Land banking is a relatively new investment concept that allows smaller investors to own a piece of valuable land.

How does land banking work?

When large parcels of land are put up for sale, they are usually far too expensive for a single small investor. Land that’s in a good place for residential or business development is usually either bought by a land investment company or by a property developer. The owner then “banks” or holds onto the land until they are ready to sell it or develop it. During this time, they can parcel the land up into smaller, much more affordable section and sell these sections to private investors. Each investor holds the freehold to their land, and can sell at any time, although the best profits are usually realised when planning permission is granted for the site.

How much does it cost?

The cost of the land to small investors will depend upon the type of land, the potential for development and the size of the land. For as little as £5,000, investors can buy a good-sized piece of land in a prestigious location. You can, of course, choose to spend much more, and the land parcels are often graduated in size to accommodate a range of investors.

It can be a good idea to use a stockbroker for an active management of your stocks or mutual fund portfolio. It can be vital if you want a steady growth. It may also be unnecessary as a passive management alternative often is available for long term investing.

However, many prefer to use and pay for the services of a broker because they feel more comfortable making decisions about their finances with the interactive guidance of a licensed advisor.

Using a stockbroker for financial guidance one must be aware of the fact that they do get paid on a commission. This can be a reason for them to trade more often as more trades make them more commission. The stockbroker is also paid on the result they can achieve.

Furthermore a conflict of interest arises when a stockbroker offers his/her services as a financial planner, because their revenue is generated as a direct result of your investment in the stock or mutual fund that they broker to you.

Your return on investment may not be as great, and the advice they give you might not be in your best interest. However, some mutual funds and stocks can only be purchased through a broker. In such cases their services are required to purchase the financial instrument in question.

If you use the services of your bank there are some facts to consider. When you talk about the options you have to invest your money, they will certainly recommend the funds they control themselves.

BEFORE YOU GO

Do a hotel research on the net looking not only for the cheapest rates but also considering the amenities and services provided, location, possible references from other people. Travel guidebooks can also be very helpful for choosing the hotel that suits you best. Be as much flexible with your trip schedule as possible. For example, business class hotels often have lower weekend rates.As soon as you reserved the room(s) online, document all information about the hotel(s). The easiest way is to print out the whole page off your computer screen so you will have a clear statement that you can use as evidence in case of misplacing or incorrectly entering your information by a hotel clerk. Take a copy with you, make another one for your relatives so they will know when and where you are going to stay so they can contact you in emergency cases.

WHEN CHECKING-IN

Ever had one of those days when you thought that you would spend a lot of time searching around for really good computer bargains?

I have had that experience many times and have found that I used to waste time doing endless and meaningless searches trying to find what I need.  But then, I found a solution!

Figuring out what to search for is half the battle won, but how to figure out whether the prices being displayed were bargain prices was another issue.  So how did I solve that problem?

Try and identify first what computer system you need to buy.  This really can be a struggle if you are not familiar with computers.  You can visit the nearest library to you and speak to a librarian to see whether they have issues of the Computer Shopper magazine.  Not only Computer Shopper, but PC Novice and PC Magazine as well.  I have found these to be quite useful and effective in helping me decide on the type of system I need.

PC Novice is especially useful because it explains in layman’s language what I need to know and gives recommendations on the alternatives to look for.  Terms such as motherboard and peripherals are usually explained in detail.  You should not worry however if you are not familiar with these terms.  Just understand that when you go to purchase your computer, you may find an enthusiastic sales rep asking you – “so how much ram do you need in this computer”; “you think you may need an Intel or AMD processor?”; or, “how many gigabytes do you need for your hard drive? — Huh???