GOLD AS PART OF A WELL-BALANCED INVESTMENT PORTFOLIO

Much has been discussed about investing in gold in The Property Post recently. The purpose of this article is to continue on this discussion and to look at gold from an investor seeking a balanced investment portfolio’s point of view.

Based on a recent report in The Star, the price of gold was US$278.95 (RM847) per ounce on January 1, 2002. Fast forward to today or specifically March 6, 2012, gold price was US$1,706.32 (RM5,176) per ounce. That’s a 512% increase over a period of 10 years. Question. Did any of your other investments increase by this much over a similar period?

Having said that, I am not suggesting that you dumped all your other investment in favor of gold. Nor am I saying that by buying gold, you will be guaranteed to make a profit when you sell it later. Far from that. What I am trying to point out here is that gold can be viewed as PART of your investment to create a balanced portfolio. It should be used as a hedge against economic uncertainties like recession. Do bear in mind that the gold I am referring here has little to do with jewellery but rather gold bars, gold coins and gold certificates.

Now, you probably would be wondering or perhaps demanding for facts to back up my points. Well then, let’s take a look at gold’s characteristics.

Storing Value

In this increasingly challenging time, we have seen how businesses had gone bankrupt, governments overturned and borders shifted. And yet gold’s price has more or less has seen a steady growth. For more than 5,000 years, gold has been one of the most treasured and accepted precious metal and certainly one that had been a store of value. Though gold prices can be volatile in the short run but in the long run, gold has maintained its value.

Global Currency

Gold has long been used as a medium of exchange well before paper money was introduced. Currencies can become worthless (remember what happened to “banana money”?) but not gold. Its price will fluctuate but never will it become useless. The good thing about gold is that it does not belong to any country. It is recognized, accepted and traded all over the world. Kind of like a global currency if you may. This makes it less risky than cash in times of turmoil.

Liquidity

Gold is liquid and can be converted into cash pretty easily. Well, the liquidity level depends on the type of gold bullion that you have but when it comes to ease of acquiring and selling gold bullions, it is simple to do so.

Bullion coins provide a great way to own and hold gold. They are traded daily all over the world and there are lots of trading centers where you can conduct the buying or selling. Best of all, they do not need to be assayed (which may be the case if you are holding gold bars, especially the larger ones). Bullion coins are backed by the government of the country of origin. Take for example, the Gold Maple Leaf is Canada’s official gold bullion coin and is made by the Royal Canadian Mint.

Supply and Demand

The supply of gold is limited. An investor is competing with the likes of jewellery manufacturers, governments and banks for this limited supply. And according to Alfred Marshall’s supply and demand theory, this would push the price up. Need I say more? So you see, gold has intrinsic value that results in it being a less risky investment that helps balanced up your investment portfolio. Paper assets may gradually become not worth the paper they are printed on. But gold will always be worth its weight.

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Girl, Let Your Inner Investment Animal Roar!

What is it with women that they are often associated with furry animals such as playful kittens and bunnies; or nasty vixens, shrews, and bitches; and, worst of all, tigresses and cougars on the prowl? But when it comes to investing, what is your inner animal? Surely, inside every woman there is an inner investment animal that is just waiting to roar, or meow, as it were. Does it really take a ferocious roar to unleash the female inner investment genius that, unbeknownst to them, may lie dormant and silenced?

According to this article, Australian scientists may have identified the male ‘fight or flight’ SRY gene, only found on the Y chromosome that clearly contrasts with the oestrogen-linked ‘cuddle hormone’ in females named oxytocin. Does this mean women are incapable at roaring in the investment jungle? Certainly not these 7 Outstanding Female Investors Who Fought Their Way To The Top, each in their own way are roaring investment tigresses worthy of emulation. Notably, they share the common experience of having been rejected, ignored and ostracized in a male dominated financial and investment world.

But apparently, this financial world is changing and more women are learning the ropes about investing and are willing to share their experiences in the typical “tend and befriend” response of their gentler gender. Two Canadian women have made their online sisterhood flourish through a personal financial website goldengirlfinance.ca. They also wrote a book “It’s Your Money, Honey”, deemed a girl’s guide to saving, investing, and building wealth at every age and life stage, seem girlishly fashionable. So, is the female investment animal a roaring tigress or is she a cuddly kitten?

Well, just when you think you know the answer, someone writes a book, “Warren Buffett Invests Like a Girl and Why You Should Too”, and it turns out that “investing like a girl” is a good thing as it refers to Buffett’s “even temperament — calm, disciplined, patient, realistic. The result: long-term investing success.” In the book, the following eight traits summarises Buffet’s “girly” investment approach; Female investors tend to: • Trade less than men do. • Exhibit less self-confidence • Shun risk more than male investors do. • Be less optimistic, and therefore, more realistic, than their male counterparts. • Put in more time and effort researching possible investments. • Be more immune to peer pressure. • Learn from their mistakes. • Have less testosterone than men do (thus less willing to take extreme risks)

For one woman, Sara Blakely, reliance on word of mouth and woman-to-woman advice has helped her laugh all the way to the world’s youngest self-made woman on the Forbes’ World’s Billionaires list. There is a lot to be said for 41-year-old Blakely who, according to this Wall Street Journal article; “…..owns 100% of private company Spanx, has zero debt, has never taken outside investment and hasn’t spent a nickel on advertising.” There is a lot to be said for “girl power” when it comes to investing in a product that appeal to women. Like Blakely, even if you didn’t get help from a husband or an inheritance, in the financial jungle it is clearly obvious that the female gender needs to find the voice of her inner investment animal.

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Asian stocks rebound as dollar eases

SINGAPORE: Asian stocks rebounded today and the dollar eased after Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke said ultra-loose monetary policy was still needed to reduce unemployment even though the US economy has shown signs of improvement.

Wall Street stock rose more than 1 percent on Monday, as Bernanke’s comments supported views that easy monetary policy would remain in place for some time and fanned expectations for more asset purchases by the U.S. central bank.

Global equities have been rallying since late last year, partly due to steadily improving U.S. economic data and massive doses of liquidity from central banks, but hit a bump in mid-March after China signalled its growth was moderating.

“We are clearly addicted to this highly liquid market, and Bernanke has reassured that it (will) stay up this way,” said Kent Engelke, chief economic strategist at Capitol Securities Management.

MSCI’s broadest index of Asia Pacific shares outside Japan rose 0.5 percent, led by materials stocks that had been hit in recent days by expectations of lower Chinese demand for resources.

Tokyo’s Nikkei share average rose 1.6 per cent, taking its gains for the year-to-date to around 20 percent.

Previous rounds of “quantitative easing” — the creation of money to fund asset purchases by the Fed — have weakened the dollar, and the dollar index, which measures the currency against a basket of major peers, hit a four-week low on Tuesday.

The euro, which was also supported by data from Germany showing business morale rose unexpectedly for a fifth successive month in March, rose to its highest in a month before easing to trade steady on the day around $1.3356.

Oil was also steady, after rising on Bernanke’s comments on Monday, with U.S. crude just above US$107 a barrel and Brent crude around US$125.60. – Reuters

Source by: Business Times

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Govt receives 1,600 applications for My First Home Scheme

KUALA LUMPUR: The Government has received 1,623 applications for loans under the My First Home Scheme (Skim Rumah Pertamaku) until January this year, said Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.

Of them, 280 loans amounting to RM41.1mil have been approved, the Prime Minister said in a written reply to Hee Loy Sian (PKR-Petaling Jaya Selatan) at the Dewan Rakyat Tuesday.

Najib said Syarikat Perumahan Negara Bhd (SPNB) had carried out 56 low-cost, low-medium-cost and medium-cost housing projects involving 37,757 units until January.

Under the 1Malaysia People-Friendly Homes (Rumah Mesra Rakyat 1Malaysia) programme, SPNP has built 17,749 houses nationwide, he added.

He said for the same period, 32,762 houses under the People’s Housing Project involving 25 projects were completed and 2,100 more under construction in Kuala Lumpur to ease housing shortage in the Klang Valley.

Najib said the construction of low-cost housing projects by private developers based on quotas set by state governments would help increase low-income home ownership in urban areas throughout the country. – Bernama

 

Courtesy of: Thestar Online

 

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Financing Your Property

 

Upon purchasing any property, you have the option of three types of financing – Term Loan, Flexi Loan and Semi-Flexi Term Loan.  If you are like most people, you may not know the difference between the three.  Fret not though as this article serves to help you identify their key differences.

 

Term Loan

A term loan is the traditional housing mortgage where you pay a fixed instalment every month.  Your instalment payments consist of the principal balance (loan amount you borrowed) plus bank interest.  You can arrange to make extra payments to reduce the principal balance, but you have to inform the bank of your intention beforehand.

 

In a term loan, any extra payments you make towards reducing your principal balance cannot be withdrawn in case of need in the future.  The only way to take out the money is through refinancing.

 

Flexi Loan

A flexi loan gives you the freedom to underpay or overpay your repayments.  When you opt for a flexi loan, you will be provided with an additional current account that links to your loan account.  You have the flexibility of making extra payments to your loan account.  Almost every bank that offer flexible loan waives their right to charge you if you end your term early.  As such, if you have the funds to pay up your loan, you will be able to do just that.

 

Now how it differs from a term loan is that the money you used to pay extra payments can also be withdrawn.  You can withdraw the money you paid in access anytime by withdrawing through an ATM or by issuing a cheque.  You can do all this without informing the bank.  In addition, you are also granted a line of credit at a predetermined limit.  This is a great feature as it allows you to repay the loan as and when you please and the money you pay to your loan can be re-used.

 

Depending on the banks, some do charge a monthly RM 10 to maintain this account.  However there are banks that waive this charge.

 

Semi-Flexi Term Loan

A semi-flexi term loan is a mix between a term loan and overdraft facility.  You can make extra payments to reduce the principal balance, but some banks do require that you provide them with adequate notice in advance.

 

You have the flexibility to withdraw the extra payments that you have made towards your loan, but you will need to inform the bank that you wish to do so.  In addition to that, withdrawals require an advance 3-day notice.  Banks will charge a processing fee for each transaction.  These fees range from RM 10 to RM 50.  On top of that, some banks will limit the number of times that you can withdraw annually.

 

These different types of loan serve the different needs of different individuals.  Choosing the right financing is important as it is a long-term commitment.  Now equipped with this information, you are more knowledgeable about the financing options available for you when you purchase a home or property.

 

Picture courtesy of: Propertyinmalaysia.com

 

 

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Consider investing in Myanmar, Malaysian companies told

 

JOHOR BARU: The Government wants more Malaysian companies and businessmen to look at Myanmar as their next foreign investment destination.

International Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed said the changes in policy by the junta government there sent a strong signal that the country was serious in attracting foreign investors.

He said there were several economic sectors and activities in which local companies and businessmen could invest.

Mustapa said these included infrastructures such as building roads, highway and airports, manufacturing, oil palm, property development projects and oil and gas.

“Presently there are 200 Malaysian companies and businessmen there and we want to see more of them in Myanmar,” he said at a press conference yesterday.

Mustapa said he was in Myanmar recently leading a business delegation and found that the country offered good business opportunities for Malaysian investors.

He said this after attending a close door meeting with investors in Johor and briefing by the Iskandar Regional Development Authority chief executive officer Ismail Ibrahim on the progress of Iskandar Malaysia.

Mustapa said Malaysia was not worried foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows to the country would be affected with Myanmar’s open door policy.

“Both countries have different targets in attracting FDIs with Malaysia going for high-technology investments while Myanmar is more on labour-intensive industries,” he said.

Mustapa said the industrial working committee between Malaysia and Singapore would hold its first meeting tomorrow here to discuss industrial-related matters.

He said the setting up of the committee was mooted by the Singapore business community including the Singapore Business Federation for Manufacturers looking to relocate or expand their operations in Iskandar Malaysia.

 

 

Source by: Thestar Online

Picture courtesy of: asiahomes.com

 

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A touch of Malaysian in the CBD of Melbourne

Due to the rapid development in the Central Business District (CBD) ofMelbourne, it is expected that the Australian property prices will start to increase for the year 2012. According to property consultants, the price hike has already started extensively since last year while Malaysian developer’s Magna Prima also asserts that the increase in property prices in the district is expected to be in the range of approximately 3% for 2012.

 

Magna Prima has also jump into the band wagon of creating “a touch ofMalaysia” within theMelbourne’s CBD with its project known as The Istana which was launched in early March of 2012 and expected to be completed in 2014. It is located near the SP Setia’sFulton Lanewhich consists of two apartment towers designed with retail and commercial areas. TheFulton Lane’s apartment towers come with one, two as well as three-bedroom studio apartments with price ranging from A$355,000 (approximately RM1.15 million). Magna Prima and SP Setia are not the only developers fromMalaysiastriving to make it big in the property scene inMelbourne’s CBD; Mammoth Empire Holdings who is well known for developing the Empire Subang Gallery has also started to develop an apartment block within the area.

 

The Istana development was actually bought by Magna Prima Berhad for A$26 million from Australia-based Anhui Yucai Group Investment Co Ltd because of financial constraint. The project was formerly known as Dynasty Living and it consist of 25-storey tower with 320 apartment units with its ground floor designated for retail outlets. However, there are only 120 units left for potential house owners to purchase which consists of studio, two, three and four bedroom-apartments. As for a one-bedroom unit of 468 sq ft, the price ranging from A$340,000 (approximately RM1.1 million) or about RM2,350 per sq ft.

 

According to Magna Prima Berhad’s executive director, Datuk Rahadian Mahmud during itsKuala Lumpurlaunch the pricing is considered as reasonable and at least 8% to 10% much cheaper than other competitors within the same location. “We were presented with this project last year and we decided… it would be a mistake if we didn’t go ahead and do it,” he said. “When we went into the project, all the permits and plans were already there and the sales were locked in at 62%”, he added. The Istana development is Magna Prima’s is its first project inMelbourne’s CBD with an estimation of gross profit of AUD$50.3 million (approximately RM162 million).

 

The Istana is strategically located nearby well known universities such as RMIT, La Trobe or Melbourne universities and this is the reason why the sales for the apartment is good. One of the investor who has agreed to purchase a one-bedroom unit on the 12th floor is Datuk Siti Nurhaliza. She said, “This property is good for me and my husband to invest in, especially since two of his children are studying inMelbourne, while we have nephews and nieces who may study there”. “It will also be for future investment for me,” she added after the launching of The Istana.

 

When asked on why Magna Prima is launching the remaining units inMalaysia, Datuk Rahadian answered: “We are fromMalaysiaso we like to sell it inMalaysiafirst and if there is any balance we may later market it inSingapore,JakartaandAustralia.”

 

Apart from The Istana, there are also lots of Malaysian investors purchasing Fulton Lane tower one which has been 80% sold since its Kuala Lumpur launching while the second tower which was launched in Melbourne, China, Hong Kong, Singapore and Indonesia has already reached 30% of sales.

 

It is becoming a trend nowadays for foreigners to purchase properties inAustraliaever since the Rudd-Gillard government changed its policy on foreign investment in 2009 so that it will promote foreigners to purchase newly build property in the country. More than half of new development of property projects is allowed to be sold to foreigners ‘off-the-plan’ (build-then-sell) as long as the projects are marketed to the people ofAustraliaand its locals.

 

In the local scene, Magna Prima has also other projects under their sleeves which include the Lai Meng school site located in Jalan Ampang which is expected to be developed into two-tower residential and serviced suites with approximate GDV of RM1.3 billion. It also has another project of a mixed commercial-residential development located on a 6.95-acre of land in Jalan Gasing, Petaling Jaya. The expected launched for both of these project are estimated around 2014.

 

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2012 Property Market in Malaysia

 

Malaysians are yet holding an optimistic view about our moderate property market despite fragile economy situations such as Euro-debt crisis and slowing demand from Asia key trading partners. Many developers and experts are believed to prick the property bubble myth.

 

Ho Chin Soon, a well-known research consultant and map maker, has indicated a few factors to affect this year’s property market. They include the stock market, proposed high speed rail link between Greater KL to the southern part in Peninsula Malaysia, and also proposed MRT link between Singapore and Malaysia.

 

It is obvious to notice that transportation is particularly important to determine desirability of one location. Transportation development under Entry Point Project will likely to grow Bukit Bintang area due to the connection links. Yet, everything about MRT line has little details now. Other smaller districts in Malaysia such as Sitiawan, Batu Pahat, Sandakan, Kota Kinabalu, Segamat and Bentong will sooner or later have positive news in property sales.

 

Besides, Datuk Jerry Chan, the Chairman of Real Estate and Housing Developer’s Association, expects that Penang property prices would continue to boost up because of the limited land supply. In the same time, Samuel Tan (KGV International Property Consultants) in Johor also foresees new houses will be priced higher as the result of Iskandar Malaysia transition. Yet, the market is accepting it.

 

10% growth in 2012 from the RM40-billion property transaction last year is currently estimated by some property consultants. It is slightly slower than the previous 11%. Property buyers can either purchase because of fear or they need a home. In this starting year, the increasing trend is borne from their worrying about inflating costs and eventually house prices in the coming years.

 

Higher land value, labor and material expenses will affect affordability as inflation has never in synchronization with disposable salaries and earnings. Landed residential properties, industrial and retail sectors will be steady. Ironically, luxury condominium and office sector will have to face a price correction, especially in rental yield. This has supported by the lower occupancy rate for condos or older offices.

 

Besides, banks start to take out more cautious and stricter lending rules. All those mortgage and auto approved loans show a weaker growth in this quarter of the year. Instead of saying that it is a downturn, the loan growth actually remains in a moderate fashion. Furthermore, it is speculated that Bank Negara will unlikely alter the borrowing cost in the short term.

 

With the emergency of the internet, potential buyers and investors can search for their properties based on their own preferences. These property portals are playing a crucial role in leading this market. Malaysians still keen in property investment but focus more on landed property. Myths seem as not to affect their love affairs.

 

Image courtesy of: flickriver.com

 

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Gold Investment

 

Gold investment is a very interesting venture. In fact, there are so many people who are trying this endeavor because it promises greener pastures if taken with the right considerations. Nowadays, there are already so many successful investors who have managed to run their gold investment properly. This is an answer to many people who are asking is it good or bad to undergo with gold investment. This is due to the fact that there are so many people who are asking is it good or bath to try this venture. In connection with this, there are some things that you need to keep in mind concerning gold investment.

With regards to the question is it good or bad to try gold investment, there is definitely nothing to worry about. If this endeavor was taken with the right considerations, you will definitely succeed in the future. Under gold investment, this will provide you with easier way of liquidity. This is way better as based from investing in other properties like for example in vehicles. There is a chance for you to buy and sell your gold via banks or any jewelry outlets. This can be done depending in your desired time. Thus, this provides you with the full control to when you want to earn your profits out of this form of investment.

People asking if it is good or bad to try gold investment should learn that the source of this precious metal is limited. This is an advantage because it signifies that its price will never fall drastically. In fact, the cost will continue to rise as time pass by. This is also the main reason why there are so many people who are becoming more and more captivated in investing to this form of venture. This will definitely provide them with the highest profit ever.

But when you are planning to try gold investment, you have to make sure that you will be buying stocks from reliable sources. There are so many sources out there that might scam you. It is best to take every second of your time and undergo with the right selection of sources. By means of doing this, you can avoid getting hoax gold so you will not waste your time in the future. There are some agencies and institutions that will provide you with the list of accredited suppliers of gold. It is best to look for them so that you can save your money in the future.

So when you are asking is it good or bad to try gold investment, you have to know these important points. Because of understanding these points, it will be best for you to decide whether you will try this endeavor in the future or not. In addition to these, there are also other things that you need to remember concerning this investment form. It will also best for you to look for the professionals that will provide you with assistance so that you can take every measure properly.

 

Image courtesy of: goldalert.com

 

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CHOOSING THE RIGHT REAL ESTATE AGENT FOR YOUR HOUSE!

 

 

Having a hard time going through the agents you desire? Well, this can be a great breakthrough for your doubts! Agents help you to find a home and handle the apparently endless flow of forms that you have to go through to get your dream home. Therefore, a good agent can assist you to find a house, negotiate the sale, search out lenders whom best suit your needs, and smoothen your way through the process. Sometimes, these agents can also help you find experienced, qualified professionals that could do everything your house would need from inspecting the roof to repairing the plumbing. Below are the lists of how to choose the right agents you want:

1. Recommendations of whom and where to contact

Try asking your friends about the agents who have helped them. In a way, you could also ask your colleagues or social group for agent suggestions. Sometimes, you may not be comfortable with the referrals you get through your friends, family or colleagues. So you can try to pursue your local Association of Realtors, call for the top three or four officers and ask them to refer you to the agent in their office who is experienced in working with first-time buyers.

2. Clearing doubts through your referrals

When you have asked your friends, family or colleagues, make sure you asked them about the strengths and weaknesses of the agent they recommend. Find out how these agents handled problems pertaining to the purchasing of house or property. Were the problems handled quickly, efficiently, and professionally?

3. Look for agents who are familiar with the environment

If you are interested into a particular area where you would like to move in, try to look for agents who are familiar with that particular neighborhood and development. This is because, any agent could easily check into the normal concerns like school quality or comparable sales, but if the agent is a person who personally involved in the community, he or she would be able to be aware of potential problems like whether the homes are downwind of a sewage treatment plant or comes under an airport approach pattern at certain times.

4. Questions you should ask

You should at least interview three agents before you pick one. As you interview the agents, compare the answers among the agents you have interviewed. These questions will be helpful for (new or single home buyers) you to get a feel for which agent you may best work with.

  • Are you a licensed broker or agent?
  • Are you a Realtor?
  • How long have you been working in this field?
  • Do you do this fulltime or part time ?
  • How many sales have you closed in the last 6 months?
  • Have you earned any professional designation? If so, which ones?
  • How long have you worked at this neighbourhood/ community?
  • How do you plan to find me a home?
  • How often will I receive progress reports from you?
  • What kind of assistance can you give me with getting prequalified for financing?

______________________________________________________________________________

Adapted from Be A Star- Get An Agent

John Wiley & Sons

 

Remember a home is the largest investment most people will ever make; therefore you should be able to choose the right, knowledgeable, ethical, and accessible agent.

 

Image courtesy of: unconditional.co.nz

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