  • Put some capital into stocks and cryptocurrencies and save for the long term (5–10 years).
  • Purchase gold and silver bars (this is a long-term investment that should last 5–10 years or more).
  • Consider a business idea and a challenge that people in your area face. Spend the money on a mobile app or a website. You can quickly transform this into a profitable venture.
  • Invest in yourself by reading books and educating yourself so that you can learn new skills.

Options for You to Invest

Invest in Forestry:

Forestry should be seen as a long-term investment option. Many countries consider it to be famous. This guarantees you direct title land ranging from 1/4 to a few acres, as well as a substantial profit of about 7x your investment in 10 years. Tissue culture timber trees are grown in vast lands near Bengaluru as part of a scheme.

The returns are excellent because they are derived not just from the land value but also from the Tissue Culture Timber Trees grown on your property. It is managed and maintained for you by a company founded by professionals. Indeed, it is a fascinating and risk-free project aimed at fostering environmental, economic, and social well-being.

Use a method for asset allocation

Like conventional value investment, the Gone Fishing portfolio is a great way to produce higher returns with lower risk. The trick is to have a mix of index funds that represent various sections of the market.

  • Large-cap stocks in the United States (15%) – Small-cap stocks in the United States (15%) – European stocks (10%)
  • Stocks from the Pacific Rim are up 10%.
  • Emerging Market Stocks (EMS) – 10%
  • Real estate investment trusts (REITs) 5%
  • Gold Miner Stocks are up 5%.
  • Bonds with a 10% inflation adjustment
  • (Short-Term Corporate Bonds) 10%
  • Bonds with a high yield of 10%

You can play around with the ratios a little. For e.g., I made REITs 15% because I like the high dividend rates relative to the S&P, and I made US Large Caps and Small Cap Stocks 10%.

This works because you rebalance your portfolio every year. Having a spot you own to a certain percentage is known as rebalancing. So, if the US Large Cap doubles in value and becomes 20% of your portfolio, cut it down to 10% and invest in the other sections of the portfolio that have been under performing.

If REITs fall in value by half and now account for just 7.5 percent of your portfolio, increase your investment until it hits 15 percent. According to tradition, lagging asset groups are more likely to be tomorrow’s alphas, while darlings are more likely to be tomorrow’s laggers.

Quantitative value investment strategies are a method of investing that is focused on numbers. The basic idea is to stick to a plan and buy a small number of stocks that appear in a specific screener (a list of stocks that meet certain valuation criteria). Essentially, you purchase a collection of stocks based on a set of criteria (low P/E, low Price to Book, low Price to Cash Flow, low EV/EBIT, etc.) and then sell them all at once.

You rebalance once a year after purchasing a group of them, say 20–30 positions, by replacing the old positions with new ones that appear on the strategy screener you picked. Continue to do so year after year.

Don’t alter your tactics. STICK WITH IT IF YOU PICK ONE. The majority of people do not trust investment, which is why it works. When they see under performance for a year, two years, or even a few years, they become disappointed.

The main concept is to “build” your own stock index

In comparison to the S&P 500 or another major stock index, an index with a lower PE ratio, Price to Sales, Price to Cash flow, or Price to something, is more likely to produce alpha returns at a lower risk in the long run. The catch is that increased returns do not necessarily imply astronomical returns.

You will not become a millionaire immediately. Anything equivalent to “secure” does not exist or is not readily available.

It’s a good idea, to begin with, the magic formula

It’s a value investing approach that blends a low EV/EBIT ratio with a high return on investment (ROI) (return on investment).

Create a Papa Bear Portfolio

Essentially, you build a portfolio of famous blue-chip companies that pay dividend yields that are at least double the S&P 500 dividend yield and higher than the yield on 10-year treasury bonds after taxes. Make sure the payout ratio isn’t too big and that they’ve raised dividends in the past, which indicates a well-established business.

In Conclusion

Be wise with your money to have it invested judiciously in different options. It is always better to play safe with money matters as any risk associated or loss can prove to be a heavy loss for your future financial terms!

Provided By Tax Software Company, Sovos

Angel Investing: Why Are Convertible Notes The Better Option For Startups

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What Is Angel Investing?

Angel Investing has an Angel Investor or Private investor or Seed investor or Business angel who is the owner of a huge estate and provides finances to startups in exchange of ownership equity in the company. Oftenly, this angel investor is someone from family or friends. The investor invests the money either at the beginning of startup or helps financially when the company is going through a hard time.

What Is Convertible Note?

Convertible Note is a debt security (lended money) which can be converted into the ownership equity of the company. The process of convertible note is that the money lended, automatically converts into the same amount of stock and that is owned by the angel investor. The main terms that should be considered while defining the value of a convertible note are -i) Discount rate – is the reduction percentage at which the convertible note will convert in the valuation round. ii) Valuation cap – this converts the invested amount into equity at a maximum price. iii) Interest rate – this is the rate that gets issued till the notes are converted into equity or the company has to pay back. iv) Maturity date – this is the day when the company has to repay the investor either with the notes that have been converted to shares or have to pay back the debt money with the interest. The main advantage of convertible note can be that the money receiver won’t have to pay back the money with interest and the valuation of the company can not be conducted when it’s just a mere idea.

Why Is Convertible Note Better For Startups?

Following points might help you know a bit better about convertible note: –

  • Valuation can be delayed:

    Until there are no products, no customers, no sales in the company, the valuation can not be done. Further, the valuation can be shifted from one time to another once the company is doing well in the market.

  • Protects the investors

    It keeps the investors close to the company as the investors will not leave the company until the valuation is done. And permanent investors may help again if the company faces any kind of loss.

  • Low Valuation

    As the amount of debt is more so the company would be able to justify the lower valuation of the company.

  • Closing is quick

As the valuation is delayed so often the investors negotiate the valuation or deal                 document and they agree to the terms and conditions in one go.

  • Lower legal fees

As the convertible note is not as vast as traditional convertible preferred stock                    financing,  so the legal fees of convertible note is less than the other. Where the                  convertible note is of 10 pages, the traditional convertible preferred stock financing is of      100+ pages.

Pros And Cons Of Convertible Note

 Pros

  • Raising a convertible note to the investors leads in increasing the duration of valuation. This results in sharing less stocks from the company.
  • As convertible note is simpler to document from a legal perspective, it is cheap and is easy to close more quickly.
  • The funding of the business is fast and simple. The investors invest right at the beginning and the process is pretty simple too.

Cons

  • The major disadvantage is giving up equity. If you don’t want to give your stocks to your investors, then you should not go for this option. Rather you can choose the SPV for your business.
  • Risk of the startups increases if they are not able to raise the sales or the stocks. If the note matures but does not convert, the company has to pay the debt amount along with the interest. To avoid these situations, every company must have CAP tables to keep the records. Another benefit of this is that sometimes the other investors like to willingly invest after studying the CAP table or spreadsheet.

Startups with high growth phases should go for convertible notes. After the investment      by the angel investor, the company should prepare themselves for valuation so that the      convertibles won’t concern them. In the end the convertible notes are debt and the            company will need rapid growth in order to increase the value for investors. If this              doesn’t happen before the note matures, then the company would have to pay the debt      amount along with interest until and unless the investor pardons you with some extra        time.

FAQ On Convertible Note

Q. What Is Convertible Debt?

Ans. It is a kind of funding to the startups as a loan and instead of paying back the loan, the lender or investor becomes a part of the company.

Q. What Happens If The Note Is Matured And The Valuation Is Low?

Ans. In such a scenario, the company has to give back the debt amount along with the interest.

Q. How Much Is The Interest?

Ans. Before it was 7% – 10%, but now it has come down to 1% – 2%.

Q. Who Can Go For Convertible Debts?

Ans. Startups with a way of growing rapidly can consider this way of funding.

Conclusion

Choosing the right way of funding is the major step for startups. Before making a decision, research well about every kind of funding. Go through their advantages and disadvantages, compare them and whenever in doubt always take help from professionals. Convertible notes are healthy for a startup business, but the company must grow in order to make it beneficial. The main terms of the convertible notes such as – Investment and purpose, Interest, Conversion Events, Exit event, Qualifying round, Maturity, Conversion Price, Valuation Cap, Default events should be kept in mind and you should get a vivid idea about each one. For further knowledge, you can also consult with a lawyer. Also go through some examples of convertible notes to clear every doubt. If you are not sure about the growth of your company, then you probably shouldn’t do this.

How to Manage Risks & Opportunities in Real Estate Investment

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There are many misconceptions when it comes to real estate, but one of the most common ones is that it is 100% free from risk. Many investors put their capital in rental properties and other real estate assets, assuming that losses are scarce and far in between. But that couldn’t be further from the truth.

Real Estate Investment

Like every other business venture, real estate carries with it a unique set of risks that makes learning risk management essential. While it’s vital to learn how to steer clear of pitfalls peculiar to being a landlord, it’s also necessary to be aware of the opportunities.

In this article, we’ll take you through some real estate investment tips that teach you how to manage risks while seeking opportunities.

 #1 Keep close tabs on your property

The first and most obvious way to manage risks for your investments is to keep a close eye on your property. It’s crucial to take precautions against elements such as wind, water, and pests. But burglars can also pose a threat to your tenants by rendering your apartment unsafe. The best thing to do is be proactive by buying insurance against theft, fire, and other damages that might result from external forces.

Securing your property against these dangers could also be an opportunity for you to make more profits. Tenants will be willing to pay more for buildings equipped with security cameras, burglar-proof windows, the latest smoke detectors, and other preventive measures that make them feel safer.

#2 Monitor the market through thorough research

The real estate industry is not static, and the only way to keep up is by doing your research. If you plan to sell your house, you might look at historically strong and weak peak points, what the occupancy rate is like, and so on. On the other hand, buyers will find more interest in current market rates, cap rates, and other relevant information. Even if you’re not actively planning to buy or sell, it’s essential you get some routine update on the market’s appetite so you can protect your investment.

#3 Diversify your investments

As the saying goes, avoid putting all your eggs in one basket. Diversifying your investments has proven to be one of the ways to protect your finances. This is true because forces such as the current reality of the economy, inflation, and other factors can affect the market. Contrary to popular belief, the real estate industry is not immune to these forces, so investors with their fingers in different assets minimize their risk significantly.

Of course, a diversified portfolio doesn’t automatically remove all the risk associated with investing; it only reduces it. For example, you’ll lose less money if one out of three or four of your assets suffers a loss instead of owning a singular asset that takes a hit. It could also work the other way around if one of your investments experiences a surge in profit.

#4 Avoid litigation

Litigation is another risk that comes with investing in real estate. From wrongful evictions to breach of landlord-tenant agreements, there are many ways your tenants could summon you to court. While following up with your obligations as a landlord is one of the best ways to avoid a lawsuit, sometimes these things are out of your hands, such as when you have a problematic tenant. In such scenarios, having insurance is still the best way to protect yourself and your investment.

Familiarizing yourself with national and local real estate laws is another way to protect yourself from litigation; remember that ignorance does not provide absolution from the law. You can always hire a real estate lawyer to oversee your buying and selling of property and ensure the procedure falls within the confines of the law.

#5 Look into fractional ownership

Fractional ownership applies when two or more investors own a specified percentage of a real estate asset. In this way, all co-owners share in the profit of the investment. While this might not sound like a favorable outcome, it also means all investors share in the loss, which could provide a cushion during an under-selling.

Conclusion

Finding a balance between managing risks and utilizing opportunities is key to maximizing your capital and making the most of your investments. No one answer fits all when it comes to your investment because everyone has a different tolerance for risk. It’s in your best opinion to conduct your market research, keep close tabs on your property, avoid litigation and find other opportunities that fit within your comfort zone.

Of course, you could always hire a professional to manage your real estate investment as these tasks can quickly become overwhelming. More so, an experienced real estate manager can offer more professional solutions when tackling risks or assessing apparent opportunities.

10 Marketing Skills You Should Have To Become Real Estate Agent Tips by Martin Zialcita

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Real estate is an extremely competitive industry. Real estate agents are pushing constantly to close the next sale, and ensure maximum profits. The greatest worry in a real estate agents mind is how to gain the best deals from their clients. Just like other marketing professionals, real estate agents need particular set of skills. In this post, we look at the top ten skills you must have to become the next successful real estate agent.

Real Estate Agent

#1 Communication Skills

To become a successful real estate agent, you need proper communication skills. This is because communication is the heart of everything you are going to do as a real estate agent. Therefore, we recommend that you develop proper communication skills, so that you can communicate to the property owners effectively, and lead the negotiations such that you will attract maximum profits. Consider that if you are not going to be a good communicator, you will end up losing deals to real estate agents who have well-honed communication skills. Therefore, take time and train yourself how to communicate effectively.

#2 Ability to Understand Social Cues

A real estate agent needs to be able to read body language. Remember that body language could often reveal additional information. For instance, folding of the hands could mean that the customer does not like the deal. In addition, certain facial expressions could express

dissatisfaction. Therefore, if you anticipate becoming a real estate agent, it is important you learn how to interpret various facial expressions and body language in general. While trying to discern the body language, be aware of cultural distinction, and particularly when closing international deals. You can research body language beforehand to avoid behaviors that could be misconstrued.

#3 Integrity

Integrity is an important skill in the real estate business. As a real estate agent, you need the ability to differentiate right from wrong. Therefore, when real estate agents make decisions about

which neighborhoods to promote based on skin color, religion or sex, it is a totally wrong practice. Agents need to have the integrity to tell their clients the truth about values in the marketplace and whatever changes would enhance the perceived property value.

To build a reputation, real estate agents need to provide a great service to every one of their clients. Practicing integrity makes it possible to gain positive reviews and glowing testimonials from the past customers. Therefore, if you are focusing on becoming a real estate agent, consider different ways of improving your integrity levels.

#4 Negotiation skills

Do you have proper negotiation skills? Before registering as a real estate agent, you need to make sure you have proper negotiation skills. Otherwise, you will not make money.  remember that in any real estate deal, the seller wants the highest price for the property, and the buyer wants the lowest price for a property. that does not mean real estate agents will not make money. The truth is that how much you make, depends on your ability to negotiate. Therefore, the agent’s role in the real estate deal is to link the buyer to a seller, with an aim of earning maximum amount as the commission. With proper negotiation skills, the real estate agent can attract maximum profits.

#5 Following Up

One key skill to converting leads into buyers is the ability to follow up, and respond to clients promptly. If you do not follow up, another real estate agent will follow up and close the deal. Therefore, following up is another important skills to have, if you are planning to work as a real estate agent. Remember to treat each lead with honesty and integrity. If you promise to get back to a client within a certain number of days, make sure you share the update as promised the client. The most important thing you need to remember is that you cannot close deals, if you are not good at following up.

#6 Learn To Be Passionate

Passion is what gives the real estate agent a purpose. If you combine your passion as your work, then you will be doing your best in terms of pursuing leads and even throughout the closing process. Becoming passionate about your job motivates oneself and those around you.  Besides, passion drives you into developing a better work environment, and so you can create a more loyal following.

Additional reasons why finding passion is vital include feeling good, attaining success, it becomes difficulty to quit, helps you to attain career growth, and you manage your time much better.

#7 Active Listening Skills

Active listening is a valuable technique that requires the listener to absorb, understand, respond  and retain what is being said. Therefore, when you learn to engage in active listening, you not only understand the message, but also understand their body language. Active listening skill set involves various listening techniques namely:

  • Paying attention
  • Withholding judgment
  • Reflecting what the speaker said
  • Seeking clarification
  • Summarizing
  • Sharing

Therefore, when you have proper listening skills, your customers will want to work with you , appreciate your efforts, and even refer friends and relatives to you.

#8 Problem solving skills

Problem solving is an important skill because it gives you the mechanism for identifying things, figuring out what they are, and determining a course of action to fix the issues. Therefore, as a

real estate agent, you stand a greater chance for meeting your sales goals, satisfying customers and eventually, growing your business tremendously.

#9 Teaching Skills

Clients choose hiring you not only because of your knowledge of the market, but also because you have the ability to educate them and support them throughout the process. Therefore, it is important you learn how you can transfer knowledge effectively, and explain the same concepts repeatedly.

#10 Patience

Patience is an important skill for not only real estate agents, but also other professionals. Consider that sometimes you may be able to sell a property within a day, while under other circumstances it takes months. Therefore, you need to stay calm, but also follow up often.

Conclusion

Are you hoping to venture into real estate? You need the ten skills we have listed here, to achieve success. Therefore, begin learning these skills early enough, and embrace them throughout the career.

Buy Land Now, Build Your Home Later

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Buy Land Now

A land loan is nothing more than what the name suggests… a loan to buy land; nothing more, nothing less. Land loans are a very small portion of the lending market and banks take a higher risk dealing with land loans than with mortgage loans, explains Casey Fleming, a mortgage adviser with C2 Financial Corp in San Jose, California. If a bank or lender has to foreclose on a land loan, there’s no real way of guaranteeing the bank will get its money back.

“Owners of raw land are much more likely to stop making payments and walk away from the property in the event of a financial event in their lives,” Fleming says. “If you own your own home, you’ll do anything you can to save it. With raw land, you can’t use it or generate any income off it.”

Because there is less demand for land than there is for already-constructed homes, vacant property is far more difficult to sell than a lot with a house on it.

“Most people can’t handle buying land and building something on it,” says Fleming. “It involves a lot more time and money than people expect. Even if it’s a fixer-upper, a land loan calculator is a tool that allows borrowers to gain a better grasp of their expected payments.” It doesn’t even take a minute of your time to type in your information. The best part is you do not need to be a financial expert to utilize the program.

On land loans, some lenders need a large down payment and charge higher interest rates. Furthermore, some land loans have much shorter repayment durations than a normal 15-year or 30-year mortgage.

What is a Land Loan Calculator?

A land loan calculator is a tool that helps borrowers understand how lenders determine the sum to repay a loan. You won’t spend a lot of time filling out the form. The best thing about it is you don’t need a math instructor to understand the calculations or to use the tool.

The monthly installments for your land loan are calculated using the land loan calculator. It also calculates total interest based on the purchase price, down payment, interest rate, and number of monthly payments.

If you are interested in buying land, this tool will tell you what to expect prior to having a conversation with one of the loan officers. Educating yourself as much as possible will help you feel in control of the situation and certain that you are selecting the finest financing solution for your needs.

Calculating the Interest on a Land Loan

If land loans are foreign to you, arming yourself with as much information as you can will only benefit you. You may not be familiar with the interest on a loan. The interest is the amount banks or finance companies charge to borrow money from them. This is figured in the total repayment amount. Your neighbor’s interest rate could be different from yours depending on the closing date and credit scores.

If you use a rural home lending co-op, you may take a lower interest rate in connection with the Farm Credit System.

It’s not uncommon for interest rates to go down just as fast as they went up. Often, it depends on supply and demand. One advantage to look for is a long-term fixed-rate loan. This loan can lower the risk of high interest rates over the term of their loans.

The loan officers are loan experts. They also are knowledgeable in the agricultural industry and know the ins and outs of buying land. After approving your loan request,  they will assist you in finding the best way to repay the loan all the while making your dream come true.

An Investor’s Guide to Buying Shares on a Small Budget

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I’m sure most of you are wondering the best way to get started investing with a small amount of money. Well, I have some great tips for you!

It is possible to trade shares with a small budget as long as you use leverage and keep your margin under control. Furthermore, we should mention the compounding effect by making a small investment every month.

Investment Small Budget

The traditional way of investing in stocks is to commit large sums of money upfront, but this method can be difficult for those who have limited funds. By using strategies such as leveraging or trading on margin, it’s possible to make investments with only a small initial outlay from your pocketbook.

Start Small, Grow Big

Saving money in order to invest is a great idea. Saving small amounts regularly will not take you long, and can be done in fewer little steps.

You can start with a broker that allows low minimum deposits. There are brokers that allow investing in Stocks or Stock CFDs from as little as $1. Although that starting THAT small is not recommended, it’s still doable.

Compounding interest is the process of earning interest on your initial investment plus any previous earnings. It’s a strategy that allows for small amounts to grow into large sums over time. When you make an initial investment, this money earns some kind of return whether it be from dividends or growth in price which then earns more and more as time goes by with compounding effects.

A common way people take advantage of compounding interests is through “dollar cost averaging” where they invest $x each month regardless if the share prices are high or low – so long as their portfolio has space available to buy shares. This reduces risk because even when the market falls, people will still be acquiring shares at lower prices than before. Once the share price increases, the returns are greater.

Use Leverage

Some investors may be more inclined to “leverage” their investments in order to magnify potential gains.

However, you need to consider the risks and your financial goals following such a choice.

As much as we’d like our risk-adverse clients to leverage investments on every trade, it does not meet all of their goals or tolerance for risk.

What is leverage?

Leverage is “borrowed” money that can be used to trade on margin.

Margin is an investment vehicle that magnifies returns, but the risk of loss is also higher than a cash position without leverage.

To learn more about leveraging your investments, check this article: What is Leverage and how it works.

Use Social Trading

Social trading is both the ability to observe an investor’s portfolio without actually having a share in it, or to follow their trades without doing any of the work.

Social Trading can help you make a small investment work for you by following the trades of other traders with larger accounts and allowing their results to compound on your account. It’s like putting money in a savings account but instead, it’s invested into an active portfolio that follows what someone else is doing.

Platforms and Brokers that Offer Social Trading:

Many online stock trading platforms offer social trading. This allows the trader to copy the trade of a successful trader for a small fee (also known as spreads) without having to take any risk or make an initial investment themselves.

Some of them are:

Etoro –  is one of the most reputable social trading networks on the planet. You can start investing with as little as $100 and trade stocks, commodities and currencies.

  • Trade shares (stocks) for just $0.90 per transaction
  • Invest in cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin or Ethereum to potentially make big gains
  • Leverage up to 300:300 – meaning that if your account value is £5000 then you have up to £150000 worth of buying power; perfect for smaller investors who want to play at high stakes using minimal capital

ZuluTrade –  one of the best ways to start investing with a small amount of money

  • ZuluTrade offers the opportunity for traders to trade shares and ETFs in forex, commodities and indices.
  • You can even use leverage on your trades which means you can increase your profits or limit losses if prices move against you.
  • Furthermore, trading with ZuluTrade is commission free (you only pay when making withdrawals) so no matter how much time or money you have available it’s the perfect platform to begin investing with a small budget.

Other reputable Investment Brokers offering Social Trading:

  • AvaTrade
  • Pepperstone
  • IC Markets
  • XM Group
  • Exness
  • FXTM
  • Etc

Summary

The most challenging part of investing is getting started. With limited capital, many people do not know where to turn for help or what steps to take in order to invest.

There are ways that you can start investing even with small capital.

As a starting point, you will need to choose a broker that is legitimate and offers you the tools that you need to succeed.

Best Cities For Real Estate Investment in Montenegro

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Montenegro is a small country in the center of Europe with mild climate, amiable social environment and an average European standard of living. House prices is relatively low — around 300–400 thousand euros on average in large cities. However, a cheaper option for 30–40 thousand euros can be found in villages.

Real Estate Investment

The most appealing waterfront property in Montenegro is located in the Bay of Kotor, also known as the Boka, with its charming resort towns and rich cultural heritage protected by UNESCO. One more popular location is the Budva Riviera. People come here to purchase property in Montenegro despite the fact that the population density here continues to increase. The following article will help you to understand which cities are most popular with real estate investors and why.

The best cities for rental housing in Montenegro

Resort cities are always the most popular ones. It is profitable to purchase real estate in resort cities for subsequent rental.

Locations

Budva

Budva is a real tourist hub of Montenegro with the Old Town and fortress walls, the seaside citadel of the XV century, ancient churches, and romantic winding streets with houses constructed in traditional Mediterranean architectural style.

Miniature squares attract a huge number of tourists to summer festivals. It is the most popular resort in Montenegro—in summer the population of Budva grows almost 6 times. Therefore, the first options that many foreigners consider when buying a property are apartments in Budva.

Kotor

Kotor is good for both investing and living. Nature surrounded by mountains, a luxurious bay and abundant cultural monuments which date back to the Middle Ages, that’s what attracts tourists and investors from all over the world, but mainly French, Russians, Scandinavians and Germans.

A major seaport with a daily average of 5,000 people arriving on cruise liners, it is also the cultural and historical centre of the country.

Montenegro real estate is profitable in various cities, including the area of Kotor—Prčanj, Dobrota, Stoliv.

Sveti Stefan

Sveti Stefan is rightfully considered a signature city of the coast of Montenegro. In recent years, the demand for the city’s real estate has grown significantly and its infrastructure followed suit. This place attracts those who are fond of spending their holidays on the beach. Sveti Stefan is highly popular with celebrities, thus the prices here are high—about 3–6 thousand euros per square meter.

Herceg Novi

Herceg Novi is one of the largest cities in Montenegro located near the Croatian border. Summers there are warm and dry, with almost no precipitation in the winter months—thus the climate is favourable for permanent living and recreation. When a new seaport had appeared, the city’s real estate experienced a boom in demand.

Tivat: for investing and living

Tivat is a heart of luxury housing with the most fashionable residence complex Porto Montenegro. The second popular location is the chalet village of Tivat Hills. The city is located just 7 km away from Tivat Airport.

The population of Tivat is around 10,000 people. There is a stark contrast in both prices and infrastructure—if you are interested in waterfront real estate in Montenegro and you are looking for some options in new-build properties, they can cost up to 1.5 million euros and even more. In the old areas of the city the prices are considerably lower, 80–90 thousand euros.

Bar

Bar is another main port of Montenegro. It is located near the Mount Rumija. The city is one of the sunniest European locations: the waters here get warmer up to 24-26 °C as soon as the middle of May comes. The historic district of Bar is just 4 km away from the sea.

Today, the town is rightfully recognized as an open-air museum. It was here that the first king of Montenegro was crowned. Next to the Bar, in Mirovica, there is an olive tree which is claimed to be one of the oldest trees in the world. Its age is believed to be more than 2000 years.

Sutomore

One more resort is Sutomore. It attracts investors interested in real estate on the beach in Montenegro. With its picturesque beaches stretching for 2.5 km and a large range of affordable housing, it is a good choice for those who prefer to spend time in calm surroundings together with the family.

Some other popular location in Montenegro

– Perast—an ancient town on the shore of the Bay of Kotor.

– Morinj with its beautiful pebble beach, clear coastal waters and abundant fruit orchards.

– Bigovo with the most beautiful bay in Montenegro, or maybe in the whole Adriatic.

– Bijela with a good ecological situation, as well as unique flora and fauna.

– Luta with its secluded restaurants and ancient palaces near the Lovćen mountain range.

– The city of Cetinje, which resembles an open-air museum with its abundance of religious and historical monuments.

– Petrovac with olive groves and pine forest on the shore of the bay.

– Lustica Bay on the Lustica Peninsula.

What should be taken into account while making a choice

If you are interested in Montenegro real estate, pay attention to the size and infrastructure of the city, its proximity to the sea and popularity with tourists — all these factors affect not only the cost, but also the comfort of your stay in the country.

It all depends on the purpose of buying a house in Montenegro—houses and apartments in Budva, Kotor and Herceg Novi are the most suitable locations for investment purposes. When choosing a property for living, stick to your preferences — there are many secluded villages and developed cities in the country, where cultural and social life is in full swing, especially during the tourist season.

Why You Should Become a Real Estate Agent

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If you don’t relish working a traditional 9-to-5 job, you might want to consider becoming a real estate agent. The number of members in the U.S. National Association of Realtors has continued to increase, reaching 1.4 million in 2019, all-time high, with more and more people discovering the benefits of this career.

Real Estate a Sensible Investment

While it may not be for everyone, it might just be the perfect career for you. Here’s why.

The Earnings Potential

Conventional job earnings rarely increase unless your boss decides to give you a raise or you get a promotion, which can sometimes take years. If you become a real estate agent, there is no limit on what you can earn. The money you make is directly tied to how much and how hard you work. For the homeowner, the cost of selling a house includes realtor commissions, so when you sell a $300,000 property, for example, you’ll typically earn around 3 percent or $9,000. Sell just one of those a month and your earnings are already over $100,000 a year. Of course, that doesn’t include expenses, which will be higher initially with costs for training, the licensing exam, business cards, and marketing. But once you’re licensed and experienced, developing a reputation that brings clients to you, you’ll have fewer expenses and greater earning potential.

More Freedom

A 9-to-5 job can make it feel like you’re chained to a desk, with little freedom, you may not even be able to take a break without asking your employer. A real estate agent is usually his or her own boss – you won’t have to worry about someone lurking over your shoulder all day. You’re essentially running your own small business. While you may have a broker to answer to, it’s not the same dynamic as employer/employee.

Plus, your “office” is mobile, most of your work can be done anywhere using a laptop or iPad and your hours will be influenced by the needs and availability of your customers. If you want to take a two-hour lunch because your brother is in town, or carve out time to go to your daughter’s play, you can. Of course, you’ll often have to work around your customers’ schedules for showings and meetings.

You’ll Get to Meet and Help Lots of People

If you enjoy meeting new people, you’ll have lots of opportunities to do it as a real estate agent. Your job will require socializing and networking, allowing you to put your interpersonal skills to work. You’ll also get to help people through one of the largest financial transactions they’ll encounter in a lifetime, something that’s exciting and stressful at the same time.

Minimal Education

If a college education is out of reach, you won’t have to worry about going into debt to get your degree. To become an agent, typically, all you’ll need is a high school diploma or GED and to pass an exam. In some states, you may have to have some training and take a pre-licensing course but it won’t be nearly as costly or take as long as it would to earn your bachelor’s degree. You may be able to become a licensed agent in just 30 days.

Investments: Expectations vs. Reality

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Since there is this sharp distinction, investments are probably somewhere in the grey area, subject to a lot of misunderstandings.

In this article, we are going to explain several myths people believe regarding investments.

But before we delve into the “Instagram vs. reality” division, let’s see what falls under investments.

We have turned to the investment master, Mr. Phil Town, who knows a thing or two about the craft, him being an investment advisor and hedge fund manager.

Investments Expectations and Reality

Investment Types

  1. Stock market. Considered the best investment type that brings back profit, but you need to learn the basics of managing investments.
  2. Because of the level of risk, or lack of it, for that matter. A safe investment, some may think. Maybe, in discourse terms, but in reality, but the return rate might be so low that over time you realize that inflation ate your money- it may be the same amount that you invested, but it is not worth the same. Reconsider safety here.
  3. Mutual funds. You invest money with other people into a lot of different assets, but the bottom line is that you pay money to the managers of your money without ever reaping the benefits, i.e. monetizing from the whole business.
  4. Houses and buildings, i.e. real estate. Mind you, almost the only good deal here is to buy property for half of its worth. Otherwise, you are about to take care of a lot of rental space with fewer returns. Better invest in the stock market, Town advises.
  5. Precious metal or stone, like gold or diamonds. The rule of thumb is to invest in the said commodity only in case you are sure the world is going to run out of those goods, making their shortage its driving force.

Investment is not a big bad wolf waiting to eat you, it’s also business, so consider building a website, as well. Turn to the experts and creative visionaries from TuiSpace, a Houston-based digital agency. Also, you need to learn a lot about the postulates of investment before you decide where to put your money. Maybe this article helps.

Here are some common myths around investments- this straightforward, yet complicated endeavor.

Expectations vs. Reality

Since we said the stock market is the safest and easiest bet, let’s start with the expectation around it:

#expectation No.1: The stock market only skyrockets.

#reality: Pray for a stock market not to plummet when you are about to retire because you never know when it’s going to happen. But! Whenever it happened, afterward it did skyrocket: the returns almost doubled.

#expectation No.2: Investments are easy money.

#reality: You can earn a lot from thoroughly thought-out investing, but it takes time. A lot of time and stamina. It’s about efficiency, not the short-cut approach.

#expectation No.3: Buy a stock for less amount of money and it will immediately go up.

#reality: it ONLY happens if the firm is exquisite. As we mentioned above about the housing and property, it is worth an investment only in case it’s purchased on sale in comparison to how much it is really worth. And yet, if the company has already faced the slump, who guarantees you that it won’t happen again? We don’t claim they won’t go up, but it might not be a linear or definite road. Nevertheless, if this is a sound firm, in the end, it should acquire its real value. It is volatile in the short term, but eventually, if you are strong enough to endure the ride, you’ll earn.

#expectation No.4: Turn to investments and you may as well quit your day job.

#reality: It turns out that working until you retire is real. But with investing, it means that your retirement might come quicker, and will most certainly be more relaxed than others’. Precisely, much more relaxed. But do keep your 9-5 job, after which you go about exploring the stock markets and watch your revenue grow.

#expectation No. 5: The faster a company’s growth, the better the investment

#reality: It is not the only predicament of its value, there are other things to consider. It could be over-valued since a lot of other investors are probably also eyeing it and bidding for it. Moreover, it might have a sudden decline in growth and quality as well, which is common.

Conclusion

You might have heard a lot more phrases and predictions around investment, including those of return rate hitting the double-digit, or diversifying to reduce the overall risk, which, if done clumsily, may take you to over-diversifying and losing a lot more.

Learn every aspect of the subject matter, or hire an advisor- it will pay off in the long run.

Better have fewer solid stocks, than myriads of potentially money-wasting ones. Keep a keen eye on the good ones.

And remember this notorious, much-quoted phrase: “Past results are no guarantee of future performance”. It is there for a reason.

Coronavirus & Its Effect On The Price Of Gold

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For a long time, gold has been considered as a kind of safe-haven for investors, often been thought of as a hedge against inflation, and with the current COVID-19 pandemic, many gold investors are happy.

There has been an unprecedented situation throughout the world, which has seen economies and currencies become incredibly volatile, and many companies are facing collapse with massive job losses. If you are lucky enough to have invested in physical gold, you might be wondering why your investment portfolio is sitting so pretty in a world facing potential financial ruin, and here is the answer.

The Price Of Gold

Companies Needing Financial Assistance

Similar to the banking crisis of 2007-08, we have seen many small and large companies facing financial ruin, some of which considered to be too big to fail. Any company connected both directly or indirectly to the hospitality or tourism industry are facing uncertain times due to the lockdown and travel ban during the pandemic. Not only have they lost months of profit from the closure, the uncertainty of when things will open and how they will open leaves them in a precarious situation. Large airlines such as Virgin Atlantic have all looked to their respective governments for bailouts and help during these uncertain times. Not only companies have needed help as the public has also required financial aid to ensure that they can eat and have a roof over their heads.

The Printing Of Money

With both industry and the public requiring financial assistance from governments, there has been a significant increase in the amount of money created to keep up with demand. Governments are borrowing at unprecedented levels and these actions cast shadow and fear in the investment markets. With gold being considered as a safe hedge against inflation, these actions by governments around the world have seen bullion gold prices increase to record levels, which gets investors excited.

Invest If You Can

If you are lucky enough to have enough money to invest in gold, then it is something that you should consider doing as quickly as you can. You can start by looking at gold bullion Adelaide dealers have.

With the economic impact of the virus on countries’ economies not being known, experts are predicting that we could be about to embark on a recession, the size of which has never seen before. The good news for gold investors is that with the volatility of currencies due to the pandemic and market conditions, prices are most likely going to continue to rise, so if you have the funds available you may be able to make an intelligent investment.

If you are going to invest in gold, it is advisable to buy physical gold, such as bullion and coins, rather than paper gold, which is typically an investment in a gold mining company. Purchase physical gold and ensure that you have somewhere safe and secure to store it, and you can watch your investment grow in value, which may offset some of your other losses from your investment portfolio.

Just remember, there is always a risk when it comes to investing, some investments have more risk than others, so ensure that you only spend as much as you can afford to lose.