Many parts of the world are experiencing an economic downturn. People are looking for more ways to secure an income. Some have claimed that investing right now may not be a good idea. But according to Business Insider, if your goal is a long-term investment strategy, then you could do it now, in the middle of this pandemic.
If you’re wondering what options out there await you, here are some ideas to invest your hard-earned money in 2020.
Stocks
According to the same Business Insider article above, investing in stocks right now is a mixed bag. On the one hand, if you’re what they call an unseasoned investor looking to make it big by gambling on a company you’ll think will thrive after the pandemic ends, you’ll be disappointed.
The experts interviewed in the article described this as a volatile time, especially for stock market newbies picking individual stocks. It was also detailed there that around 72 percent of millennials entering the stock market are self-directing their stock investments.
But like what was mentioned above, a long-term strategy in investing is still a viable option. Forbes agrees. According to their article, careful investment over the years and decades can benefit from the current situation, like any others, especially through a diversified portfolio.
Real Estate
Compared to the stock market, the real estate market is resilient. For the most part, real estate prices haven’t been affected as much as other assets. Many buyers and sellers in the market have slowed down their activities and seem to have taken a more’ wait and see’ approach to the whole thing. This attitude has been helping to keep the market stable.
During this time, there are a couple of options for investing in real estate.
The first one is looking for what people in the industry called “Subject To” deals. These deals happen when the buyer takes on the existing mortgage of the seller. It allows the buyer to get the property without getting new financing. These are especially useful when looking for listings that have been on the market for a while now. And this works better if you buy with cash.
The other option is to wait for cheaper deals. People who are going to sell their homes still need to do so, even if there are generally fewer buyers on the market now. That means the current buyers may have a little more negotiating power when making property purchases. Talk to your mortgage broker and look for a property you can afford now.
Franchise
Establishing a new business now can be more complicated than usual. The economy has always been harsh against startups, but now, there are significantly more challenges present. One of the hardest challenges is getting the word out there about your business.
If you invest in a franchise, however, there’s a good chance that people already know about your chosen brand and will be excited to buy from you. Investing in a restaurant franchise, for example, will attract people who already know how your food is. You’re starting a new business, but you’ll be surprised that you already have a loyal following.
Investing can always be a risky and frightening prospect even without the pandemic. Study your options thoroughly, and make sure you do your due diligence. You’ll eventually find the best option for you.
