Investing | Lauren Kinghorn

How to Invest in the Stock Market

Posted on January 7, 2022 by Lauren Kinghorn

How to Invest in the Stock Market

Many people are interested in investing in the stock market but don’t know where to start. Investing your money can be a gratifying experience, but it is essential to understand the risks associated with every investment.

Here are five steps for investing wisely and managing risk effectively.

5 Tips for Successfully Managing Risk

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1. Check Your Emotions at the Door

Emotions are a natural reaction to the stock market, but they can also lead to wrong investment decisions.

Before you invest in the stock market, take some time to calm down and think about your goals. Make sure that your emotions aren’t dictating your actions.

Your emotions will affect your investment decisions in the long run.

For example, if you are angry, it’s not a good idea to invest when your head isn’t in the game. When people are emotional, they often make unwise choices that will hurt their portfolio returns over time.

2. Picking Individual Stocks Is a Bad Idea

It’s important to remember that you are not picking stocks when you invest in the stock market – you are buying shares of companies.

This means that you should do your research before investing and choose companies with a good track record and will be around for the long run.

Don’t just buy a stock because someone told you it was a good investment – make sure you know what you are getting into. For example, SMSF Investing in cryptocurrency is a good option.

3. Plan Ahead for Panicky Times

A stock market is volatile, and it’s essential to be prepared for when things go wrong.

Have a plan in place, so you know what to do when the stock market takes a turn for the worse.

This could mean having a set amount of money you are willing to lose or knowing which stocks you want to sell if the market starts to tank.

By planning, you can avoid making rash decisions in panicked situations. You can follow the tips below to help you plan:

Think about what you want to accomplish with your stock market investments
Set an amount that you are willing to lose before investing in the stock market
Have a plan ready for when the needs take a turn for the worse

4. Avoid Trading Overactivity

You should avoid trading activity altogether when the market is volatile.

For example, as soon as there is a significant drop or increase in share prices, take some time out before deciding whether to buy or sell them off.

You should step back and think about things rationally rather than be forced to make snap decisions under pressure because this could lead you down an unprofitable path that can further compound existing losses even more severely.

5. Be prepared to take risk

The stock market can be a great place to invest your money and see healthy returns, but it’s important to remember that risk is always involved.

By following these five tips, you can successfully manage that risk and maximize your chances for stock market success.

If you’re still unsure about getting started in the stock market, consider working with a financial advisor who can help you create a personalized investment plan. With some careful planning and smart investing, you could be on your way to making some serious profits in no time.

Strategic Upgrades to Enhance Commercial Property Value

Posted on July 22, 2021 by Lauren Kinghorn

As a property owner, you are probably always looking for ways to get the most value out of your building.

While commercial property management often involves some challenges, there are certain strategic upgrades that can enhance commercial property value.

Paying attention to this could have a substantial impact, plus it can provide you with a rewarding and lucrative investment plan.

6 Strategic Upgrades to Enhance Commercial Property Value

1. First Impressions Last

There is plenty you can do to make a large impact at the front of the building, especially if you are planning on selling the property. Make sure the garden beds are clean and neat, the lawns are mown, the windows are clean, and the overall exterior of the property is spotless.

Check that the paint is not peeling, the driveways and paths are pressure cleaned and swept before each inspection. If the building’s façade is looking a little outdated and tired and if your budget permits, think about having the outside repainted.

2. Present a Blank Canvas

It is imperative to present a blank canvas to new possible buyers if you are contemplating placing your commercial building on the market. Just like the essential aspects of home staging, the first thing to do is getting rid of pre-existing business items like equipment, photographs, and furniture. A clean slate will permit prospective buyers to envision themselves occupying the space.

The second thing to do is making the blank canvas as appealing as possible for the new buyers. You can do this by having every inch of the building deep cleaned. This includes things like flooring, carpets, windows, walls, etc.

This blank canvas approach will provide the illusion of more rentable square footage to the purchaser for possible rental purposes, or for the needs of their present business.

3. Update Old Flooring

You can also consider updating old flooring to make the space more attractive. Consider which resilient flooring options will work best for your space and increase the property value.

What is Resilient Flooring? The best options usually include vinyl, cork, LVT, linoleum or rubber. It’s flooring that offers more give or bounce-back than carpet, wood or stone tiles.

4. Give The Space a Renewed, Neutral Palette

Any feature walls or bright paint colours can polarise your prospective buyers whereas white walls permit them to imagine living in the space or renting it to prospective renters. A Neutral palette helps generate a sense of space. The same applies to carpets. If the carpets are a little outdated and on the old side, consider replacing them with neutral carpeting or flooring. Think of the rental property as a display home while it is on the market. You want it to appeal to as many different people and avoid alienating anyone.

5. Upgrade Structural Integrity

This suggestion is particularly useful for sellers that own the entire commercial building. Inspect the building and property for any signs of wear and tear or degradation.

Have an architect or building contractor come do an assessment on the building to investigate possible structural repairs that need tending. Make sure the structural frame of the building is secure, the waterproof membrane or roof does not leak, and the building’s foundation does not have any cracks.

6. Update Lighting

Installing better lighting in many areas is an affordable, yet impactful way to enhance the appearance of the space. Apart from adding new light fixtures, you can also think about adding energy-efficient light globes.

LED lights, for instance, use 25 to 30 percent less energy as opposed to incandescent lighting, plus they last 25 times longer. This is a considerable saving that boosts your cash flow and the overall long-term value of the property.

Also, keep in mind that natural light is an immense advantage for any space, therefore ensure blinds, windows, and curtains are clean and open during inspections, and the outside bushes and trees are trimmed.

Conclusion

We hope you have found this post of 6 strategic upgrades to enhance commercial property value useful and that you will implement some of them if you are looking to sell your commercial building or simply upgrading it to boost the long-term value.

Enjoyed this post? You may also enjoy Why Invest in Commercial Real Estate?

7 Good Reasons to Invest in Commercial Property

Why Invest in Commercial Real Estate

Posted on July 17, 2021 by Lauren Kinghorn

Why Invest in Commercial Real Estate

There are plenty of ways to invest in property. You can rent out properties, consider dabbling in real estate investment trusts, flip houses, or be part of crowdfunded deals.

Whether you have a long history of investing in residential or commercial property or you have never invested before, here are seven reasons why you should think about investing in commercial real estate.

7 Good Reasons to Invest in Commercial Real Estate

1. Profitable Income Potential

The most significant reason why people invest in real estate is due to the income potential. You can rent out an entire house or apartment or simply add on an ADU (accessory dwelling unit) or granny flat to your existing home and rent that out.

Larger commercial buildings like office buildings or apartment buildings can yield even higher returns on investment.

By renting out rental properties, you can make thousands of dollars each month if you have selected the right properties. Increased profit margins can even help you to build your portfolio faster when you choose to invest them in new properties as income rolls in.

2. Tax Benefits

You can benefit from tax deductions on things like cash flow from investment properties, operating costs and expenses, mortgage interest, depreciation (despite a property gaining value), insurance, and other benefits.

3. Appreciation

Individuals who invest in real estate make tons of cash through rental income, appreciation, and profits created from property-dependent business activities.

The value of real estate tends to increase over time, and with a solid investment, you can easily turn a profit once it is time to sell. Rents also increase over time, which means an even higher cash flow.

4. Building Wealth and Equity

When a property mortgage is paid down, equity is built which is an asset that is part of your net worth. As you build equity, you obtain leverage to purchase more properties and subsequently boost your cash flow as well as wealth even more.

5. Leverage

Leverage means using various economic instruments or borrowed capital (for example, debt) to boost the potential return of an investment. A twenty percent down payment on a mortgage, for instance, can get you one hundred percent of the home you wish to purchase – which is referred to as leverage. Since real estate is considered a tangible asset as well as something that can be used as collateral, financing is not a problem to come by.

6. The Value of Real Estate Keeps Increasing Over Time

It has been proven over and over from history that the longer you hold onto the property, the more profit you will make. The housing industry has always recovered from past hiccups that resulted in home appreciation falling. And for those who managed to hold on to their properties during perilous times, prices have returned to their former state, and appreciation is back where it was.

7. Inflation Hedging

The inflation hedging aptitude of property comes from the encouraging relationship between GDP expansion and the ongoing demand for real estate. As economies grow, the demand for property drives rental prices higher.

This translates into more significant capital values. This means property tends to maintain the purchasing power of capital by passing some of the inflationary weight on to tenants and by implementing some of the inflationary weight in the shape of capital appreciation.

Conclusion

We hope that these 7 good reasons why to invest in commercial real estate have convinced you that property is an excellent investment. You can enjoy excellent tax benefits, an amazing rate of returns, and leverage real estate to expand your wealth.

Investing in Gold? Here are the Best Bars to Buy

Posted on May 15, 2021 by Lauren Kinghorn

Investing in Gold?

Gold has long been the foundation of global wealth and in troubled times such as these, many private investors are looking to move their wealth to a less risky commodity, which is invariably gold.

In this article, we will offer you some advice regarding purchasing gold bullion to ensure a safe and smooth acquisition.

Here are the Best Gold Bars to Buy

Online Solutions

Rather than searching for a gold dealer and sending them your money, you should first carry out some online research into the gold bullion dealer; when seasoned investors buy gold bars, they always use a reputable company, one that has been in the business for many years.

Once you’ve made a connection, pay their offices a visit, where you can decide how much gold to buy, then you take physical possession of the gold bars and store them somewhere safe.

Spot Price

This is the actual price (per troy ounce) at any given time and the spot price of gold is determined by a London-based group, which happens a couple of times per day. When you are a regular customer, you simply log in and you can instantly see the spot price of gold in all formats and all it takes to find a reputable gold bullion dealer that offers the best price of gold bullion in Brisbane or in the city you’re living in is a Google search.

Gold Formats

From one ounce to one kilogram, gold can be purchased in a wide range of size bars and ingots, while there are also gold coins, such as the American Eagle and Canadian Maple Leaf, which many investors prefer. You should do some online research regarding gold coins; you may find out that many investors collect gold coins as a hobby as well as an investment.

Storing Your Gold

As mentioned before, we recommend taking physical possession of your gold, which you can store in a concealed safe at home or in a safe deposit box at a local bank. If you are thinking of burying your wealth, this is not a good idea, as you are the only person who knows of its existence and should anything happen to you, your wealth is lost forever.

Diversifying your Wealth

It is never a good idea to invest all of your wealth in a single commodity and most private investors have some gold in their portfolio. Gold is safe and with global markets showing volatility, the alluring yellow metal is a very attractive proposition. Start by making a connection with a reputable gold bullion dealer with offices nearby and then you can be sure of the best prices and gold of the highest standard.

The Internet has made life very easy and when you wish to invest in gold, or any other precious metal, search with Google for a leading gold bullion dealer and forge a relationship with them.

Gold has performed very well in the past few years and it doesn’t look like that is going to change and with online solutions, you can always keep abreast of the spot price and buy or sell safely and quickly.

This post was published in partnership with Mediabuzzer.

Image 1 Source: Unsplash Image 2 Source: Pixabay

9 Pieces of Advice for Investment Trading

Posted on June 10, 2020 by Lauren Kinghorn

If you’ve read this blog before, you know the value that is put on being a top earner, especially when it can be done all online, from the comfort of your own home.

It can be easy to think that if you really want to “make it” that you have to put in years and years working for a corporation in which you slowly climb the corporate ladder.

Sure, some people obviously do find a lot of success in that, but it takes decades, and for much of that, you’re earning a lot less than you could be, and working longer hours than you need.

If you want to work remotely, while still being a top earner, one way to do this is by investment trading.

Below are resources, tips, and advice on how to make the most of your online investment trading so that you can be knowledgeable before dipping your toes into the waters of investment.

1. Brush Up on Investing for Beginners

Check out this earlier blog in which the basics of investing for beginners is discussed.

2. Read the Top 10 Books

Available online are multiple books that can help you narrow down what kind of investment trading you would like to do. Investopedia has a list of top 10 books you should read before investment trading, but many are fairly outdated when it comes to online trading, so take that into consideration when reading them.

3. Budget

Set a daily, weekly, and monthly budget.

4. Source the Best Tools

Use tools that make it straight-forward to invest; if you’re a PC user versus an Apple-fanatic, the tools you use may differ. Check out metatrader 4 for mac.

5. Source the Best Apps

Check out various apps, and if you’re a beginner, use a straight-forward no-fee app to begin with, such as Nutmeg. This is great for a long-term stock investment, but if you’re keen on day trading, you may want to opt for something like Ameritrade or Robinhood.

6. Detach

This is a tip that you need to absolutely abide by, and every professional broker will agree with it. Leave your emotions out of it. If you tend to be a highly emotional person who makes judgements based on the heart, day trading is not your forte.

It can be scary to see a stock plummet, but if logic says it will recover, you’ll need to be aware of that. Don’t use emotion when purchasing or selling stocks or options.

7. Be Present

Investment trading is not something to necessarily set it and forget it. You need to be able to have time set aside for it, especially if you wnat to consider short-term day trading.

8. Start Small

Invest in just a couple of stocks when you are a beginner trader, and focus on learning how a stock traditional increases and decreases.

9. Listen to Earning Calls

If you are only investing in two or three stocks, it should be pretty easy to keep track of when each of their quarterly earnings calls is.

Additionally, listen for specific information in each earning call to help influence your decision on the stock.

Here is a short YouTube video on what to pick out of an earnings call.

If being a top earner is important to you, don’t think that you need to put in 12 hour days at the office, five days a week.

You can make a great income, all while working remotely, for yourself.

Image Credit: Pixabay

Are you considering becoming an investment trader? Which of these tips is your favourite?

The Best Way for a Novice to Invest in Silver

Posted on April 8, 2020 by Lauren Kinghorn

What is the Best Way to Invest in Silver?

There are many different ways that we can invest our money for our futures and those of our family, and they all have different levels of risk.

If you are looking for an investment vehicle that can offer stable returns and is protected from inflation, then silver is an excellent investment option.

Below you will find out the information that you need to start saving for your future by investing in silver.

Investing in Silver is for Everyone

A significant benefit of investing in silver is that it is something that almost anyone can start as the price of silver is much cheaper than other precious metals, such as gold or platinum.

Silver is an affordable precious metal, and it is also easy to buy silver bullion to get you started. Many companies sell all types of silver for investment, and the only difference between all of them is the commission and other charges that they have.

The Practical Investment that is Easy to Liquidate

If there comes a time when you need to liquidate a small part of your investment, then silver is much easier to sell for a small amount of money than other precious metals.

With the price of gold and other metals much higher than silver, you may find it not as easy to sell the amount of metal that you need to cover your expenses.

Selling the same amount of gold, although simple, may mean that you have to sell more than you want to.

Silver Can Outperform Gold

Something that many people do not realise is that silver can outperform other precious metals such as gold when there is a bull market.

A bull market is where the value of commodities and stocks and shares increases, steadily going upwards during a set amount of time, just as a bull thrusts its horns up in the air.

The opposite of the bull market is a bear market, which just as with a bear’s paw, swipes downwards, meaning the value of stocks, shares and commodities decreases.

Industrial Uses for Silver is Increasing

There is only a finite amount of silver available in the world, just as with gold and other precious metals. The industrial uses for silver are increasing every day, which means demand also increases.

By investing in silver early, you can watch your investment grow as demand also grows. Silver is used in many different ways, including in jewellery, medical uses, and there are also uses in electronics, solar panels, and batteries.

What You Need to Consider before Investing

There are some considerations that you will need to take account of before diving in and investing in silver. As with other precious metals, it is only worthwhile investing in physical metal, rather than paper silver, and this means that you will need somewhere to store it.

Whether you use the services of a bullion company to store your investment, or you install a safe in your home, these are other expenses you will need to cover when you first get started with your investment.

You will also need to consider the different charges and commissions that each dealer has.

Taking these factors into consideration, silver is still an excellent investment, and if it is something that you have not considered before, you may wish to look into it further.

This post was published in partnership with MediaBuzzer.

Pin Image Source: Freepik

Good Strategies Behind Making Money From Properties

Posted on March 16, 2020 by Lauren Kinghorn

There is a lot of money to be made all over the world, yet there are only a handful of people who go and chase it. Most people settle with the jobs they have and the standard money that it brings in.

There are some people who are so career hungry that they chase more money and progress to higher roles. But the problem with this is that you’re always working for something that someone else wants you to do.

There is only so much money you can make when you’re working for someone else, and there’s only so much fun that you can have when doing it. Often, people get to the top of their careers and spend their time completely miserable because of how much work there is to do.

So, rather than letting you feel like that, we’re going to show you how there is plenty of money that can be made through property around the world. Whilst it might not be enough to allow you to leave your day job, it’ll give you a financial boost either in the short term or in the long term.

All you have to do is keep on reading to find out what you can do with property around the world.

Long Term Investments

Sometimes you have to play the long game with your investments, and there is one big long game that suits property investments. All you have to do is secure a deposit on a location such as the Meriton Apartments, and then rent it out.

The reason it’s so long term is that you need to wait until you have rented it out for long enough to be able to sell it again when the mortgage is paid off. Think of the profit that you would have made on the property if you can find a way of being able to do this.

Property Flipping

Property flipping is an art that’s hard to master, and is often one that people are too fearful to get into. It’s the process of taking a run down home and turning it into something amazing that can be lived in.

The potential to earn a lot of money through this is high, you just need to make sure you pick the right home. A lot of it is to do with location and the amount of work that needs doing. There is no point going for a completely derelict home in a run down area and turning it into a palace, the potential to earn bigger amounts just won’t be there, and you may even find that you lose money.

You need to find a prime location and a home that’s looking a bit worse for wear. Put a deposit down on it only once you have figured out the renovation costs and the resale value it would hold. You then sell it on and make a profit on everything you’ve spent. But you need to have that initial pot of money to invest first of all.

Are you making money from properties? What’s your favourite strategy?

Tips and Strategies for Buying Physical Gold Bars

Posted on January 20, 2020 by Lauren Kinghorn

Purchasing physical gold might be easier than you may have thought. If you are just starting out the journey, then you may be attracted to the security and associations behind owning tangible gold and the wealth or freedom it can bring.

Tips to Buying Gold

There are so many benefits to buying gold online, not to mention its robustness in the unlikelihood of economic collapse. Gold holds its own value no matter what so reading more about how you can turn this investment goal into a reality is a great first step.

Want to buy gold bullion? Discover the best ways to do it.

The Process of Buying Gold

Purchasing gold is pretty simple and straight forward. All you need to do is find a reliable and trustworthy website or source to purchase gold bullion and know exactly what you want to buy in terms of weight, quantity and budget.

If you are planning to purchase in a bigger amount, it’s worth shopping around for the best deals as retailers will give discounts for buying bulk.

If you want to buy gold Brisbane retail specialists offer, we suggest reputable stores such as City Gold Bullion who have been operating for decades and have plenty of trading experience. You will be able to buy gold bars and sell your gold if and when you feel the time is right.

Here are a few starter-pack tips we have put together to help you on your way:

Only Buy Pure Gold

You want 99% pure gold, if it’s any less then the mixture of other metals will be too high and make your investment questionable and not as valuable as it could be. You should see a stamp on the face of the bullion saying ’99.99% of pure gold’.

Understand Differences Between Bars And Coins

Even though every form of pure gold will have great value, they aren’t all equal for investment.

If you are hoping to invest, then it may be best to avoid gold coins and go straight to bullion as it is higher of value historically and more attractive for ROI.

You’ll also find that gold coins also lessen the value of an investor’s portfolio, so it’s best to stick to bars if you’re planning to convert the gold to cash over the long term.

Remember to Research

Shopping around is a key part in the bullion buying process as you want to get the best price for your gold.

Finance websites that give stock tickers will normally show you the fluctuations in the prices of gold on a daily basis.

Even though gold is fairly simple to buy and in demand, you want to always research before purchasing. This is because the prices will vary massively and if you aren’t careful, you could be getting much less than what you bargained for.

Where do you invest your hard-earned cash? Have you ever considered buying gold?

This post was published in partnership with Mediabuzzer.

Featured Image Source: Unsplash Pin Image Source: Pexels

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