What country combines beautiful scenery, first-class amenities, low prices and a convenient location within a two-hour flight from virtually any point in Europe? Not to mention unique tax advantages for persons who receive certain types of foreign income or a foreign pension?
The answer is Croatia—a well-known European tourist destination 15 years ago, but only now recovering from the widespread perception that it is not a “safe” country to visit.
Don’t speculate on rising home values, speculating is not investing! “Lots of people made Lots of money this way during the housing boom
Investing is accepting some risk in order to get returns on your investment.
By taking control of your deals and structuring them so you have built-in equity or positive cash flow when you buy will greatly increase your odds of success.
With the latest data pointing to a double-dip in home prices, it has become increasingly clear that the wobbly economic recovery won’t be getting any help from the housing sector.
Existing home sales in February sank 9.6% from the previous month, while prices fell 5.2% to a median of $156,000, the lowest since April 2002. Existing homes comprise 90% of the housing market.
Meanwhile, new homes sales in February plummeted to an annual rate of 250,000, far below the norm of 700,000 and a level half that of 1963, when the United States had 120 million fewer residents than its current population of 310 million. The median sales price plunged 8.9% year-over-year.
But the worst news came with last Tuesday’s release of Standard and Poor’s Case-Shiller Home Price Index. The index average of 20 major housing markets in the United States fell 3.1% in January, putting it within 1.1% of its April 2009 low. A drop below that level would establish a new post-peak low – the dreaded “double-dip.”
Start investing with just $100!! I’ll let you in on a little secret about investing: Start investing: How new investors can begin with $100 © MedioImages/Corbis
Extra3/5/2010 4:00 PM ET
Start investing with just $100
Faced with a dizzying array of investment options, deciding where to put your money can be daunting. But starting small doesn’t mean it won’t pay off big.
It’s not nearly as hard as you think.
However, the fact that most people do it badly might lead a reasonable person to believe the opposite.
How badly? A study by Dalbar, a Boston investment research firm, found that from 1988 to 2008, when the S&P 500 Index ($INX) grew at an average annual rate of 11.8%, individual investors in equity mutual funds saw average returns of 4.5% a year, before taxes.
There are many different factors to consider when investing. Each investment option out there can be very powerful if it is done wisely. Some of the most powerful methods of investing are Buying and Selling Stocks, Mutual Funds, Day Trading, Penny Stocks, Bonds, Real Estate, and Tax Liens.
As you can see there are many options for those who are interested in investing. If you do your research it will make your decision much easier.