Low risk

Throughout time the price of gold bullion has continued to increase.  Whilst it may suffer from some drops in value, the overall curve demonstrates that it is a commodity that continues to deliver a steady return.  This strength comes down to the fact that there is only a certain amount of gold on the planet and that it can only be mined in relatively small amounts.  So, as the demand for gold increases alongside the population of the world, so does its price.

It is also worth mentioning that, unlike most other commodities, the price of gold is not impacted upon by outside influences.  Whilst oil shares may be impacted on by political relations between countries, or civil unrest; the only thing that affects the price of gold is the demand for it.  So, although gold bullion isn’t going to make your huge profits in a short period of time, it is a safe investment that will deliver a decent return medium to long term.

How to invest in gold bullion

It is possible to invest in gold bullion by purchasing jewellery, ornaments and other decorative items.  However, this can be a risky game to play.  First of all, you have to be sure that the gold you are buying is pure.  Then, you may find that you are charged a premium on the piece due to its aesthetic appeal.  As trends change, a gold candlestick could reduce in value, leaving you facing an investment loss.

A far safer option is to purchase your bullion directly form a reputable gold merchant in the form of gold coins or gold bars.  This way you can ensure that you are only paying for the value of the gold rather than any aesthetic appeal; thus protecting yourself from any future deviation.  In addition, you can be sure that the gold you are buying is of the right purity (99.9%).

Safeguarding your investment

If you do decide to buy some gold bullion then it is important that you first put in place measures to protect your investment.  So be sure to upgrade your insurance policy if required, to protect against theft or fire.  You should also install a safe in which to store the gold and a burglar alarm – some insurers may demand one or even both before they will provide you with a policy.  With these protections in place, you are ready to get buying.

Guest post is provided by UK Gold Bullion – visit their site if you are interested in learning more about buying UK gold bullion from a reputable gold merchant. 

How much do you spend?

At the very bottom of the scale are conservatories that are designed to be built by someone with very little experience with DIY. These do not offer anywhere near the same quality as the best professionally made conservatories, but they can be suitable for those that are on a budget. Costs can be well below £3000, which means that they can be paid for using personal finance, a credit card or even outright. Be aware that structures like this are not always built to last a very long time, and therefore should not be treated as an investment. You may also end up needing professional assistance which could add to the cost. If you’re not looking for anything major however, a small conservatory such as this could be perfect.

At the very top end are conservatories that are built to a high specification by dedicated professionals. These can easily cost upwards of £20,000 which means that you may need to take out finance such as a secured homeowner loan in order to purchase one. The interest payments can be offset however by the fact that the value of your property may increase with such an extension. These kinds of conservatories are considered an investment, as they last a very long time, and increase the floor space of the property.

Get what’s best for you

When you’re deciding if a conservatory is for you, it’s also important to put aside the investment side of things temporarily, and decide if it’s what you really want. An expensive conservatory isn’t necessarily expensive if you get the full use out of it. A well-built, heated conservatory is essentially a whole extra room in your house; one which you can enjoy throughout the year.

In conclusion, whether a conservatory is a good investment or not depends very much on the price and quality. Shop around when you’re in the market, find out what the payments from a secured homeowner loan might be, and then you can work out what’s good value overall, and what isn’t. You may also want to visit www.nemo-loans.co.uk to apply online today.

Make it Light, Bright Clean and Tidy

When your home gets valued, and when you have potential buyers round, keep your curtains open (assuming it’s daytime) and open windows during the warmer months. This will give your home a fresh and bright appeal. Deep cleaning is an obvious one – we all know we need to do it, it’s a chore, but if we do it ourselves, it’s a free way to add value and buyer appeal. The secret is to try to look at your home with fresh eyes – is there a dusty pile of newspapers that you no longer notice? Does it smell of pets? Sorting out niggling issues like these will create an overall feel of freshness.

Decluttering

Most of us are aware of the need to declutter, and the process can be quite satisfying. Through property programmes, we’ve become aware of the Feng Shui of interiors, where less is definitely more when it comes to creating buyer appeal. You can always put things in the shed or attic to get them out of the way, but being ruthless and properly getting rid does mean that you’ll have less stuff to cart around when you actually move (saving you time and money). Of course, you can even make some money this way, by selling on things that have been lying about the place unused.  Decluttering also applies to the garden – ornaments, tools, toys and of course, gnomes are garden clutter that can be cleared out of the way.

Sort out the Garden and Exterior

You might have heard the expression “kerb appeal” and this is all about the vastly important first impression that a buyer gets when they approach a house’s main entrance. This can be a deal-breaker if it isn’t smart and well-kept, and a neglected exterior can reduce a property’s sale price by around 5%. With this in mind, simply tidying the front garden, sweeping paths, and trimming hedges/weeding the front garden are steps that will create that all-important kerb appeal. How are your windows looking? Cleaning them will make a big difference to the overall effect.

And finally…. Use your photography skills.

If you’re a good photographer, can you improve on your estate agent’s photographs? Often they don’t show off a property as well as they could, especially when it comes to gardens and exteriors, so sending your agent a few well-composed shots could entice extra buyers through your door.

David Ingram is a blogger with a passion for property and social media. He learned his trade working for a Marylebone Estate Agent, however he is now based in sunny Manchester. For more articles and money saving tips from David, you can follow him on @boywithbeard

But what are the drawbacks? What does the investor put on the line and do the potential returns justify the initial investment? Analysing any potential country risk is essential, and taking a look at the experts Lloyds is excellent place to start.

Now the risks:
The first and perhaps largest drawback to foreign investment strategies is the asymmetric nature of international markets. Trading patterns do not move in synchronisation with each other: a net increase in share prices in the American markets may coincide with a fall in Europe. This requires extra consideration on the money manager’s part. He will need to develop bespoke investment patterns for each region. Similarly, the value of each market’s shares is measured by the exchange rate of the currency that backs the shares. If you invest your funds into an Icelandic company, then you must take into consideration the currency exchange rate between your own capital and the currency backing the shares: in this case the króna.

Finally, but perhaps most importantly of all, there are legal concerns. Each market is independently regulated, and all transactions must comply with stringent legal criteria. Breaking into a foreign market increases the workload and expenditure in compliance as each trade must be shown to follow the best practices of that region. Regulations are revised and continuously strengthened, making compliance an investment of time and resources that should never be under-estimated.

With these risks and limitations there are many benefits. First and foremost, foreign investments are seen as a reliable way to introduce diversification into an investment portfolio. One of the primary considerations for any money manager is a diverse portfolio is recognised by regulators as one of the most robust defences against loss, if you are unsure, a good investment company would be your best bet for advice.

Equally, it is possible to develop strategies that exploit the apparent risk of currency exchange rates. Were you to invest into that Icelandic company and subsequently the króna increases in value, your investment too will see a matched increase. This strategy of market arbitrage between foreign markets can grow an investment without acquiring excess risk.

Finally, it is the wealth of opportunities that attracts many investors to foreign markets. With Brazil, Russia, India and China increasingly making up a larger portion of the world’s productivity, these emerging markets offer attractive opportunities unavailable in domestic territories. From the competitive production costs in soft commodities to the large-scale of mining and extraction operations it has become not just possible, but crucial, that investors consider the global options open to them.