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Profit From Substantial Inflation Ahead

US & Other Central Banks Printing Endlessly New Dollars. Photo credit: Unsplash.

Updated December 16, 2024. Let’s take a look at how to profit from the substantial inflation that is already starting to happen. The US government has been printing massive amounts of new money. On January 6, 2020, the US Federal Reserve had around $4 trillion dollars. On January 4, 2021, the number increased to $6.7 trillion dollars. As of 2021, over 40% of US dollars were printed in the last 12 months.

Viewing The US Federal Reserve Numbers

FRED M1 Money Stock, 2020. Photo credit: https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/M1REAL

Updated June 22, 2022. Below is the same chart from updated to May 24, 2022:

FRED M1 Money Stock, updated May 24, 2022. https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/M1REAL

Simultaneous News Hits At Same Time

This is what has happened in the United States. But, with the world reaching the end of the long-term debt cycle, and having the COVID-19 hitting at the same time, all countries are facing the same problem. Every government and every central bank, not just the US Federal Reserve but also the European Central Bank, the Bank of Japan, etc. As a result, it looks like inflation is their best business plan as they will profit from substantial inflation very soon.

Jake Tran did an interesting YouTube video titled, “Why Haven’t We Seen Hyperinflation?” He interviews Peter Schiff who points out that we have had an incredible surge in government spending. A lot of the spending has been related to COVID-19 and to the economic shutdown. Many people were no longer out there earning money and the governments have looked to replace some of that money with government stimulus money. There were no tax hikes, nor prioritization of government spending. So the governments had no choice but to ramp up the printing of new money – BRRRRRRRRRR…. The governments printed the new money and then put it into circulation through government programs.

No Historical Precedent

All the currency that has been created is hugely staggering. Jason Hartman, podcast host, says that we have never seen anything like this before. There is no historical precedent to what has now happened and it feels like we are in uncharted territory. However, with all the new money many people do not think this is a problem. Nevertheless, all this new currency has a distinct possibility of being highly inflationary as time passes. A look at the chart below you can see how high the deficit has reached.

Federal Deficit Trends Over Time 2000-2020. Photo credit: https://datalab.usaspending.gov/americas-finance-guide/deficit/trends/

So the question is, where is the inflation? Everyday goods like food and gas have not increased by 40% and other countries are seeing the equivalents in their price of goods. So what gives and where is the inflation?

Updated September 18, 2024. The Federal Reserve lowered its key interest rate by a hefty half percentage point Wednesday, moving ahead with its first rate cut in four years and cheering markets that expected an emphatic move amid a softening jobs picture.

Updated July 26, 2023. The Federal Reserve increased interest rates again by a quarter of a point. This brings the benchmark borrowing rate to a range of 5.25% to 5.50%.

Updated June 22, 2022. The war between Ukraine and Russia continues. President Biden announced that the US will not purchase oil and gas from Russia in an attempt reduce the foreign money that Russia receives.

As a consequence, the U.S. gasoline price on June 13, 2022 was $5.006 a gallon. Food prices were 9.4% higher in April 2022 than in April 2021. This is the largest annaul increase in food prices in 41 years. As a result, grocery prices leaped 10.8% for the year.

Four Factors of Inflation

The question is, what are the factors that cause inflation? As well, how do you profit from substantial inflation? The answer is that the amount of money being printed is just one factor that makes up inflation. According to the YouTube channel Economics Explained, the other big factors of inflation include:

Industrial output. The economic output is the number of things available. The higher this number, the lower the prices will be and vice versa.
Employment. Too little employment leaves employees looking for jobs which leads to decreased wages and decreased prices.
Money supply. Increasing the money in an economy will increase the prices that everyone has to pay.
Velocity of money. The movement of money is also a factor as to how fast money goes from one person to another.

FRED Velocity of M1 Money Stock. Photo credit: https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/M1V

Inflation Analysis

What we see is that the money supply has definitely gone up. Industrial output is more or less a non-factor because businesses are not producing as much, but also people are buying less right now. However, employment and the velocity of money have decreased because of a high degree of uncertainty in the world. As a result, Inflation is starting to creep up, but for right now, it is happening slowly.

US Markets & the Everything Bubble

What we have seen in the US is an increase in the markets. For example, the stock markets, real estate, and bitcoin have been on a continuous tear as prices continue to go up. This is so big because of its effects on society. Many people have called what we are seeing right now as an “everything bubble”.

In March 2021, Charlie Munger, vice chairman of Berkshire Hathaway, and I believe is one of the wisest people in the stock market today, was being interviewed by the Daily Journal Corporation in Los Angeles, CA. A lot of people were asking Charlie Munger about the very real possibility of a stock market bubble. Here is what Charlie had to say: “Yes, I think this must end badly but I don’t know when. I think this kind of crazy speculation in enterprises not even found or picked out yet is a sign of an irritating bubble.”

Undoubtedly, Charlie Munger is very intelligent individual and I am sure he knows exactly how he will profit from the irritating stock market bubble and the substantial inflation that is already taking place.

No Experience for Pre-Retirement Investors

Rising rates have been forecast before. However, this time the analyst survey is showing that it is already proceeding. Pre-retirement investors are not experienced in dealing with a market backdrop of steadily rising rates. The Federal Reserve on Friday, March 19, 2021, said that it will not extend an exemption that would end on March 31st. In essence, the Fed won’t extend relief for banks because they believe that banks have strong capital positions.

Starting on April 1, 2021, the nation’s biggest banks will not be able to exclude treasuries from SLR (supplementary leverage ratio) calculation. This and its ramifications are big news. It looked like everything was status quo, but the status quo will not continue. This is something that clearly upset the markets and will continue to upset the markets.

The Cantillon Effect

About 250 years ago, a famous economist named Richard Cantillon wrote a book where he talked about the “cradle of political economy”. This is called the Cantillon Effect. The premise of the book is that people who are close to the money benefit the most. The people who are farther from the money benefit less because prices have already risen.

Wall Street, the central bankers, the politicians, the tech entrepreneurs, the wealthy people take advantage of being close to the money. These individuals get to take advantage of all of these opportunities first. This circumstance has a tremendous impact on wealth inequality and is the basis for huge problems in society.

Honestly, if you look at the people who are close to the money they do not care about anyone else, they are just thinking about themselves. In my opinion, they are greedy beyond comprehension. This is why these central bankers have created the stimulus checks. They want to keep the average worker from rising up, rioting, and having civil unrest as a measure of security.

The central bankers want to take advantage of this Cantillon Effect opportunity. They want to profit immensely from the situation we all see before us. The good news is that you can profit from the massive inflation that is directly ahead of all of us too. Here is how to anticipate and prepare for the next year and a half to three years and how not to be a victim of the wealth gap.

How You Can Benefit from Inflation

The other way to is benefit from inflation. Inflation is the secret way that the governments and central bankers can wipe out hundreds of billions of dollars of debt off the balance sheet very quickly. Remember that the US government’s debt is owed in US dollars. So, as a result, we can inflate our currency to pay off the debt.

This is an extremely powerful inflation strategy and it is the plan that we should follow as well. Like it or not, this is the game that is being played. This is a plan that is way too big to do anything about. The secret is to learn how to profit from substantial inflation ahead. The result will be an incease your investments and your wealth.

So, we should align our interest with the two most powerful forces the human race has ever known: governments and central banks. We need to align our business plans so that we are on the same plan that they are on.

Wealth Redistribution

Inflation is a hidden tax and it is a wealth destroyer. Inflation destroys the value of our savings, our stocks, our bonds, and our equity in our real estate. But inflation destroys the value of our debt as well. Herein is the huge advantage of inflation. Inflation is the most powerful method of wealth redistribution. Inflation redistributes wealth from lenders to borrowers and from old people to young people.

First let’s see what happens if you borrow money from a bank. If you go to a bank and ask for a loan, you will get the money at today’s value. Yet when it comes time to pay the money back, you will pay it back at tomorrow’s lower value because of inflation. You have won the inflation game! Why? You have won because you will pay back the inflation gain in cheaper dollars. This is a winning strategy that will have you saving the extra as profits.

Inflation will also redistribute the wealth from old people to young people. How does inflation do this? In most cases, old people have assets such as savings accounts, investments in the stock market, bonds, and equity in real estate. These assets are their preparation for the future and their retirement.

Young People Will Benefit

The problem for the old people is that inflation is munching on those assets. On the other hand, the young people are just starting out in life and they usually have a lot of debt. As a result, inflation is an intergenerational wealth transfer from the older people to the younger people. The good news is that the younger people don’t have to worry about an inheritance because the powerful force of inflation will do a lot of it for them!

If the interest rate on the debt is cheap and the inflation rate is high, then the debt is benefiting you. This is essentially a negative interest rate. Higher inflation in the future will help to negatively impact lenders and help people’s debt. This is the secret to profit from substantial inflation ahead. Are you thinking of taking advantage of the power of inflation? For the intelligent person, the secret is to look for commodities that are indexed to inflation.

One Possibility: Maximize With Real Estate

Everyone on Earth needs a place to live. Using debt in a positive way to create wealth is the key when it comes to income property real estate. An investor who decides to become a landlord and purchases multiple income properties understands this concept. Debt is the hidden wealth creator and it has helped millions of people already. Read my blog on the 3 Ways To Really Boost Your Rental House Cash Flows.

Let’s take an example of a person who buys an owner-occupied house to live in. At this time the mortgage rates are historically low. But with inflation already kicking in, you know that the interest rates on everything will increase. Inflation also affects the interest on a 30 year fixed rate mortgage. Below is a US 30-year fixed rate mortgage interest rate chart from 1971 to 2021. If you look at the right hand side, you can already see the mortgage interest rate going up.

FRED 30-Year Fixed Rate Mortgage Average in the United States. Photo credit: https://fred.stlouisfed.org/graph/?g=NUh

Inflation: Prepare Now

To anticipate and prepare for the next year and a half to three years and not be a victim of the wealth gap, take advantage of the powerful force of inflation. Align your strategy with the governments and central banks. This is the hidden secret to profit from the substantial inflation that is ahead. This is a win-win strategy that will give everyone an edge.

In my opinion, I suggest preparing your inflation strategy right now if you have not done so already. In the comments, please let me know your thoughts on the massive amount of money printing taking place today and on your personal views on inflation.

Last Updated on December 16, 2024 by Financial Goodness

Financial Goodness

George Alexander Roy III and our team are experts in helping you to seek wealth through investing and tips on how to succeed. Join us at FinancialGoodness.com to increase your knowledge and skills through education in the areas of personal finance; real estate; investments; digital marketing; comparison of the best states to form LLC’s and comporations; and the best AI app for increasing your fluency in English.

George has been an owner of a residential real estate investment business that focuses on wholesaling, fix & flip, and long-term buy-and-hold property strategies with a consistent increase of annual revenues. Undoubtedly, the tax laws in the United States and Colombia, South America offer some very favorable tax incentives for owning real estate.

Consequently, as an entrepreneur, researcher, writer, and speaker I have sought the truth in everything I do, no matter how difficult. Hopefully this value and service will help each person achieve their financial freedom sooner.

Ray Dalio Predicts End Of Long-Term Debt Cycle

Updated December 16, 2024. Ray Dalio is an extremely successful American billionaire hedge fund manager and philanthropist. Nonetheless, in a recent article Ray Dalio predicts end of long-term debt cycle as we have known it. This is the logic that Dalio uses to make his case.

Comparing 2020 To The Great Depression

The economy of 2020 is producing a lot of debt by the government. Also the economy of 1930 to 1945 was very similar. In 2020 we were seeing zero interest rates. In 2020, the Federal Reserve was buying the Treasury debt and getting that money to mostly Americans in some imperfect, but remarkably large way. The Europeans were doing the same with the European banks that are smaller banks than the U.S. banks. The World lives with about 70 percent US dollars and only a small percentage of Euros.

Problem Of Limited Number Of Banks

But the problem is that there aren’t many banks around the world. Consequently, the rest of the world is going to have gap holes that won’t be filled. The result is that the American printing of money and the borrowing will leave us with a lot of debt and monetization. But who will pay this?

Massive Debt On Our Hands

Ray Dalio thinks that we are in a New World that is most similar to the 1932 to 1945 world. We have a lot of debt on our hands, but Dalio believes that unfortunately a lot of the world will not get that money in credit.

In 2020, the debt figure is sitting at about $25.3 trillion dollars. That’s about 107% of the GDP. Dalio asks the question: with all the debt on our hands and with the printing press running, who at the end of the day will pay the bill?

Two years later in April 2022, the public debt of the United States was around 30.37 trillion dollars. Obviously the debate on how to handle the US debt is causing turmoil and friction between the Democrats and the Republicans.

Benefit From Inflation

Inflation is the secret way that the governments and central bankers can wipe out hundreds of billions of dollars of debt off the balance sheet very quickly. The US government’s debt is owed in US dollars so we can inflate our currency to pay off the debt.

We should align our interest with the two most powerful forces the human race has ever known: governments and central banks. We need to align our business plans so that we are on the same plan that they are on. To learn how to align your business plans, read Profit From Substantial Inflation Ahead.

Four Economic Driving Factors

Ray Dalio explains that the economy template that is being used has been used for the last one thousand years. Dalio predicts end of long-term debt cycle as we have known it. Dalio sees four factors that are the driving forces of our economy and our lifestyle.

Productivity

The first and the most powerful is productivity. Productivity comes from people learning and investing and doing things well. Productivity grows slowly at about 1 or 2 or 3% a year. In addition productivity is not volatile because knowledge is involved, but it grows. That raises our living standards over a period of time.

Short-Term Debt Cycle

Next there’s a short-term debt cycle. The short-term debt cycle is made up of recessions and expansions. The booms and recessions last about eight to ten years.

Long-Term Debt Cycle

Then there is a long-term debt cycle. The long-term debt cycle which goes on about once every 50 or 75 years. The long-term debt cycle is when you begin a new type of money and a new type of credit. This happened in 1945 when the New World order at the end of World War II with the establishment of the Bretton Woods monetary system. The Bretton Woods system defined all currencies in relation to the US dollar. The US currency was now effectively the world currency and the standard to which every other currency was pegged. Currently 70% of the money and credit that exists in the economy is running by dollars and what you have traditionally is a breakdown.

Interior & Exterior Politics

The fourth influence on the economy is largely how we deal with each other. This includes interior and exterior politics. The interior politics is how do you deal with the wealth gap? How do you deal with the value gap? Do you have a common mission? Do we have a American dream that we can agree on and that we are pursuing together? Or do we fight over wealth?

History Of Mankind & Revolutions

Dalio says that when we look at the history of mankind, what we see are revolutions. When we look at these revolutions, some revolutions are peaceful and sometimes they’re disruptive. But on a granular level, there is a wealth shift that needs to take place.

Examples are when Roosevelt shifted policies and changed taxes. In other countries, there was a turning over of democracy when Hilter came to power because of that gap. There are also external politics. Here we are look at the power between countries. A good example is a rising power challenging an existing power which results in a risk of war.

Possible End Of Short-Term Debt Cycle

Dalio says that right now, at least in the short-term debt cycle, it appears that we are coming to the end of that cycle. The chart below of the Dow Jones history gives a good indicator for the entire USA markets. As the graph shows, it has been 12 years with a bull market.

Dow Jones Short-Term Debt Cycle (USA). Photo credit:https://research.stlouisfed.org/dashboard/12014

Big Possibility Of The End Of Long-Term Debt Cycle

If we look at the Dow long-term debt cycle of the United states that goes back 70 to 80 years, we get a better look at the long-term debt cycle which averages 50 to 75 years. Dalio points out that the United States has been exactly 75 years since the start of this current long-term debt cycle that we are in that started in 1945. If you look at the graph below you can see that things might be about to change. This is the reason why Ray Dalio predicts end of long-term debt cycle.

Dow Jones Long-Term Debt Cycle (USA). Photo credit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AtYt8Z4tOCk&t=107s

Where Are We Now?

Clearly, Ray Dalio predicts end of long-term debt cycle. The big question is this: are we in a part of the long-term debt cycle that is very similar to the 1930 to 1945? If we are, watch out. The ingredients are exactly the same as now with massive debt, low interest rates and the vast printing of money. To find out even more, watch this YouTube video: Ray Dalio: This Crisis Will Be Bigger Than The 2008 Recession.

The bad news is that this period of time from 1930 to 1945 wasn’t exactly the most fun or profitable period to be in for investors. As we recall this was the time of The Great Depression and the markets were quite volatile.

So now the question of what to do with investments during this time? Dalio says that the worst thing that one can do is think that they can time the markets. So what the individual investor needs to do is know how to diversify well and in a balanced way.

What Investments To Make?

Ray Dalio predicts end of long-term debt cycle as we have known it. The question is, what stock market investments would be correct? For years Ray Dalio has created something he calls the All Weather Portfolio. I invite you to read the specific details of Ray Dalio’s All Weather Portfolio.

Passive income is necessary for creating your retirement income. Most financial planners advise saving between 10% and 15% of your annual income. Please read my blog on How To Invest Wisely In The Stock Market. This article has my top four passive income strategies for stocks.

My Prediction Of The Markets

In my opinion the stock markets could fall further. I base my opinion on the large number of newly unemployed people that just came out for March 2020 and the fact that the consumer spending in the US in Q1 decreased. The 2019 Q4 consumer spending was $13,414 billion (USD). In the 1st quarter of 2020 it declined by 2% with wages and salaries, which is the largest part of incomes. Please look at the chart below. This not a good sign, especially when you consider that January and most of February of 2020 were good months. With most people self isolating in the homes, 2020 Q2 has the probability to be even worse than Q1.

US Consumer Spending Decreased Substantially In 2020 1st Quarter. Photo credit: https://tradingeconomics.com/united-states/consumer-spending

Update: United States Consumer Spending 2020-2024

Photo credit: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis

September 2024. Consumer Spending in the United States increased to 16106.40 USD Billion in the third quarter of 2024 from 15967.30 USD Billion in the second quarter of 2024. Consumer Spending in the United States averaged 6600.59 USD Billion from 1947 until 2024, reaching an all time high of 16106.40 USD Billion in the third quarter of 2024 and a record low of 1351.40 USD Billion in the first quarter of 1947.

Updated September 18, 2024. Finally, the Federal Reserve lowered its key interest rate by a hefty half percentage point Wednesday, moving ahead with its first rate cut in four years and cheering markets that expected an emphatic move amid a softening jobs picture.

December 9, 2023. US employers added 199,000 workers to their payrolls last month in November, the Bureau of Labor Statistics said yesterday. The unemployment rate unexpectedly ticked down for the first time since July, to 3.7%. But the economy looks like it is still too good for Powell. The upbeat numbers make it less likely that the Fed will lower interest rates in early 2024.

December 1, 2023. The Wall Street Journal believes that the Fed’s interest rate hikes are probably over, even though officials are reluctant to say so. The Fed’s Jerome Powell warns against prematurely declaring victory on inflation.

May 3, 2023. The Fed raised the interest rate 0.25% today for the 10th consecutive time. This will move the target range to 5% to 5.25%, which is a 16-year high to try to curb inflation.

April 26, 2023: First Republic Bank cast a shadow over the stock market yesterday. The regional lender, which experienced the unpleasantness of losing over $100 billion in deposit outflows last quarter, crashed to a record low. But the reality is that First Republic’s condition is so bad that they could potentially ask the US government to intervene.

Updated March 22, 2023: Awaiting the Fed’s interest rate decision. Many expect a smaller 25 basis point hike.

In the afternoon, Powell announced the decision of the monetary policy meeting. The Federal Reserve raised the interest rates by 25 basis points. This move brings the benchmark funds rate to a range of 4.75% to 5%. However, Fed Chair Powell indicates that future hikes are less likely in the wake of the recent bank failures.

Updated March 21, 2023:

This is the first day of a two monetary policy meeting for the Federal Reserve. At the closing stock market bell today the major averages climbed as the the U.S. Treasury Secretary made reassuring comments about shoring up the banking system. The Dow finished up close to 1%, while the S&P 500 and Nasdaq rose slightly more than 1%.

Many are expecting the FOMC to ratchet up its key interest rate by 50 basis points because the economy appeared to be surprisingly robust. But with three U.S. banks collapsing, the Fed policymakers may have to rethink their expectations. It seems that even more uncertainty may lie ahead.

Updated February 1, 2023:

The Federal Reserve made the decision to hike the interest rate by 0.25 percentage points in order to tame inflation. Powell said that if inflation follows the course they have predicted, the Fed will push the key rate to 5 to 5.25% and then pause. This means that there will be two more quarter hikes in March and May.

Updated November 10, 2022:

CPI for October 2022 was 7.7%, but less than the 7.9% that analysts had expected. It seems that inflation has more or less flatlined at an abnormally high level since spring 2022. As a result, the stock market rockets higher Thursday morning. Investors are hoping that the Federal Reserve may slow the pace of interest rates increases that have weighed on the market.

Updated November 2, 2022:

The Federal Reserve raised interest rates 75 basis points on Wednesday, bringing its federal funds rate target to a range of 3.75% to 4%.

U.S. employers added 261,000 jobs in October, down from September’s upwardly revised gain of 315,000, but above the 200,000 economists had expected, as jobs in health care, technical services, and manufacturing rose. The unemployment rate also climbed, edging up to 3.7% in October from 3.5% in September.

Updated September 14, 2022:

After a report for August 2022 which CPI came in higher than anticipated yesterday, the U.S. markets did a nosedive. The Dow and S&P 500 sank about 3% and the Nasdaq went down 4%. Core inflation rose to 0.6% in August, up from July’s 0.3% gain. If you look at the annual basis for core inflation, it accelerated to 6.3%, up for 5.9%. In conclusion, a higher than expected inflation rate will likely strengthen the Fed for more aggressive interest rate hikes. The FOMC will have a meeting on September 20-21, 2022 and will likely vote on a 75 bps rate hike.

Updated June 22, 2022:

As the chart below shows, consumer spending in the United States increased to $13,924.80 billion (USD) in the first quarter of 2022 from $13,818.40 billion (USD) in the fourth quarter of 2021.

Dalio believes are are in a New World with massive debt on our hands. I have to agree that Ray Dalio predicts of end of long-term debt cycle appears to be real.

US Consumer Spending increased to $13,924.80 in 2022 1st Quarter. Photo credit: https://tradingeconomics.com/united-states/consumer-spending

Psychology Of A Market Cycle

The other chart I would like to post is a chart of the psychology of a market cycle. As we all know, the stock market was on a bull tear until late February 2020. Then it crashed. Then there was a bounce all the way up to 61.8% Fib level.

On the chart below, you can see the big bounce up to where it says “Return to normal.” I am expecting stocks to go back down and to at least to retest the lows of March 23, 2020.

Psychology Of A Market Cycle. Photo credit: Dr. Jean-Paul Rodrigue, Dept. of Global Studies & Geography Hofstra University.

Please stay safe and stay isolated as much as possible during and after the COVID-19. I will see you for my next blog. Best wishes to all….

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Last Updated on December 16, 2024 by Financial Goodness

Financial Goodness

How To Invest Wisely In The Stock Market

Invest Wisely In The Stock Market Photo credit: Unsplash

Updated December 16, 2024. Myself and our team are commonly asked the question about how to invest wisely in the stock market. The answer to that question is that we really like the value investing approach. Generally, value investing involves selecting stocks whose share price is below its intrinsic value or book value. Warren Buffett is an example of value investing. Warren Buffett will buy a stock thinking that he could hold it for years without ever considering selling it. Trying to day trade or invest in the stock market on a short term basis will just add stress to your life. The reality is that no one knows what the markets will do in the short term. With this in mind, we highly recommend long term buy and hold strategies to will help you to create everlasting and perhaps generational wealth.

Volatile Markets

Updated December 13, 2024:

Barron’s predicts that the Stock Market Could Gain Another 20% in 2025. They say that Wall Street’s market forecasts are too tepid. Barron’s predicts that the S&P 500 could rally next year on a combination of AI growth and deregulation. But investors should prepare for a wilder ride.

Updated December 12, 2024:

Yes, 2024 was full of turmoil. Where to begin? Donald Trump was nearly assassinated. Joe Biden dropped out of the U.S. presidential race. China conducted more, and bigger, military drills around Taiwan. The French and German governments collapsed. Then, On December 8, 2024, armed rebels took the Syrian city of Damascus, forcing long-time ruler President Bashar al-Assad to flee the country. al-Assad fled Syria and now lives in Moscow, Russia with his family after being granted asylum.

All this chaotic news did not make markets flinch even one tiny bit. As of this writing, globally stocks are up around 22% since January 2024, while the tech-heavy Nasdaq is up more than 30%. In other words, all the bearish predictions for 2024 were way overblown, if not outright wrong. This was a good reminder about the perils of trying to time the market based on forecasts or your personal feelings about the world.

Updated November 28, 2023:

The USA Today reported that fears over a possible hard landing for the U.S. economy have subsided throughout the year.

The S&P 500 has gained a surprising 19% year to date in 2023. However, many of those gains have been concentrated in the technology and communication services sectors.

Updated October 13, 2022:

The markets sank in the morning after the Labor Department reported consumer prices jumped more than expected in September. U.S. equities roared back from big losses to post significant gains. The Dow had a 1,500-point swing, ending with a 827-point advance.

Updated September 14, 2022:

Updated January 24, 2020:

On January 24, 2020, the S&P 500 index fell for its biggest one-day loss since October 8, 2019. But then the Fed, with their “expanded balance sheet” pumped more money into the markets to avoid the stocks from free falling. The good news is that it worked for almost a month. But, the big question many people are asking is what is the best way to invest wisely in the stock market?

Updated February 2020:

The last week of February the Dow industrials plunged 3,600 points. Consequently, the Dow’s weekly skid would rank within its top 15 in its 124-year history. In addition to this, the S&P 500 marks the fastest correction from a record in history. As a result, Thomas Lee, founder of Fundstrat Global Advisors, may be one of the few to acknowledge that something isn’t right with a market that was just enjoying a record close days ago. “This is not normal, and the market is clearly indicating to us a change,” Lee said in a research report on Friday.

COVID-19 Still Continues

Meanwhile, the coronavirus outbreak continues. Indeed, the coronavirus has spread to all continents except Antarctica. On March 2, 2020, The New York Times says the coronavirus has infected 90,000 people, and killed more than 3,000.

Many investors are worried that the virus could hurt the world’s economy. A top Apple AAPL analyst cuts the iPhone forecast by 10% due to the coronavirus. In addition, other US stocks are making similar forecasts.

Then the last week of February 2020 arrived. The stock market bulls have been saying that nothing could keep the market from hitting new highs. But the investors could not avoid the fact that there is no cure for the coronavirus and many believe the price of stocks is hefty.

Warren Buffett and Berkshire Hathaway

On March 2, 2020, Warren Buffet appears to be bullish about the direction of stocks, sitting on $128 billion in cash. But this chart of Buffett’s record cash pile appears to tell something different.

In March 2020 Buffett Is Holding $128 billion In Short-Term Bonds. Photot credit: Marketwatch & Real Investment Advice.

However, when looking at Berkshire Hathaway’s Cash Holdings, RIA Advisors strategist Lance Armstrong is more pessimistic about the markets. He says, “Follow the money. If he thinks stocks will outperform bonds why is holding $128 billion in short-term bonds?”

Updated Berkshire Hathaway Cash Holdings 2024

Photo credit: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-11-02/berkshire-posts-6-profit-drop-as-insurance-underwriting-falls?embedded-checkout=true

November 2,2024. Berkshire Hathaway Inc.’s cash pile reached $325.2 billion in the third quarter, a record for the conglomerate, as Warren Buffett continued to refrain from major acquisitions as he fears corporate taxes will rise.

December 3, 2023. Daniel Foelber wrote in The Motley Fool that the passing of Charlie Munger on November 28, 2023 marked the end of a chapter for longtime fans of Berkshire Hathaway. Munger lived 99 years and 11 months. Munger often spoke less than Warren Buffett during the company’s famous annual meetings in Omaha, Nebraska. But his wit and wry sense of humor lightened the mood and complemented Buffett’s bouncy cadence perfectly.

In valuing Berkshire Hathaway it is, without a doubt, a very complicated business to access. But at its core, the value comes from its public equity portfolio, cash, insurance business, BNSF railroad, BHE, and its manufacturing, service, and retailing segment.

Berkshire stock looks cheap even when assigning conservative values to all these moving parts. But it’s easy to see why it is probably undervalued, even though the stock is near an all-time high.

If we assume a 15 P/E on the manufacturing, service, and retailing business and add in the cash position, and Berkshire Hathaway would be worth $1.08 trillion. Berkshire stock looks cheap even when assigning conservative values and Daniel Foelber believes it is unquestionably a buy.

June 24, 2022. Berkshire Hathaway’s Warren Buffett goes on a spending spree and is now deploying billions of dollars in 2022. In 2022, it’s not just growth stocks are quickly selling off, but value stocks have gotten cheaper as well.

As a result, Buffett’s buying is sending a signal to all value investors. He is basically saying that stocks are now cheap and it’s a great idea to purchase noteworthy stocks when they are on sale.

What Berkshire Is Buying In 2022:

Chevron CVX. Chevron is one of the largest energy companies in the United States. Berkshire already owns some shares, but Buffet bought more making Chevron 7% of of the portfolio.
Occidental Petroleum OXY. Occidental Petroleum is now dirt cheap. Berkshire bought billions of dollars of Occidental Petroleum, pushing it up to the 6^th largest position in the portfolio at 3.57%.
Citigroup C. Citigroup’s shares are down by a third. But Citigroup is also one of the cheaper large banks, with a forward P/E of 7.5. It also pays one of the higher dividends, currently yielding 3.9%.
Ally Financial ALLY. Ally Financial is also dirt cheap. It is trading with a forward P/E of just 5. Ally Financial pays a dividend yielding 3.1%.
Paramount Global PARA. Paramount Global is a global media company with many brands including Paramount, Showtime, MTV and other brands. Paramount Global’s earnings are expected to decline 23.6% in 2022, but it pays a dividend yielding 3%.

4 Passive Income Strategies For Stocks

Below are four passive income strategies for stocks that will help grow your wealth over time. Investing on a regular basis rather than trying to time a lump sum investment can help you become a more disciplined investor. You’re forced to invest regardless of whether the price is high or low. This takes some of the emotion out of investing and avoids any delays in putting your money to work. Most financial planners advise saving between 10% and 15% of your annual income.

An index fund is a mutual fund or exchange-traded fund designed to follow certain preset rules so that the fund can track a specified basket of underlying investments.

To select an index fund, first decide what stock market index or indexes you want to keep track of. The next step is to find the fund whose performance closely correlates with that index. Look at the funds that has a low expense ratio. Ideally look for a low expense ratio which denotes the annual management fee for that fund.

1. Dividends

A dividend is a distribution of profits by a corporation to its shareholders. When the stock of a company posts quarterly earnings, it is abl eto pay a proportion of the profit as a dividend to shareholders. The shareholder has to decide if the want the dividend distributed to them or if they want to re-invest in the business with the dividend.

It is very important to only invest in dividend stocks wisely. Remember to only invest in companies that you belive in long-term with strong growth and fundamentals, not just because they pay you a high dividend. If you are looking for dividend champions, check out the following companies and there dividends below.

Possible Dividend Champions

Becton, Dickinson, & Company (BDX). 5-year expected returns: 9.5%. Becton, Dickinson & Co., or BD,is a global leader in the medical supply industry.
AbbVie Inc. (ABBV). 5-year expected returns: 9.8%. AbbVie is a pharmaceutical company spun off by Abbott Laboratories (ABT) in 2013. Its most important product is Humira, which is now facing biosimilar competition in Europe, which has had a noticeable impact on the company.
Novartis AG (NVS). 5-year expected returns: 10.3%. Novartis is a Europe-based healthcare company. The company’s Innovative Medicines division offers medicines in the areas of oncology, cardiovascular, dermatology, respiratory and several others.
Eagle Financial Services (EFSI). 5-year expected returns: 10.6%. Eagle Financial Services serves retail and commercial customers and offers consumer, mortgage and commercial loans as well as other banking services.
AT&T Inc. (T). 5-year expected returns: 11.5%. AT&T is the largest communications company in the world, operating in three distinct business units: AT&T Communications, WarnerMedia, and AT&T Latin America.
Enbridge Inc. (ENB). 5-year expected returns: 12.9%. Enbridge is an oil & gas company that operates the following segments: Liquids Pipelines, Gas Distributions, Energy Services, Gas Transmission & Midstream, and Green Power & Transmission.

2. REITs

REIT stands for real estate investment trust. A REIT is a way to buy stock in a company that just owns real estate and in exchange for giving them your money as an investment, they will pay you back some of their profits in the form of a dividend.

REITs can specialize in anything from medical buildings, shopping centers, senior care facilities or residential buildings. This a way that you can own part of company without having to go through the hassles of finding the right deal, doing inspections, coming up with the money, and then physically purchasing a property.

When doing your research of possible REITs I would suggest looking at:

Vanguard Real Estate ETF (VNQ)

Vanguard Real Estate ETF (VNQ) provides attractive exposure to real estate to real estate through the ownership of U.S. real estate investment trusts. The portfolio spans all end markets, from industrial to residential to health care.

Due to its REIT ownership, VNQ offers income as well. The effective yield, adjusted for return of capital, is a healthy 2.33%. That’s better than the 10-year Treasury bond and a nice addition to the diversification and has a low expense ratio of 0.12%. Other REITs like the iShares U.S. Real Estate ETF (IYR) have an expense ratio of 0.42%. When you compare the 0.12% against other REITs it doesn’t looks pretty good.

3. Index Funds

Index funds are a basket of stocks that you could buy into individually, but index funds have the advantage that you can buy into the fund instantaneously. This gives you the best diversification because you can access many different stocks and it is incredibly easy to do.

Investing in the S&P 500 index funds is perhaps the closest way to guarantee wealth accumulation over time. To get you started, these are some funds to have a look at:

Schwab S&P 500 Index Fund (SWPPX)

Schwab S&P 500 Index Fund (SWPPX) is an official S&P 500 index fund and it is the cheapest with an expense ratio of 0.02%. In other words, if you invest $1000, your annual is just $0.20. The good news is that your returns are pretty much the same as the S&P 500 index. According to MarketWatch, the turnover percent is 4% and the dividend is $1.04 annually.

Fidelity ZERO Total Market Index Fund (FZROX)

Fidelity ZERO Total Market Index Fund (FZROX) is an index that is designed to reflect the performance of the U.S. equity market. FZROX is a float-adjusted market capitalization-weighted index designed to reflect large, mid, and small capitalization stocks. This fund seeks to provide investment results that correspond to the total return of a broad range of U.S. stocks. Another good advantage is that the expense ratio for FZROX is impossible to beat at 0%. According to MarketWatch, the turnover percent is 6% and the dividend is $0.17 annually.

Fidelity ZERO Large Cap Index Fund (FNILX)

Fidelity ZERO Large Cap Index Fund (FNILX) is very similar to an S&P 500 index fund because it tracks an index of over 500 U.S. large-cap stocks. However, this fund is not a official S&P 500 index fund, so it avoids paying licensing fees that are expensive to the S&P’s parent company. As a result, the FNILX has a 0% expense ratio. If you are just beginning to invest, another key point is that there is no minimum investment for contributions to this fund. According to MarketWatch, the turnover percent is 5% and the dividend is $0.16 annually.

Vanguard Total Stock Market Index Fund Admiral Shares (VTSAX)

Vanguard Total Stock Market Index Fund Admiral Shares (VTSAX). VTSAX seeks to track the performance of the overall total market. This fund uses an indexing investment approach to track the performance of the CRSP U.S. Total Market Index. The CRSP U.S. Total Market Index is a fund that has almost 4,000 companies across the mega. large, small, and micro capitalizations, representing nealy 100% of the U.S. investible equity market. The expense ratio is 0.04%. According to MarketWatch, the turnover percent is 8% and the dividend is $0.32 quarterly.

Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF (VTI)

Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF (VTI). VTI is an exchange-traded fund if you do not want to have a mutual fund index. This fund seeks to track the performance of the CRSP U.S. Total Market Index. The expense ratio is 0.03%. According to MarketWatch, the turnover percent is 8%.

Vanguard Growth Index Fund ETF (VUG)

Vanguard Growth Index Fund ETF (VUG). If you can afford to take on more risk in the pursuit of higher rewards, the tech heavy, exchange-traded, Vanguard Growth ETF VUG is a solid pick. The fund tracks the CRSP U.S. Large Cap Growth Index, which looks a lot like the S&P 500 Growth Index. It invests in each of 255 U.S. large-cap growth stocks. The tech stocks are heavily represented, accounting for 47% of its holdings, while energy stocks and utility stocks comprise only 0.3% combined. The expense ratio is 0.04%.

Vanguard Total Bond Market Fund (BND)

Vanguard Total Bond Market Fund (BND). For passive investors, the U.S. seems like the simpler choice when compared to Europe and Asia. Interest rates in Europe are artificially low, with some corporate bonds offering negative yields. Meanwhile, in Asia and emerging markets, risks are naturally higher. There are plenty of bond funds that are more aggressive and potentially could offer higher returns. But few offer the same peace of mind as BND which provides broad exposure to investment-grade American bonds.

4. Diversify With The All Weather Portfolio

Are you concerned about your investment in your portfolio of stocks? Would you like to sleep better with less stress at night? To do this you need to invest wisely in the stock market. Therefore, we highly recommend long term buy and hold strategies to will help you to create everlasting wealth.

This would be an excellent time to mention Ray Dalio. For those not familiar, Ray Dalio is the founder of the world’s biggest hedge fund firm, Bridgewater Associates, which manages $160 billion in assets. Ray Dalio is one hedge fund manager known for its all weather investing strategy.

Ray Dalio’s portfolio was back tested for the last 75 years. In the last 75 years it has been right 85% of the time. However, in the 15% that it wasn’t doing well its average mean was 1.6%, not a 50%, 40% , 30%, or 20% loss. In conclusion, his biggest loss was less than 4% and that was in 2008 when the market exploded.

Tony Robbins has good things to say about the All Weather Fund and he has some of his money invested this way. Listen to this in-depth YouTube video by Tony Robbins: Bullet Proof Nest-Egg Advice From Tony Robbins and Ray Dalio | Forbes.

All Weather Portfolio Allocations:

30% stocks, even though stocks traditionally grow at 9.2% a year.
40% long term treasuries
15% intermediate term treasuries
7.5% gold
7.5% commodities
Rebalance these allocations once every year.

As you can see gold is an inflation hedge and a safe haven in unstable markets and a way to diversify risk. I like how the All Weather Portfolio is a balanced fund that works no matter what happens in the markets. I am thinking of designating some funds for this strategy in the long-term. What are your thoughts? Let me know in the comments below.

My Favorite Stock Market Commentaries

If you want to know more about how to invest wisely in the stock market, we recommend the commentaries below to give you a greater perspective:

Best Daily Market Commentary

Mott Capital Management and the owner Michael Kramer is one of the best people to follow and read on a constistent basis. He always gives you his unbiased opinion on where the market is and where is likely to go. As many investors know, sometimes the market will have multiple events in a week. So, hold on.

I am a value investor. Find good stocks and hold on to them for many years. That way you don’t have to worry about the micro-direction of the market from one day to the next and you can sleep a lot better. If you are interested in signing up for free commentary from Michael, go to mottcapitalmanagement.com. If you like it, you can subscribe as well for more content.

Best YouTube Trading Channel

In my opinion one of the best YouTube channels for the stock market is ShadowTrader. The host is Peter Reznicek. I have been watching this channel for more than six months and my conclusion is that Peter is an amazing person because he gets it right so much of the time. Many people know that the markets will tell you the story. So don’t try to go against the market or you will get crushed big time.

When I say Peter gets it right, I mean that sooner or later the markets will conform upward or downward to the directional prices that he gives out in his videos. His knowledge is phenomenal to watch, no matter what trading level you are at. This week’s title is “Buyers Shut Off”. Check out Peter Reznicek. He goes in-depth on his interpretation of what has happened and his predictions of key levels to watch.

Past US Presidents And The Stock Market

Now let’s consider the president of the United States in this blog about how to invest wisely in the stock market. Let’s take a look below at the stock market for the past US presidents all the way from Eisenhower in 1953 to Trump.

In the chart below, everything to the right of the chart is bullish. Everything to the left of the chart is bearish. As you can clearly see, a clear majority of the past presidents enjoyed bullish markets. If you were trying to short the market you would lose your cash very quickly. Most of the analysts after the stock market crash are saying to buy the dip. The important question is: WHEN?

Presidents and their impact on the stock market. Photo credit: investopedia.com

Updated June 24, 2022. The chart below shows the end of President Trump in office and the beginning of President Biden. As we know, Biden is in the difficult position of the Fed printing trillions of dollars and then dealing with inflation as the price of oil and food continues to increase. So such for how to invest wisely in the stock market. As we have seen, through June 2022, the stock market prices are decreasing as inflation continues to go up.

June 24, 2022 Update. Presidents and their impact on the stock market. Photo credit: investopedia.com

You Are Responsible For Your Investments

Let’s go back to the original question about how to invest wisely in the stock market. Remember, you are ultimately in charge of your own investments. If you don’t feel comfortable being in the stock market maybe wait until the timing is better. As an alternative, you can always put your investment in a high interest savings account. The return wouldn’t be as good as investing in the stock market, but you will not lose money either.

On the other hand, if you are on the path to increase your wealth, congratulations! I encourage you to continue to learn how to invest wisely in the stock market. Investing in the stock market will definitely grow your investments long term. However, please understand that most people make money from their careers and then they invest their money in the stock market. Warren Buffett is a rare exception to this rule.

With is in mind, one of the best ways to increase your wealth is through real estate. Of the people who are millionaires, an astounding 90% got their wealth by investing in real estate. Real estate is one of the best ways to seek wealth and achieve financial freedom. I invite you to read our article Best Real Estate Strategies To Make 7 Figures.

What popular articles and blogs do you recommend?

Further Reading on FinancialGoodness.com: For more articles and blogs, please check out our guides on how to increase your net worth.

Until my next blog, best wishes….

Last Updated on December 16, 2024 by Financial Goodness

Financial Goodness

Buying Stocks Versus Real Estate Investing

Stocks Versus Real Estate. Photo credit Pixabay.

Which Is Better?

Updated December 16, 2024. Which is potentially better? Buying stocks versus real estate investing. The best answer is that the stock market tends to increase in value faster than real estate. Historically, from 1968 to 2009, the S&P 500 has resulted in returns of 7.5% annually. But real estate prices head in the direction of outpacing inflation, but just slightly. After accounting for inflation, home prices have increased by 1.5% per year.

But, after accounting for inflation, stocks have returns of approximately 7% per year. Remarkably, the stock market gain of 7% is 4.65 times the rate of real estate. But there is more information to think about. In reality, stocks have experienced more peaks and valleys, making them a far riskier investment.

But numbers don’t tell the whole performance story. You also have to look at the impact of tax advantages, income yield, and the fact that real estate investments often allow for significant leverage.

Which investment is best depends on more than just their returns; other factors must be considered. But if history is an indicator of future performance, both stand to produce attractive gains in the long run.

The Benefits of Investing in Real Estate

In real life, real estate has higher risk-adjusted returns than the stock market. Despite their potential to generate sizeable returns, stocks have no tangible value; on the other hand, real estate is a valuable, tangible asset and profit generator.

The Big HOWEVER…

One reason why real estate as an investment has better annual returns is leverage. With real estate, the investor can do a significant amount of financing to leverage the property and purchase the property without adding a lot of risk to the investment.

However, real estate as an investment has a much stronger return POTENTIAL, especially with rental properties. Not to mention the awesome tax advantages.

Tax Advantages of Rental Properties

Operating expenses are deductible
Mortgage interest is deductible
Depreciation deduction of 27.5 years for buildings
Defer capital gains tax
Owner expenses are also tax deductible
Avoid FICA taxes
Qualify for pass-through deduction

Two Real Estate Investment Scenarios

This leverage can amplify small returns greatly. Let’s say you decide to buy a house or apartment for $100,000 using your own money. Say the value of the house increases by 3%. $100,000 times 3% equals $103,000. This means you have earned $3,000 on your initial investment of $100,000.

Now let’s say you find a house or apartment and purchase it for $500,000. But you only invest $100,000 of your money. Then you finance the other $400,000 with a mortgage. Let’s say again that this property increases in value 3%. $500,000 times 3% equals $15,000 profit.

Leverage Your Way To Big Profits

So, let’s take a look at difference in the potential profits. In both cases you have made a $100,000 investment. The big difference is the leverage that you use. In the first scenario, you purchased the house with your $100,000 and did not ask for a mortgage because you already met the buy price.

Conversely, in the second scenario, you also invested $100,000, but you asked for a mortgage of $400,000. The $400,000 mortgage that you asked for here will give you more leverage when you own the $500,000 house or apartment.

In the second scenario, you are using more advantageously using leverage. In the second scenario, you have now increased your potential profit to $15,000 versus the $3,000 with the same $100,000 investment in both cases.

Big Difference In Returns Is Leverage

In the second case, the leverage increased your returns by $12,000 for the same initial investment. Not bad…. But keep in mind that when you borrow money from a lender you usually have to pay the lender an origination fee at the closing as well as possibly other closing costs. Also, usually you will have to make monthly payments for each month that you own the property.

Nonetheless, most people choose to use leverage. When dealing with real estate, leverage can completely increase your returns when looking at potential investments. The idea behind leveraging real estate is to use other people’s money to increase your returns without having to put as much capital into buying the property yourself.

Many people still ask the question of which is better: buying stocks versus real estate investing? Real estate has a much stronger return POTENTIAL because of leverage. For myself, I like leverage. You can have $0 dollars and no credit. All you have to do is find the right property and put it under contract and the leverage of real estate will make you a nice return on that property.

Rent Out The Property

The other big reason that investors choose real estate is that investment properties can be rented out to generate more income. Look at the total money needed to make the mortgage and other payments each month. If you can justifiably increase the rent to cover the cost of the property, the rest is profit before taxes.

Real Estate Has Greater Potential Returns

In my opinion, real estate investments have a much greater potential return over the stock market if you look at the long-term returns. However, be that as it may, investing in real estate is arguably time consuming.

You or your management team will need to factor in the time spent to maintain your properties in order to justify having a portfolio that includes real estate. But if you take the time to set everything up properly, the investment returns on your real estate properties will dramatically increase your wealth for the long-term.

Greater Initial Time Commitment For Real Estate

If you are looking to buy houses or apartments that need to be renovated before you sell or place a tenant to rent out the property, going through this process is very time consuming. If you are perhaps younger, and have a lot of energy, this could be feasible way to invest and make nice returns. In addition, in many countries real estate investors also have enjoyed greater real estate tax advantages than have the investment in stocks.

Perhaps Best Scenario Is Invest In Both

On the other hand, if you already have a job or other time commitments, you might not have the time or energy to focus on real estate investments. I completely understand this perspective. In this scenario, maybe it would be better to focus on the stock market and buy the S&P 500 on dips.

Which is better: buying stocks versus real estate investing? Real estate has a much stronger return POTENTIAL because of leverage. Honestly, I would invest in both.

Invest On A Regular Basis In Stocks

Investing on a regular basis rather than trying to time a lump sum investment can help you become a more disciplined investor. You’re forced to invest regardless of whether the price is high or low. This takes some of the emotion out of investing and avoids any delays in putting your money to work. Most financial planners advise saving between 10% and 15% of your annual income. If you want to learn some key stock market investment strategies, please read my blog on How To Invest Wisely In The Stock Market.

Invest In Real Estate

Conceivably the best scenario is to invest in both real estate and the stock market. This way, if you have some rentals and regularly invest in the stock market, no matter what happens to the economy annually you will have a better chance of coming out ahead in the long run for retirement.

However, time is always a factor and many people have to choose. Which is better: buying stocks versus real estate investing? If you feel you are in this category, then we highly recommend real estate. We would say real estate because it has a much stronger return because of the leverage factor.

What popular articles and blogs do you recommend?

A strategy that works very well is a combination of wholesaling and then balance that with rehab to resell. This way you are always flipping properties. Please read my blog on the Real Estate Investing Strategies That Work Every Time. With this strategy you can build up enough cash and capital so that you can start buying some residential rental properties. The residential rentals can then create long-term wealth.

If you have ever wondered if there is a way to get more money from your rental houses, please read this blog on the three ways to Boost Your Rental Property Cash Flows. This article goes in-depth into the three kinds of rental properties that you could be making more money are student housing, vacation rentals, and my favorite: rent to own. This will make your rentals into a real estate cash flowing machine.

About The Writers

About The Writers – Long Version

Updated December 16, 2024. Hello, my name is George Alexander Roy III. I would like to share a summary of About The Writers.

I started Financial Goodness in November 2019. Many years ago, I started working as a home builder and remodeler. Eventually, I earned my master’s degree in Real Estate Finance and Development from the University of North Carolina Charlotte. Most importantly, I envisioned helping people achieve their financial freedom sooner. Basically, I realized that I had the discipline to write about my favorite subjects consistently and I decided to go for it!

It is now a pleasure that our team has agreed to help in writing the blogs and the management of running the website FinancialGoodness.com. I am very thankful for the support. Please join us at FinancialGoodness.com to increase your knowledge through technology and education in personal finance, real estate, and investments.

As a result, we are looking forward to increasing the information, value and the number of the blogs that we have available for our readers. At the same time, we understand that people search the internet daily for solutions to the many problems that we face on a regular basis.

If you would like to know more about the writers, please read the other blog About The Writers.

Create Wisdom and Knowledge by Reading & Learning

Here is a brief summary of myself, George Roy III. In short, I was determined to achieve and finish the impossible dream of earning a bachelor’s degree. Previously, I tried college after I completed high school. However, I was not sure of my direction and I doubted myself. As a result, I started working as a residential construction assistant and I did a tour in the US Navy. However, I was not very clear on what to do in life.

Nevertheless, after a while it became clear that I needed more in-depth classes if I really wanted to excel in life. So, I decided to go back to school. In particular, I made the decision to go all out and I dedicated myself to doing my very best at it. To make a long story short, eventually I did it.

At first I went to Corning Community College in Corning, NY. There I completed a math and science concentration and graduated with “High Disnstinction” honors after achieving a 4.0/4.0 GPA. Finally, I had earned my Associates Degree and prove I could do it! Right away, I applied to a handful of schools to complete my bachelor’s degree.

About the Writers – Discover Your Niche

I am so thankful and honored that I was accepted at Cornell University. With an acceptance rate of only 10.6%, Cornell is set apart in the fact that it was founded on principles of access and inclusion. In addition, I am thankful to graduate from an institution where the fields of study are so broad. It was definitely a challenge to choose from the awesome assortment of classes each semester.

Furthermore, I discovered I have a huge interest in environmental problems like global warming, air pollution, urban sprawl, waste disposal, ozone layer depletion, water pollution, climate change and many more issues that effect every human, animal, and nation on this planet.

I graduated from Cornell University in Ithaca, NY, with a Bachelor of Science degree in human development from the College of Human Ecology in 2004 with a 3.61/4.0 GPA. In addition, it was a privilege to be on the Dean’s List.

After graduation, I moved to the Charlotte, NC area to be an entrepreneur and start an eco-friendly window business New Windows For You. I managed and grew the sales of the eco-friendly window replacement business by 300% by implementing a multi-faceted business development, marketing and advertising program. Particularly, that marketing and advertising program communicated the energy conservation and utility cost savings associated with Energy Star rated insulated windows. I managed and operated this business for two years.

Surround Yourself With Intelligent People

However, having built and remodeled houses in Upstate New York, I was always watching the real estate market around the Charlotte, NC area for potentially great wholesale deals to flip. when I found a deal, I would purchase the house and then do a full renovation on the house and then put the house back on the market as a completely remodeled home to sell. I was grateful that my homes could compete head-to-head with the new homes that were for sale on the MLS.

The best thing about doing investments on houses was: I loved it! I had so much energy and enthusiasm that I was excited to get out of bed and give it my best effort each day.

Started A Residential Real Estate Company

In June 2006, I started the day-to-day operations of a residential real estate acquisition and redevelopment company. Specifically, I carried out a strategic plan through marketing and network relationships to buy, renovate, and resell distressed residential off-market and pre-foreclosure houses.

In 2012, I decided to work on completing my Master of Science in Real Estate (MSRE) part-time at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. Since 2012, I have maintained the LEED Green Associate credential for demonstrating green building expertise in green design, construction, and operations. I graduated in 2015 from University of North Carolina at Charlotte with a master’s degree in real estate finance and development with a GPA of 3.58/4.0.

Travel Experience In Rio de Janeiro

Part of the real estate master’s degree program included an international city study tour. In the summer of 2013 our class visited Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. As part of the tour, everyone had to do an in-depth research report on a topic that interested them. I was extremely interested in the emerging markets in Brazil, but also in the other emerging markets in other countries from South America as well. My research report was entitled “Managing the Regulatory Environment When Participating in Real Estate Development Projects in the Emerging Markets in Brazil.”

The emerging markets in 2013 in Brazil were impressive, with multi-national companies setting up temporary headquarters in Brazil with the Summer Olympic Games that would start in 2016. A number of real estate companies were busy constructing temporary apartments and building multi-sport structures for the events.

Moving To Colombia, South America

My wife is originally from Colombia, South America. Even though we met in the USA, I was curious to see what the real estate emerging markets looked like in other countries in South America, specifically Colombia.

My family made the big decision to move from Cahrlotte, NC to the area of Bogota (Bogotá), Colombia, South America in December 2015. Fortunately, my family had just completed paying for a small condominium / apartment in the new apartment building on the site where my wife’s parents live in Colombia, South America.

Previously, we had torn down the old house on a plot were my wife’s family used to live and converted the lot to a new three story condominium building. As a result, we now live in an apartment in the apartment complex that we had built in Mosquera. Mosquera is right outside Bogotá, the capital of Colombia, in a city to the west of Bogota.

Consequently, living in Colombia, South America, there are a number of positive factors including a booming economy, rising tourism, and an expanding middle class that translates into amazing real estate investment opportunities in Colombia. I will delve into these real estate topics in forthcoming articles.

Think Of Knowledge As A Tree

Recently I have been reading and listening to a lot of entrepreneurs. One of those entrepreneurs is Ryan Danial Moran. This guy is a genius. He said in a recent YouTube video presentation:

“You have to have a stake in the upside of something. The way that you have the upside is through ownership. You have to claim something as yours, or nothing ever changes. When people start looking for money, they see people as the barrier to the money. This is not how it works. The world does not reward that. What the world rewards is service to one another. Creating things that are of value to other people. As a result other people will voluntarily want to pay for that thing. There is no system, no hack, and no step by step process.”

“Except for this. Strategically position yourself to be always in the position of creating value in service to other people. If you want to make a lot of money, the way that you operate in service to other people is to look at what they are paying attention to. In the form of their time, their resources, and their dollars. And you go create where that attention is. You create a product, a service, an opportunity, content, and you create value. Create connection and relationships. You create FOR PEOPLE.”

These are some awesome words of wisdom! The world rewards service to others by strategically positioning yourself to create value in service to other people…. True wisdom.

Discover Your Passion In Life

So here we begin. Welcome to my blog. To sum everything up in the About The Writers section, our goal is to write about a multitude of financial topics that will help each person to achieve their financial freedom sooner. But more importantly, discover your passion. Passion is what motivates you to do the things you love and then do something extraordinary. Therefore, I challenge you to something extraodinary with the time you have on Earth.

Best wishes to all!

About The Writers: George Roy III – Short Version

My Past Resume

*Worked hard and received my bachelor’s degree from Cornell University studying human development.

*Received my master’s degree from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte in real estate finance and development.

*I learned a long time ago to never, ever give up. If it looks like you are facing an uphill battle, dig in deep and find every resource that can give you an edge. Then start progressing toward your goal until you finally achieve it.

*I like to write about the topics that interest me the most. These topics include: real estate; attractive financial products; the stock market; renewable energies and design solutions to rethink energy while protecting the environment; and retirement planning. Also I will keep the options open if another topic related to financial goodness looks like it could use more contemplation.

*Lived in three different countries: USA; Canada; and Colombia, South America. As of 2019, I have visited the beautiful cities of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Medellin, Colombia; London, England; Paris, France; and Madrid and Barcelona, Spain.

* In the USA, I have lived in Corning, NY; Orlando, FL; San Antonio, TX; Los Angeles, CA; Ithaca, NY; and Charlotte, NC. On the west coast, I have explored San Francisco, Santa Barbara, Los Angeles, San Diego, and Las Vegas. On the east coast, I have visited Lake Placid, NY; Boston, MA; New York City; Washington D.C; Wilmington, NC; Myrtle Beach, SC; Charleston, SC; Atlanta, GA; Savannah, GA; Fort Lauderdale, FL; Deerfield Beach, FL; Miami, FL; and St. Petersburg, FL. I have toured the beautiful city of Boulder, CO at the foothills of the Rocky Mountains.

*In Canada, I have seen Toronto; Halifax; and St. John’s, Newfoundland. In Mexico, I scuba dived in Cancun and Cozumel.

My Current Resume

*English is my native language. Gradually been improving my Spanish since my family moved to Colombia, South America in December 2015.

* My family currently lives in Mosquera, next to the capital of Bogota.

*Reading the news every day to see what is happening in the world.

* 14+ years of well-diversified real estate experience in the areas of project and asset management, acquisition, investment, strategic planning, development, and property ownership.

*I love physical fitness and have been an avid power lifter ever since I first held a weight at 15 years old.

*Go to the gym two to three times a week where I focus on weights and cardio exercises.

*Have a mountain bike and enjoy taking it off-road to see this beautiful Earth that we call home.

*I was the victim in May 2014 in a carjacking aggravated assault with an unknown gunman. I almost died. I spent five months in hospitals where I worked on regaining my health. My connection to God was forever strengthened as a result of this tragic incident. As Denzel Washington said in delivering a commencement speech “put God first” in everything you do. As a result, I put God first in all my decisions.

*I am a morning person. I sleep well every night. When I wake up I have a lot of energy each day to work on making the goals in my mind a reality. After lunch I usually rest for 30 to 60 minutes to get my energy back.

*Dad to our daughter in 2008. Don’t see my son from first marriage, so I pray for him every day.

*Love entrepreneurship and am fascinated by the potential opportunities that surround us every day.

*Launched Financial Goodness (FinancialGoodness.com) in November 2019. Wanted to create value and help people achieve their financial freedom sooner.

About The Writers: Contact Info And Address

Please feel free to contact us for radio; podcasts or written interviews; or other advertising or telecommunications opportunities.

We look forward to helping a reporter or a broadcaster out with local or regional news conference(s).

We use teleconferencing to hold discussions between participants in separate cities or in different countries. Familiar with the various technologies such as Zoom, WebEx, YouTube video blogs, and Live Video Stream on Facebook. We look forward to creating more services that are of value to you.

Writers Email:

admin at financialgoodness dot com ( Please DO NOT add me to your blast lists)

Writers Mailing addresses:

Currently, we am living in Colombia, South America but the US mailing address is much more reliable.

Writers USA address:

Please send us an email at admin at financialgoodness dot com and ask for our USA address.

Writers Colombian address:

We currently reside in Mosquera, Cundinamarca, Colombia. Therefore, if you live in Colombia or surrounding countries and would like to send mail directly to us, send us an email so we can coordinate a courier service.

Best,

George Alexander Roy III – “Seeking Wealth Through Investing”

Last Updated on December 16, 2024 by Financial Goodness

Financial Goodness