What Would You Invest In

[robint]

Whats your best guess for a stable investment for the coming year, given the uncertainty of banks, sterling and economic downturn

Gold?

Property?

Oil futures?

Staple commodities (people have still got to eat)

Of course if you ask an investment adviser he will get you to completion a questionaire about you risk/ reward/ access criteria

so lets make it simple, saying that the investment is for 1 year and the risk/reward ratio is conservative (safer/lower returns) or adventurous riskier/higher returns. The capital should not lose value by more than 10% worst case.

or any other opinions you contribute.

[Time Traveller]

You want stable, then don't even think about Gold, Property, Oil futures, Staple commodities. Don't worry about stocks either for that matter nor managed funds. If your worst case scenario is loss of 10%, keep your money in a fixed deposit account with a bank that has a government deposit backed guarantee. If this money is in Thailand be careful as the government guarantee will fall to just 1million baht per account holder per bank over the coming 3 years or so. I believe it's currently around 10 million.

[smokie36]

I would be looking at buy to let property in Barbados.

Long term investment this one but you will make a good profit over time.

[Harcourt]

You want stable, then don't even think about Gold, Property, Oil futures, Staple commodities. Don't worry about stocks either for that matter nor managed funds. If your worst case scenario is loss of 10%, keep your money in a fixed deposit account with a bank that has a government deposit backed guarantee. If this money is in Thailand be careful as the government guarantee will fall to just 1million baht per account holder per bank over the coming 3 years or so. I believe it's currently around 10 million.

It would be unusual for property values to drop and remain down for over a year, don't you think?

[norwayeagle]

Whats your best guess for a stable investment for the coming year, given the uncertainty of banks, sterling and economic downturn

Gold?

Property?

Oil futures?

Staple commodities (people have still got to eat)

Of course if you ask an investment adviser he will get you to completion a questionaire about you risk/ reward/ access criteria

so lets make it simple, saying that the investment is for 1 year and the risk/reward ratio is conservative (safer/lower returns) or adventurous riskier/higher returns. The capital should not lose value by more than 10% worst case.

or any other opinions you contribute.

Put it in Flu protection remedies!

[enyaw]

Whats your best guess for a stable investment for the coming year, given the uncertainty of banks, sterling and economic downturn

Gold?

Property?

Oil futures?

Staple commodities (people have still got to eat)

Of course if you ask an investment adviser he will get you to completion a questionaire about you risk/ reward/ access criteria

so lets make it simple, saying that the investment is for 1 year and the risk/reward ratio is conservative (safer/lower returns) or adventurous riskier/higher returns. The capital should not lose value by more than 10% worst case.

or any other opinions you contribute.

Put it in Flu protection remedies!

Yeah and put some into Dettol aswell.

[ronz28]

Cash in the bank sounds like a good place to be now (if its a sound bank with your account backed by the government) after the large percentage increase in most markets we have had since March 6. The retracement should start any day now and the probability of losses are greater until there is a retracement. I always diversify and monitor the cycles in the market and sectors.

It sounds like you may not be an active investor but I would endeavor to watch the 9 day exponential moving average of whatever you buy and not be on the wrong side of that one for very long.

Its a good thing to be in cash when you are unsure of market direction especially after the market has had a big run. The number one rule is don't lose the money. I get mostly into cash quick when the market looks vulnerable.

Property depends on location and I hear very few locations are starting to stabilize and many areas continue to worsen with foreclosures increasing.

[Serpico]

If you need that money in 12 months, do not buy stocks, gold, etc. You want cash.

Now, if it is a long term investment, determine your asset allocation first, (stocks, bonds, cash)then dollar cost average into the stock portion of you portfolio and ladder the bond portion.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asset_allocation

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dollar_cost_averaging

http://www.investopedia.com/articles/02/120202.asp

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Modern_portfolio_theory

[Brigante7]

Whats your best guess for a stable investment for the coming year, given the uncertainty of banks, sterling and economic downturn

Gold?

Property?

Oil futures?

Staple commodities (people have still got to eat)

Of course if you ask an investment adviser he will get you to completion a questionaire about you risk/ reward/ access criteria

so lets make it simple, saying that the investment is for 1 year and the risk/reward ratio is conservative (safer/lower returns) or adventurous riskier/higher returns. The capital should not lose value by more than 10% worst case.

or any other opinions you contribute.

10 kilo's of cocaine? Should provide a very good return.

Brigante7.

[MrHammer]

Guns.

[enyaw]

Whats your best guess for a stable investment for the coming year, given the uncertainty of banks, sterling and economic downturn

Gold?

Property?

Oil futures?

Staple commodities (people have still got to eat)

Of course if you ask an investment adviser he will get you to completion a questionaire about you risk/ reward/ access criteria

so lets make it simple, saying that the investment is for 1 year and the risk/reward ratio is conservative (safer/lower returns) or adventurous riskier/higher returns. The capital should not lose value by more than 10% worst case.

or any other opinions you contribute.

10 kilo's of cocaine? Should provide a very good return.

Brigante7.

Worth a bash and you never know you could get a royal pardon?

Edited August 2, 2009 by enyaw

[Heng]

Just add it to the vat of butter to go with my bread. Loan it out at 1.25% a month secured with chanote (road front land with buildings or homes only please), registered with the land dept.

[teacup]

Right now it’s all about preserving of the capital for me. However it doesn’t mean I want to sit on a pile of it. And just not sure if I want to put more money into another place in Thailand again, just in case something is to happen. So thinking about spreading the money around….in which I don’t have much to begin with….so have to be very careful about it.

I think just like everyone else, I’m looking for a fire sale - a condo in Florida somewhere.

I’m looking for Chaingmai, but my head is telling me Florida is the better and more logical choice, for an investment property. Due to the depressed, over built, and bank repossessed condo market there, I have found several nice condo for around $60,000 - $ 100,000, they used to be around anywhere from $300,000- $500,000!!!…some - on ocean front, some - great ocean view. Believe me there are glut of them!!… which will give you the “better return” in about 3 years…I think

So US real estate is still my best choice for now

Haven't made the move, but thinking thinking ..seriously

The problem is I have never been there..

Edited August 2, 2009 by teacup

[mca]

Loan it out at 1.25% a month secured with chanote (road front land with buildings or homes only please), registered with the land dept.

For sure.

[changnaam]

You want stable, then don't even think about Gold, Property, Oil futures, Staple commodities. Don't worry about stocks either for that matter nor managed funds. If your worst case scenario is loss of 10%, keep your money in a fixed deposit account with a bank that has a government deposit backed guarantee. If this money is in Thailand be careful as the government guarantee will fall to just 1million baht per account holder per bank over the coming 3 years or so. I believe it's currently around 10 million.

You didn't say if you needed to derive an income from this, putting it in the bank will give you 3% per annum max. I would look at a few options.

- UK property - Good value and can offer a decent rental income as well as capital appreciation.

- Structured Banking products -With capital guarantee and no limit on growth (index linked).

- Short term gains through equities & funds - There will be more opportunities for huge gains as we have seen in the past months. People will take profit, markets will fall and then they will rise as they have done recently.

As with everything do you research and there are fantastic opportunities at the moment, and make sure you diversify.

[zorro1]

Buy one of the back soi"S in Pattaya. Should be able to pick 20 or so bars with that kind of mulla.

[Donnyboy]

Right now it's all about preserving of the capital for me. However it doesn't mean I want to sit on a pile of it. And just not sure if I want to put more money into another place in Thailand again, just in case something is to happen. So thinking about spreading the money around….in which I don't have much to begin with….so have to be very careful about it.

I think just like everyone else, I'm looking for a fire sale - a condo in Florida somewhere.

I'm looking for Chaingmai, but my head is telling me Florida is the better and more logical choice, for an investment property. Due to the depressed, over built, and bank repossessed condo market there, I have found several nice condo for around $60,000 - $ 100,000, they used to be around anywhere from $300,000- $500,000!!!…some - on ocean front, some - great ocean view. Believe me there are glut of them!!… which will give you the "better return" in about 3 years…I think

So US real estate is still my best choice for now

Haven't made the move, but thinking thinking ..seriously

The problem is I have never been there..

if you move there, you could be the only one living there!! seriously!

[trogers]

First question first - In which currency will you pick for your investments?

[teacup]

if you move there, you could be the only one living there!! seriously!

THAT what I'm afraid of...

NO not that one

The one I'm thinking is in Miami - 2 bds unit

The price is too tempting tho. It's a condo-hotel,..not just a condo units only.....real hotel rooms on the first 5 floors - ocean front

Well I have heard the hedgefunds are doing it tho, buying in a block of 10 units at $38000 each. I can only buy one..so the price is much higher than THAT, but still it's at the construction cost. Not too bad if it turns out to be viable.

Any members here know about the Florida condo market?...Miami or Tempa.........can't really afford Ft.Lauderdale

I'm doing more research myself on the area at the moment. So still in the only "thinking" stage...but "seriously"

Heng?.....I remember you have a condo there?...still?

May be we can be neighbor?

But in noway I will put any more money in thailand beside the primary residence, ....better opportunities and bargains else where, for the next 3 yrs, me think here

Hmm....may be after China collapsed first, then thailand will be wosen than at the moment....so will check back again

Looking in Hawaii, but too many asian owners, so the prices are still holding better than Florida,...that's what I know at the moment.

Edited August 2, 2009 by teacup

[jackdanielsesq]

The US property market probably has the highest, fast-track potential of all. Florida is great.

Buy the block, sell them to your buds on TV - move in though - you dont want the lone fireman scenario.

BR>Jack

[teacup]

JD

My thought exactly!.. on the comeback potential of the US housing market, within the next 3 years.

Now there are bargains to be had …everywhere!

U know what they say…LOCATION LOCATION LOCATION

Yeah…if I have the money to buy the block of 10 + a nice house in the westcoast + one in Thailand,….Well I probably wouldn’t be on thaivisa chatting my night away…haha

But sadly I’m still ratracing, just like most of the people in the world.

I’m just “a tiny investor”..so only one unit…is all I’m willing to try out, and the rest of TV members here just has to go after those themselves.

Still thinking tho and there a few members here who are living in Florida, so I’m waiting for some more feedbacks on their location.

Better choice for short-term investment than Thailand, I think

Are you interested too?

[Heng]

First question first - In which currency will you pick for your investments?

Basket of currency (I just pick the top 5-6 offered by HSBC, UOB, etc.) as backup. But yes, Thai Baht as a mainstay, because I live here.

[Time Traveller]

You want stable, then don't even think about Gold, Property, Oil futures, Staple commodities. Don't worry about stocks either for that matter nor managed funds. If your worst case scenario is loss of 10%, keep your money in a fixed deposit account with a bank that has a government deposit backed guarantee. If this money is in Thailand be careful as the government guarantee will fall to just 1million baht per account holder per bank over the coming 3 years or so. I believe it's currently around 10 million.

It would be unusual for property values to drop and remain down for over a year, don't you think?

Disagree. You might like to ask anyone that's bought a home in the US in the last 5 years, or anyone that bought in Thailand during the early to mid 1990's, or anyone that bought in Japan in the last 20years. Property can go down and does go down often for long periods at a time.

[robint]

Thanks guys, some very insightful posts here as i was asking a serious question.

As one post noted, when property goes down, it does so historically for 3 - 5 years. ive been through 2 of these in uk and this is my third. i think uk property has bottomed out and i have bought at 2/3ds of last years price. its a solid house which you couldnt build for the cost i paid, so its fine as my back stop and i am 100% confident of its potential in 5 years time. underlying is the endemic shortage of family sized property 2/3 beds good mortgageable stock.

i dont know much about property in the states let alone florida. the usd gbp rate has ruined its attraction, but when it was 2 for 1 then prices were telephone numbers.

people will still want to retire in the sun

my experience of condos in los has been abysmal, and im glad i was never stoopid enough to buy one - though having said that i remember not so long ago when a studio 30m2 sheel could be had for 300, 000B in jomtien which in those days was around 4k gbp. thats a weeks party money and you got a investment visa thrown in.

generally ive always ended up hating any condo i lived in, usually because of corrupt management and security issues, also continuous building refurbs going on - jack hammers arghhhhhhhhhh, so i just move on, so easy, but those who bought are stuck with a lemon. i dont know anyone who has a satifactory life in his condo in los. picture huddles of condo speak grouches maundering over their respective blighted apprts - almost as bad as mil-speak vets.

So im in a pile of cash and dont trust banks in the future - there is still the spectre of the huge deficits run up by the us and uk. its a magical conjuring trick - no visible means of support. the current debt is more than 20% of the entire worlds gdp (65 trillion

peeple often puzzle over why the baht remains so strong - well thats not rocket science - los is sitting on a huge foreign currency reserve of 100 billion usd - and its gone up recently. imho they got their fingers burned badly in the asian crash so the simians in their unique way resolved never to get stung by the detested round eyes ever again. of course this reserve does nothing for the economy, doesnt earned anything or create wealth, its just sitting there. think what they could invest in for infrastructure for the future of the economy - lets not go down there - it aint gonna happen.

imho we need to go back to the fundamentals - the must haves of our economy, food, health, energy, communication, transport, shelter

certainly i have no faith in any financial instruments which is banker speak for gambling vouchers.

i still believe there are rafts of systemic problems floating towards us to cause problems within 5 years, weather changes, rising sea levels, auto industry collapse, airlines and aerospace industries, burgeoning bureaurocracy which is stiffling commerce - certainly in the EU and uk

[spirodj]

Right now it's all about preserving of the capital for me. However it doesn't mean I want to sit on a pile of it. And just not sure if I want to put more money into another place in Thailand again, just in case something is to happen. So thinking about spreading the money around….in which I don't have much to begin with….so have to be very careful about it.

I think just like everyone else, I'm looking for a fire sale - a condo in Florida somewhere.

I'm looking for Chaingmai, but my head is telling me Florida is the better and more logical choice, for an investment property. Due to the depressed, over built, and bank repossessed condo market there, I have found several nice condo for around $60,000 - $ 100,000, they used to be around anywhere from $300,000- $500,000!!!…some - on ocean front, some - great ocean view. Believe me there are glut of them!!… which will give you the "better return" in about 3 years…I think

So US real estate is still my best choice for now

Haven't made the move, but thinking thinking ..seriously

The problem is I have never been there..

Florida sounds to good to be true