Investors property/stocks/shares

[Supragal]

Anyone on here clued up on this? I've been doing lots of reading on it, seems it's not as much as a gamble as I first thought. Not so much property at the mo but shares etc.

[Whitesupraboy2]

Im staying away from it all at the moment thanks to the US. Id consider it a bigger gamble at the moment due to the effects from over the water. With the economy's slowing down there isnt as much money being thrown about.

 

however I do it on a minor scale someone more in the know may have a better idea.

[Charlotte]

I think the problem is more the speculation is scaring people, actual statistics show a different story all together!

[Carl_S]

Anyone on here clued up on this? I've been doing lots of reading on it, seems it's not as much as a gamble as I first thought. Not so much property at the mo but shares etc.

 

I have about 70k invested in UK shares, I recommend getting a good financial advisor.

[marbleapple]

I have a friend who makes a living as a property investor. He thinks the next few years are going to be wonderful if you are accumulating and not so good if you are trying to reduce your portfolio as it is going to be a buyers market.

 

- He also suggested that I should keep a look out for pubs since a lot of breweries are starting to consider seling them off and they make superb conversions (so I'm told).

[Supragal]

Agreed about the Financial Advisor, but I guess it's finding a good one that shares similar interests etc to get the most out of it.

 

Whitesupraboy2 - that attitude which is shared by most of the country is the exact reason I think it may be a good time to invest in SOMETHING.

 

I'm not sure we have all the factors the US have. To start with, houses- we rely on our 2nd hand market much more so the demand will always be higher than in the US.

 

How did you get into it?

[tooquicktostop]

I work for a large investment bank in Canary Wharf, you will have two 'basic' options open to you really,

the risky short term gains option where you study the markets of a certain commodity, eg Power and look at the global economics and how a company sits within that market, then based on your findings 'gamble' that that company is going to grow, this is very risky but can have the greatest rewards short term

 

The only true way to make 'safe' money in stocks is to be in it for the long haul with a company you identify as one that has a strong growth possibility and one that has a product that you see will be in demand beyond where it currently stands

 

I would visit your local bank (eg Barclays) who have advisers on the subject, it can be fun playing with small amounts of money in the short term market but you can loose as well as gain in that

[Supragal]

I think I'd like both options to be honest. I'm pretty good with money so I won't be tempted to risk money I don't have, but the risk of losing some is worth it. I suppose you must 'win' say 2 or 3 times out of 10? And make losses the rest of the time. In theory you can make all those loses back if you know what you're doing I just don't know that bit well yet!!!

 

I don't trust anyone in local bank branches for some reason. Maybe it's coz most of them still have braces on their teeth

[R Black]

The stockmarket out drags banks etc over the longhaul i.e. 10 yrs, a good footsie tracker fund is relatively safe bet overtime, if you fancied bigger gains, funds say in china, russia, latin america could give very good returns, but would need watching as are potentially volitile especially latin A. Investing im individual shares is in my opinion much more time consuming & riskier.

There are lots of investment sites outthere to read up on this subject.

[_Lynz_]

I would visit your local bank (eg Barclays) who have advisers on the subject, it can be fun playing with small amounts of money in the short term market but you can loose as well as gain in that

 

I don't trust anyone in local bank branches for some reason. Maybe it's coz most of them still have braces on their teeth

 

The only thing that would put me off going into my local bank is that they aren't independant. They can only sell you what their company has got on offer, if you get independant financial advice someone can research the entire market for you.

[The Raven]

IMO, money in the bank is the best investment right now.

 

Shares are hit and miss to much for my liking, house market is about to get a whole lot worse, Went the the Clive Emson auction the other week, 20% of the lots didnt sell says somthing for the current state of things.

 

I have sold everything i invested in bar a Student house and im sitting back waiting for the right time, a year of so there will be money to be made.

[michael]

Buy low, sell high.

 

HTH

[Thorin]

Buy low, sell high.

 

HTH

 

Good advice, listen to this man he knows what he's talking about.

[chilli]

I work in software but amongst other things we do financial systems for the London Stock Exchange (their trading systems) and various Equity traders. When I joined I assumed that I'd naturally get into trading a some point, especially with the insider info I've got. But, the surprising thing is very few people here do that, most see it as a risk (and the more you know the more you see it). I guess there are more secure ways to make money. To be a proper trader you really need to pay money to get hold of the detailed stock info. For a amature gamble at it, i know a few people who do ok speculatively by picking companies that do well over time. It's no sure fire route to becoming rich, to do well you need to be clever, lucky and plenty of time to work it (like a full time job). You might be better in a career at it where you get to play with someone elses money perhaps - having said that you could be lucky, but for every 1 success story remember there will be 100 or 1000 failure stories you won't read about. It's like anything, if it was easy everyone would be doing it and then the market would adjust accordingly anyway.

[Supragal]

if it was easy everyone would be doing it.

 

Hmm well I am not convinced about that. I think most people don't do it because it's easier to go to work 9-5 and take home a salary.

 

People don't like taking risks. They also don't want to put in the time and effort to learn about it. I don't think people are educated about money and don't understand how to get ahead etc.

 

That is what I want to understand.

[Supragal]

IMO, money in the bank is the best investment right now.

 

Shares are hit and miss to much for my liking, house market is about to get a whole lot worse, Went the the Clive Emson auction the other week, 20% of the lots didnt sell says somthing for the current state of things.

 

 

House market is questionable I reckon. The fact that things aren't selling at auction is because sellers are being unrealistic about their reserve prices. If they let it go for less someone will buy it and get a good deal. Swings and roundabouts.

 

theres always opportunites!!! There must be, it's just learning how to spot them. I reckon you know how and are trying to put competitors off lol

[tooquicktostop]

I work in software but amongst other things we do financial systems for the London Stock Exchange (their trading systems) and various Equity traders. When I joined I assumed that I'd naturally get into trading a some point, especially with the insider info I've got. But, the surprising thing is very few people here do that, most see it as a risk (and the more you know the more you see it). I guess there are more secure ways to make money. To be a proper trader you really need to pay money to get hold of the detailed stock info. For a amature gamble at it, i know a few people who do ok speculatively by picking companies that do well over time. It's no sure fire route to becoming rich, to do well you need to be clever, lucky and plenty of time to work it (like a full time job). You might be better in a career at it where you get to play with someone elses money perhaps - having said that you could be lucky, but for every 1 success story remember there will be 100 or 1000 failure stories you won't read about. It's like anything, if it was easy everyone would be doing it and then the market would adjust accordingly anyway.

 

Yes but to trade in shares based on 'insider info' is a criminal offence so you would not want to do that really

[The Raven]

House market is questionable I reckon. The fact that things aren't selling at auction is because sellers are being unrealistic about their reserve prices. If they let it go for less someone will buy it and get a good deal. Swings and roundabouts.

 

theres always opportunites!!! There must be, it's just learning how to spot them. I reckon you know how and are trying to put competitors off lol

 

Not at all, the reason things didnt sell is because of resales, As i said my student house is a sound investment it pays for its self and has 5 seperate forms of income. Define unrealistic to crash? Auction lots are there 9 times out of 10 due to the fact they wont be sold via normal means the auction house decides the reserve with the seller if they dont agree it dont get put in. Check out the sun today to see the number of workers being laid off by major building companys.

 

Im more than happy to help any of you guys out in this kind of field from good deals on kitchens to getting round expensive house insurance for empty buildings. However i will once again echo my advise.....wait one year from now the house market will be poorer repos will be up. Hence cheaper houses, and more people needing places to rent.

[chilli]

Yes but to trade in shares based on 'insider info' is a criminal offence so you would not want to do that really

 

oh, no I didn't mean my inner knowledge of how the systems work or frigging the 1/2p rounding like that guy in superman lol

 

just the data available to proper trading houses, which is different to that available to the general public. This level 2 data is a service you pay for. From what I've been told by people who know way more than I do about it, this data is a prerequisite if you're serious about trading and kinda differentiates professionals from dablers and amatures.

 

It's worth pointing out there are a bazillion different ways to trade and invest - I guess this thread is a little vague in that area. For serious day traders who expect to go home at the end of a day trading quids up, these guys don't mess around, it's serious often full time business - like I say, it's a job!

[chilli]

Hmm well I am not convinced about that. I think most people don't do it because it's easier to go to work 9-5 and take home a salary.

 

People don't like taking risks. They also don't want to put in the time and effort to learn about it. I don't think people are educated about money and don't understand how to get ahead etc.

 

That is what I want to understand.

 

that's fine, we can agree to disagree on that.

 

remember though - there's no free lunch. What I mean is for every one guy getting rich there's 9 poor saps losing money (and that could easily be you as a beginner) - if you think you're going to be better than the people who do it seriously then why not, maybe you will be the one taking the cream

 

things like property or long term investments are different, you spread the risk and reward over a longer time span. I mean managed funds and this sort of thing are not rocket science but as others have said, ultimately you're going to need to start by getting a decent FA and possibly a stash of cash to invest

[Supragal]

that's fine, we can agree to disagree on that.

 

remember though - there's no free lunch. What I mean is for every one guy getting rich there's 9 poor saps losing money (and that could easily be you as a beginner) - if you think you're going to be better than the people who do it seriously then why not, maybe you will be the one taking the cream

 

things like property or long term investments are different, you spread the risk and reward over a longer time span. I mean managed funds and this sort of thing are not rocket science but as others have said, ultimately you're going to need to start by getting a decent FA and possibly a stash of cash to invest

 

Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying it's easy or guaranteed... but I don't think you need a stack of cash either. Start small and reinvest what you make. Very few people have a stack of cash sat there to play with I'm sure Besides I've not DONE anything yet, or even fully commited to the idea, just wondering if anyone was already into the whole 'not just having a 9-5 job' thing. I suppose as well perhaps advice from those who are and doing well about good books etc to read.

[Supragal]

Not at all, the reason things didnt sell is because of resales, As i said my student house is a sound investment it pays for its self and has 5 seperate forms of income. Define unrealistic to crash? Auction lots are there 9 times out of 10 due to the fact they wont be sold via normal means the auction house decides the reserve with the seller if they dont agree it dont get put in. Check out the sun today to see the number of workers being laid off by major building companys.

 

Im more than happy to help any of you guys out in this kind of field from good deals on kitchens to getting round expensive house insurance for empty buildings. However i will once again echo my advise.....wait one year from now the house market will be poorer repos will be up. Hence cheaper houses, and more people needing places to rent.

 

Hmmm I don't think I explained what I was thinking very well. I just meant that I think the final increase on the housing market has been due to over valuations. If you drop the price of a house low enough it will sell. Even if that means dropping it to a forecast price for this time next year.

[chilli]

Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying it's easy or guaranteed... but I don't think you need a stack of cash either. Start small and reinvest what you make. Very few people have a stack of cash sat there to play with I'm sure Besides I've not DONE anything yet, or even fully commited to the idea, just wondering if anyone was already into the whole 'not just having a 9-5 job' thing. I suppose as well perhaps advice from those who are and doing well about good books etc to read.

 

when I say a stash of cash what I mean is that what you invest you have to be prepared to lose. If you're only investing very small amounts the returns are going to be small too. Keeping it at the small amateur level is not that risky and I'm sure you could earn enough to buy extra beer etc but if you want to make a lot you might be investing a lot too, that's all I mean by that

 

I know a guy who does it on the small amateur scale based on public data only and he does earn some beer tokens out of it from time to time. He does it mainly for fun, what he gambles he can afford to lose. Whether it's a good return for the time invested, I'm not that sure. Guess it depends on what you can earn in your regular career vs. how much you value your spare time vs. how much you enjoy it vs. how good you are at trading.

 

Long term, property investment is a pretty good bet I think - regardless of the market fluctuations, long term property values go up and up and up

 

I don't know any good books on it. Perhaps start with the basics, learn your iceburg from your stealth etc

 

PS: not all jobs are straightforward 9-5 what about consultants, contractors, self employed - and then there's performance related pay, stock options, dividends and so on. Thought about starting a business?

 

anyway good luck with it. I'm not trying to be negative, just painting a realistic picture. Thinking that most people can't be bothered or are too safe is probably a little naive (IMHO) - you'd be surprised what a proportion of the average joe public will do when there's any real certainty of making £££!

[Supragal]

when I say a stash of cash what I mean is that what you invest you have to be prepared to lose. If you're only investing very small amounts the returns are going to be small too. Keeping it at the small amateur level is not that risky and I'm sure you could earn enough to buy extra beer etc but if you want to make a lot you might be investing a lot too, that's all I mean by that

 

I know a guy who does it on the small amateur scale based on public data only and he does earn some beer tokens out of it from time to time. He does it mainly for fun, what he gambles he can afford to lose. Whether it's a good return for the time invested, I'm not that sure. Guess it depends on what you can earn in your regular career vs. how much you value your spare time vs. how much you enjoy it vs. how good you are at trading.

 

Long term, property investment is a pretty good bet I think - regardless of the market fluctuations, long term property values go up and up and up

 

I don't know any good books on it. Perhaps start with the basics, learn your iceburg from your stealth etc

 

PS: not all jobs are straightforward 9-5 what about consultants, contractors, self employed - and then there's performance related pay, stock options, dividends and so on. Thought about starting a business?

 

anyway good luck with it. I'm not trying to be negative, just painting a realistic picture. Thinking that most people can't be bothered or are too safe is probably a little naive (IMHO) - you'd be surprised what a proportion of the average joe public will do when there's any real certainty of making £££!

 

Property was a great investment back when rental incomes even came close to covering mortgage repayments. Got 1 rental flat but they are a LOT of hassle. So much so we've been trying to sell it, however we got stung by the first estate agents and are now stuck with it due to the turn in the market. So basically it's not rented currently so we have 2 mortgages. Not clever.

 

Most people aren't in a position to risk losing money. I just think there must be a better way. It's is possible, but difficult for sure.

 

Starting a business is another way for sure I totally agree. In fact you'd need some kind of company to get the tax breaks.

 

I think you need to start small and build up your assets, more assets = more wealth!!

 

It's being correctly advised/informed/learning the right stuff.