Insurance and Credit

Have you noticed how anytime you walk in to a book store and find your way to the business or financial books all the views that are expressed in the titles are very similar??? In one way or another they all call out for a monetary version of bloodshed. I mean the titles are about “how you can crush the other guy”or “it’s not personal its business”, “How to come out on top” etc etc. Years ago when I got into the real estate investment game I spent hours looking thru the book titles. Trying to find the one book that would teach me how to become that REAL ESTATE INVESTING GOD I knew I could become. After reading many of the most popular books of the time I actually would feel beat up over the content. I mean did I have to be a “take no prisoners” type of investor? Did I have to prey on some one else’s misfortune?? The answer was no. However I did need to learn to take somethings to heart,and NEVER let go of them. I liken it to building my investment suit of armor so to say. So I set out to build a list of my investment rules. We each should have our own set of investment rules. It will help you keep the animal investor inside of you in check. In my case,being that I am a VERY competitive aggressive alpha male type personality I need rules that would keep me “Human”. My own set of personal laws that would keep me on the “non predatory” path. Doc’s Rules for investing:

1) Set up personal guidelines: Define and follow your personal guidelines. This is the most important rule I have. My guidelines define the investments I will go after as well as the amount of investment I’m willing to part with to get it. It outlines my investment strategy as well as how I want to conduct my investment business. Things to include, but not limit you to, are: Top dollar amount and lowest dollar amount. Type of investment you want to deal with. Period of term for investment.. Etc etc. (Between you and me I even have a guideline about the amount of time I will work per-day)

2) Remember some ones family is behind the deal you?re working on. Simply put,whoever you are dealing with has mouths to feed. Don’t forget this. Just because you can get a great deal on a house because the current owner is in a facing some sort of adversity that is causing them to sell below market value, doesn’t give you license to kick them when they are down. Treat everyone with dignity and respect. If the price they are offering still falls within the personal investing guidelines you have set for yourself don’t use your position to abuse the seller. If you are getting the house for .40 cents on the dollar,don’t be a jerk and push for .38 cents. Always remember…it could be you in the sellers postion. (This rule DOES NOT come in to play when dealing with a bank owned property)

3) Always ask for what you want. No where does it say you can’t ask for something in an investment deal you like, I.E. if you’re looking at a piece of real estate with a pool,ask the seller if they would be willing to throw in new carpet to the sale. I once met a investor who was looking at a house that had been on the market for more than 6 months. When he went to talk to the seller he happen to see a 1954 Merc Coupe in the garage, so he asked if it was included in the deal. The deal eventually closed for the house AND the car. 4) Offer everyone the chance to make money as a bird dog for you. I always give several of my business cards to anyone I do business with and offer them a portion of any profit I make from any investments they help me locate. You would be amazed at how many people are willing to help you make money when they get a small part of it for doing very little work. (And if you follow rule #2 you will be amazed at how many of those bird dogs will sing your praises from the highest mountains)

Just some ideas of things to keep in mind when you’re working on your investment mindset. I have used these rules over the years,and in many cases they, have gotten me more return and repeat networking opportunities then I can count.

As a forex trader, you should be aware of the role played by the interest rate changes in the general economic and investment climate. You should know that interest rates are an essential part of investment decisions and can drive currency markets as well as the stock and commodities markets in either direction. After the unemployment figures, Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) rate decisions are the second largest currency market moving release.

The impact of the interest rate changes not only have short term consequences but also have long term impact on the currency markets. One Central Banks decision can affect more than a single currency pair in the interconnected forex markets.

In currency trading, an interest rate differential is the difference between the base currency interest rate and the counter currency interest rate. In the pair, EUR/USD, EUR is the base currency and USD is the counter currency. The interest rate differential for the EUR/USD pair will be the difference between the Euro interest rate and the US Dollar interest rate.

Understanding the relationship between the interest rate differentials and the currency pairs can be very profitable for you as a forex trader. In addition to the Central Banks overnight interest rate decisions, expected future overnight rates as well the expected timing for the interest rate changes can be crucial to the currency pair movements.

The reason why it is profitable is that international investors like hedge funds, big banks and institutional investors are yield seekers. They actively keep on shifting funds from the low yield assets to high yield assets.

Interest rate differentials are considered to be the leading indicators for currency prices. London Inter Bank Offer Rate and the 10 year government bond yields are usually used as leading indicators of currency movements.

Lets take an example, suppose the Australian 10-year government bond yield is 5.25%. The US 10-year government bond yield is 1.75%. The yield spread in this case would be 350 basis points in favor of the Australian Dollar.

Suppose the Australian government raised its interest rate by 25 basis points. The 10 year Australian government bond yield would also appreciate to 5.50%. Now, the new yield spread is 375 basis points in favor of AUD. The AUD will also be expected to appreciate against USD.

The general rule of thumb used by professional traders is that when a yield spread increases in favor of a certain currency that currency is expected to appreciate against the other currency in the pair. This is important information for you as a trader. Interest rate data is available on Bloomberg. Keep track of the currencies in the currency pairs that you trade with that data.

What is the FDIC

The world financial crisis has dried up the credit market, caused financial giants like Lehman Brothers to collapse, and forced big banks to merge, making many people wonder where their money will be safe. Through the FDIC or the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation the bank is still the safest place to hold your money no matter what happens to your bank. In October 2008 the deposit insurance was temporarily raised to $250,000 per depositor through December 31, 2009, so if your neighborhood bank collapses you will still be gauranteed your deposit up to $250,000.

Understanding FDIC

Established in 1933, the FDIC was made to guarantee public confidence in the banking system. This worked by providing all depositors in FDIC-insured banks coverage up to $5,000 ( in the thirty’s ), and second by taking over for a failed bank to gather and sell the bank’s assets to settle the bank’s debt including claims for deposits above the insured amount. The FDIC receives its funding from premiums paid by insured banks as well as revenues from its investments in US Treasury securities; no federal or state taxes are used.

Are you safe?

To use the full protection the FDIC offers, there are two things to keep in mind. First FDIC coverage does not extend to all financial firms so ask your bank if they are covered or check the FDIC site to see if you bank is listed. Second coverage is for individual deposit accounts only up to $250,000 so no stocks, bonds, safety deposit boxes, hedge funds, and so on.

How About $250,000+

For coverage beyond the $250,000 there are a few specific instances such as establishing deposits under different ownership categories where excess coverage is allowed. Revocable Trust Accounts, or a deposit account opened by people with the stated intention of the account being turned over to one or more beneficiaries upon the death of the original account holder, can get over $250,000. For example if Mr. Smith has an deposit account worth $500,000, both his son and daughter would get $250,000 each if they were the beneficiaries named on the account.