Jul
07
2023
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A Guide to Ethical Shopping

By | Budgeting & Goals, money | Comments Off on A Guide to Ethical Shopping

Many people these days want to put their money where their beliefs are and shop more ethically. That might mean supporting brands and retailers that do less harm environmentally or are actively promoting a healthier planet. It could mean having transparency about the fairness of their labor practices or the charitable efforts their company undertakes. Just how popular is ethical shopping? In a 2023 report, consumer insights platform TalkWalker and Khoros found that 82% of consumers want companies to put people and the planet before profits.

Finding out which businesses are doing the right thing and which aren’t, however, isn’t always easy. Plus, many people may worry that ethical consumerism just isn’t affordable.

Here’s help and reassurance. Read on for guidance on how to be a more conscious consumer, as well as how it may even save you some cash.

What Ethical Shopping Really Means

The term “ethical shopping” essentially boils down to people becoming more aware of the goods they are buying.

What’s “ethical” is subjective to each person, but finding out how each product is made, if the company supports fair labor and other socially responsible practices, and if the product is environmentally-friendly is a great place to start.

Money has a lot of power, so if people choose ethically-sourced and ethically-produced products more often, more companies may want to jump aboard the ethical and sustainable shopping train.

Since ethical consumerism is all about where our money goes, investing in companies that you believe are doing good in the world can also play an important part in consuming ethically.

Recommended: What Is Socially Responsible Investing?

Issues You May Want to Consider

Many companies — particularly clothing producers — have been called out for their outsize impact on the environment. According to the United Nations (UN), the fashion industry is considered to be the second most polluting industry in the world.

Indeed, clothing production is responsible for more carbon emissions than all international flights and maritime shipping combined, points out the U.N. The garment industry is also one of the top consumers of water in the world: It takes nearly 2,000 gallons of water to make a typical pair of jeans.

💡 Quick Tip: Typically, checking accounts don’t earn interest. However, some accounts do, and online banks are more likely than brick-and-mortar banks to offer you the best rates.

But thinking about ethical shopping can also go deeper than figuring out how a product is produced.

It may also be important to you to consider who is making that product and how that worker is being treated. Are the workers at the factories working in safe conditions? Are they being paid fairly? Seeking out companies with fair labor practices, including fair pay and benefits, can be important to many consumers.

You may also want to consider how well a company treats its suppliers. For example, does your favorite coffee shop pay its farmers a fair amount for their beans?

For some consumers, how a company treats animals is also an important consideration.

Ethical Shopping Made Easier

Once you know what to look for, you can research your favorite brands to learn how they measure up on ethics and sustainability.

You can find out a fair amount about what your favorite companies stand for by going to their websites and digging in their About Us, FAQ, and Info pages to judge for yourself. Generally, the more detail they provide, the better.

Do you see a step-by-step explanation of their supply chain? Do they proudly say that employees have paid sick leave? Or, even better, do they have any ethical certifications (more on that below)?

There are also a number of groups and organizations that are dedicated to making social and environmental data available to consumers who are interested in ethical shopping.

In other words, they’ve done the vetting for you. Here are a couple to check out.

Better World Shopper

This public research project rates over 2,000 companies based on their track records on human rights, the environment, animal protection, community involvement, and social justice.

The Ethical Fashion Directory

Produced by the organization Dressmember, this database can help you find clothing you can not feel good about but also fits your budget. You use the search bar to sort through the list of ethical brands by price and category.

💡Quick Tip: If you’re creating a budget, try the 50/30/20 budget rule. Allocate 50% of your after-tax income to the “needs” of life, like living expenses and debt. Spend 30% on wants, and then save the remaining 20% toward saving for your long-term goals.

Understanding Labels and Certifications

To become a more ethical shopper, it helps to understand which terms are meaningful and which terms aren’t worth much.

Companies are increasingly using the word “sustainable” to describe their products or the process of making them. However, that term can mean just about anything the retailer wants it to, since the word’s use is not regulated with any oversight (unlike the word “organic,” which comes with more stringent guidelines for use).

“Natural” can be confusing, too. Many natural fibers tend to have a lower carbon footprint than synthetic fibers because they do not use as many chemicals during the production process.

But just because something is “natural” doesn’t mean it’s more eco-friendly. Remember the aforementioned jeans? Those were likely made, at least in part, of cotton, which takes up a lot more water to produce than other fabrics.

Fortunately, there are labels, or certifications, that do carry weight. You may want to keep an eye out for the common ones below.

•  B-Corp. B Lab’s B-Corporation certification signifies a company’s commitment to upholding high human rights and environmental standards, and is based on a rigorous assessment.

•  GOTS Organic. A textile product carrying the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) label must contain a minimum of 70% certified organic fiber. Organic fibers are grown without the use of synthetic pesticides, insecticides, or herbicides and GMOs (Genetic Modified Organisms). Organic agriculture is a production process that sustains the health of ecosystems, soils and people.

•  Made in the USA. To use this label all, or virtually all, of the product has to be made in America. Products produced in the U.S. must comply with U.S. laws for workplace safety, pollution, and health. Also, the carbon footprint of these products is likely to be lower because they don’t have to be shipped from overseas.

•  Fair Trade. When you see a product with the Fair Trade Certified seal , you can be confident it was made according to rigorous social, environmental, and economic standards. Also the farmers, workers, and fisherman behind the product earn additional money from your purchase to help uplift their communities.

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Think Globally, Shop Locally

One simple way to shop more ethically is to shop locally. You can often find unique and interesting products by shopping with local, independent retailers.

People can also make a big difference by spending their dollars at mom-and-pop shops around them. For one reason, independent businesses are more likely to have localized supply chains. So shopping at one local store could potentially help bolster not just that store but also more of the local economy.

Local shopping also helps reduce carbon emissions, since a consumer may end up driving less. And if a shopper buys food grown near them, the product will not need to be shipped via air or sea, meaning its carbon footprint will be lower. As a bonus, buying local produce could also mean it’s fresher too, potentially making for tastier (and more ethical) meals.

Although local goods may be slightly more expensive, businesses may offer coupons to entice consumers to buy from them.

Consider Buying Second Hand

It’s nice to think about buying a shiny new thing, but before you pull the trigger, you may want to consider, does this need to be purchased new?

•  Buying second-hand can be more economical, as well as more environmentally-conscious. Yes, it keeps older items from ending up in landfills, and, unlike buying a brand new product, no new item needs to be produced to directly replace it.

  If you’re thinking about buying a new bike, for example, you might get just as much pleasure from getting a gently used bike through an online second-hand marketplace.

  The same holds for clothing. Gently-used garments are one of the greenest clothing choices you can make because they require no additional resources to produce and they reduce the amount of textile waste going into landfills.

•  Plus you can often score some great finds at thrift stores, garage sales, and online marketplaces where people sell their unwanted stuff. Another option is to organize a clothing swap with a group of friends.

•  Second-hand pieces typically cost less than new clothes bought on sale. In addition, they may feel much more unique, as fewer people around town will likely be sporting the same exact item.

Do You Really Need the Product at All?

Ethical shopping also means thinking about if you really need to shop at all.

Sometimes it’s okay to just say “no” to buying the latest and greatest. Sure, there’s a new phone on the market that’s cool, but do you really need it?

Becoming an ethical shopper means asking yourself this question a lot. It’s easy to give in to society’s pressure to buy new and buy often, but part of becoming a more conscious consumer is to start thinking in a different way.

One way to nip unnecessary buying in the bud is to employ the 30-day purchase rule. If a person finds an item they like but doesn’t need immediately, they agree to walk away for 30 days.

If, after the waiting period, they feel they still really want the product and can afford it, they can then choose to go back and buy it. However, the odds are fairly good that a little bit of time and space will prove that a nonessential item is just that.

Tracking Spending Can Help

One way to become a more conscious and ethical shopper is to start tracking your spending as part of whatever budget method you choose.

Looking over your checking account and credit card statements each month can help people see exactly where they are spending their money (and where they may want to cut back), while also pointing out vendors and shops they may no longer want to patronize (such as an out of the way mega-grocery store).

💡 Quick Tip: If you’re faced with debt and wondering which kind to pay off first, it can be smart to prioritize high-interest debt first. For many people, this means their credit card debt; rates have recently been climbing into the double-digit range, so try to eliminate that ASAP.

The Takeaway

Whether it’s clothing, food, or tech, many of the products we love to buy are associated with unethical practices, from human rights abuses to environmental harm.

Ethical shopping is about supporting companies that put in the work to make things better for people, as well as the planet. It’s also about choosing not to buy from brands that violate your code of ethics. While the process may seem intimidating, it’s easy to start buying more ethically with the right tools and information, plus a little research time. It may help you shave down your spending too.

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As an alternative to direct deposit, SoFi members with Qualifying Deposits can earn 4.30% APY on savings balances (including Vaults) and 0.50% APY on checking balances. Qualifying Deposits means one or more deposits that, in the aggregate, are equal to or greater than $5,000 to an account holder’s SoFi Checking and Savings account (“Qualifying Deposits”) during a 30-day Evaluation Period (as defined below). Qualifying Deposits only include those deposits from the following eligible sources: (i) ACH transfers, (ii) inbound wire transfers, (iii) peer-to-peer transfers (i.e., external transfers from PayPal, Venmo, etc. and internal peer-to-peer transfers from a SoFi account belonging to another account holder), (iv) check deposits, (v) instant funding to your SoFi Bank Debit Card, (vi) push payments to your SoFi Bank Debit Card, and (vii) cash deposits. Qualifying Deposits do not include: (i) transfers between an account holder’s Checking account, Savings account, and/or Vaults; (ii) interest payments; (iii) bonuses issued by SoFi Bank or its affiliates; or (iv) credits, reversals, and refunds from SoFi Bank, N.A. (“SoFi Bank”) or from a merchant. SoFi members with Qualifying Deposits are not eligible for other SoFi Plus benefits.

SoFi Bank shall, in its sole discretion, assess each account holder’s Direct Deposit activity and Qualifying Deposits throughout each 30-Day Evaluation Period to determine the applicability of rates and may request additional documentation for verification of eligibility. The 30-Day Evaluation Period refers to the “Start Date” and “End Date” set forth on the APY Details page of your account, which comprises a period of 30 calendar days (the “30-Day Evaluation Period”). You can access the APY Details page at any time by logging into your SoFi account on the SoFi mobile app or SoFi website and selecting either (i) Banking > Savings > Current APY or (ii) Banking > Checking > Current APY. Upon receiving a Direct Deposit or $5,000 in Qualifying Deposits to your account, you will begin earning 4.30% APY on savings balances (including Vaults) and 0.50% on checking balances on or before the following calendar day. You will continue to earn these APYs for (i) the remainder of the current 30-Day Evaluation Period and through the end of the subsequent 30-Day Evaluation Period and (ii) any following 30-day Evaluation Periods during which SoFi Bank determines you to have Direct Deposit activity or $5,000 in Qualifying Deposits without interruption.

SoFi Bank reserves the right to grant a grace period to account holders following a change in Direct Deposit activity or Qualifying Deposits activity before adjusting rates. If SoFi Bank grants you a grace period, the dates for such grace period will be reflected on the APY Details page of your account. If SoFi Bank determines that you did not have Direct Deposit activity or $5,000 in Qualifying Deposits during the current 30-day Evaluation Period and, if applicable, the grace period, then you will begin earning the rates earned by account holders without either Direct Deposit or Qualifying Deposits until you have Direct Deposit activity or $5,000 in Qualifying Deposits in a subsequent 30-Day Evaluation Period. For the avoidance of doubt, an account holder with both Direct Deposit activity and Qualifying Deposits will earn the rates earned by account holders with Direct Deposit.

Members without either Direct Deposit activity or Qualifying Deposits, as determined by SoFi Bank, during a 30-Day Evaluation Period and, if applicable, the grace period, will earn 1.20% APY on savings balances (including Vaults) and 0.50% APY on checking balances.

Interest rates are variable and subject to change at any time. These rates are current as of 10/8/2024. There is no minimum balance requirement. Additional information can be found at https://www.sofi.com/legal/banking-rate-sheet.

Financial Tips & Strategies: The tips provided on this website are of a general nature and do not take into account your specific objectives, financial situation, and needs. You should always consider their appropriateness given your own circumstances.

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How to Use a Trailing Stop Loss Properly

How to Use a Trailing Stop-Loss Properly

By | Growing Wealth, invest, Investing, Terminology | Comments Off on How to Use a Trailing Stop-Loss Properly

A trailing stop loss allows investors to create a built-in safety mechanism to insulate themselves against downward pricing trends. It’s an important exit strategy that day traders can use to manage their risk.

Understanding how a trailing stop order works and how to use it properly can help cap potential losses when day trading investments.

What Is a Trailing Stop-Loss?

A trailing stop-loss offers a flexible approach to minimizing investment losses. A trailing stop order trails the price of the underlying investment by a percentage or a specific dollar amount. So, if an investor buys shares at $50 each, they might impose a trailing stop limit of 10%. If the stock’s share price dipped by 10% they’d be sold automatically.

To understand trailing stop-loss, it helps to have a basic understanding of how limit orders and stop orders work.

A limit order is an order to buy or sell a security once it reaches a specific price. If the order is to buy, it only gets triggered at or below the limit price. If the order is to sell, the order can only get executed at or above the limit price. Limit orders are typically filled on a first-come, first-served basis in the market.

A stop order, also referred to as a stop-loss order (yet another of the stock order types), is also an order to buy or sell a particular investment. The difference is that the transaction occurs once a security’s market price reaches a certain point. For example, if you buy shares of stock for $50 each, you might create a stop order to sell those shares if the price dips to $40. Once a stop or limit order is executed, it becomes a market order.

Stop orders help you either lock in a set purchase price for an investment or cap the amount of losses you incur when you sell if the security’s price drops. While you can use them to manage investment risk, stop orders are fixed at a certain share price.

💡 Quick Tip: How do you decide if a certain trading platform or app is right for you? Ideally, the investment platform you choose offers the features that you need for your investment goals or strategy, e.g., an easy-to-use interface, data analysis, educational tools.

How a Trailing Stop Order Works

Using a trailing stop to manage investments can help you capitalize on stock market movements and momentum. You determine a preset price at which you want to sell a stock, based on how a particular investment is trending, rather than pinpointing an exact dollar amount.

You can decide where to set a trailing stop limit, based on your risk tolerance and what you expect an investment to do over time. What remains consistent is the percentage by which you can control losses as the investment’s price changes.

Example

So, assume that you purchase 100 shares of stock at $50 each. You set a trailing stop order at 10%. If the share price dips to $45, which reflects a 10% loss, those shares would be sold automatically capping your total loss on the investment at $500.

Now, assume that the stock takes off instead and the share price doubles to $100 with the same 10% trailing stop in place. Your stop order would only be triggered if the stock’s price falls to $90. If you had set a regular stop order at $40 instead, there’d be a much wider margin for losses since the stock’s price has further to fall before shares would be sold. Thus, trailing stops enhanced downside protection compared to a regular stop order.

3 Advantages of Using a Trailing Stop Order

There are several benefits that come with using a trailing stop limit to manage your investments.

1. Tandem Movements

First, trailing stops move in tandem with stock pricing. As a stock’s per share price increases, the trailing stop follows. In the previous example, when the stock’s price doubled from $50 to $90, the trailing stop price moved from $45 to $90. In effect, it’s a hands-off tool — which can be great for some investors.

2. Confidence

Implementing a trailing stop limit strategy can offer reassurance since you know shares will be sold automatically if the stop order is triggered. That can offer investors some confidence in what may be a chaotic market environment. That, for many, can be very valuable.

3. Take Emotion Out of the Equation

Trailing stop limits rely on math rather than emotions when making decisions. That can also help you avoid the temptation to try to time the market and either sell too quickly or hold on to a stock too long, impacting your profit potential.


💡 Quick Tip: How to manage potential risk factors in a self directed investment account? Doing your research and employing strategies like dollar-cost averaging and diversification may help mitigate financial risk when trading stocks.

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How Do You Set up a Trailing Stop Order?

If you’re day trading online, it’s relatively simple to set up a trailing stop loss order for individual securities. Because the orders are flexible, you can choose where you want to set the baseline percentage at which stocks should be sold. For example, if you’re less comfortable with risk you might set a trailing stop at 5% or less. But if you’re a more aggressive portfolio, you may bump the order up to 20% or 30%.

You can also control whether you want buy or sell actions to happen automatically or whether you want to place trades manually. Automating ensures that the trades happen as quickly as possible, but performing them manually may be preferable if you’re more of a hands-on trader.

Example of a Trailing Stop-Loss Order

Though we’ve already given some quick examples of how a trailing stop-loss order might work in a practical sense, let’s run through it again.

Say that you buy 100 shares of Company A stock for $10. You set up a trailing stop-loss order at 10%, meaning that if Company A stock falls to $9 or below, a sell order will automatically be executed. The next week, Company A stock’s value rises to $12 — the trailing stop loss order follows. The week after, Company A’s stock loses 15% of its value, falling from $12 to $10.20.

The stop-loss order kicked in when the stock lost 10%, so your shares were sold at $10.80, saving you $0.60 per share, for a total of $60.

Again, this can be helpful if investors want to “lock in” their gains and cash out stocks with a positive return.

Are There Any Downsides of Using a Trailing Stop?

Investing is risky by nature, and no strategy is foolproof. While trailing stops can help minimize losses without placing a cap on profits, there are some downsides to consider.

Accessibility

Depending on which brokerage account you’re using, you may face limits on which investments you can use trailing stop loss strategy with. Some online brokerages don’t allow any type of stop loss trading at all.

Potential to Lock-in Losses

If a stock you own experiences a two-day slide in price, your stop loss order might require your shares be sold. If on the third day, the stock rebounds with a 20% price increase, you’ve missed out on those gains and locked in your losses. If you want to repurchase the stock you’ll now have to do so at a higher price point, and you’ve missed your chance to buy the dip.

Velocity Challenges

If share prices drop too quickly there may be some lag time before your trailing stop order can be fulfilled. In that scenario, you might end up incurring bigger losses than expected, regardless of where you placed your stop price limit.

No Market for the Security

It’s possible an investor finds themselves holding a stock that nobody wants — meaning that it has no liquidity, and can’t be traded. This is unlikely, but in this case, a stop-loss order couldn’t execute as there’s no one to trade with.

Market Closure

If you’ve set up trailing stop-loss orders, they can’t and won’t execute when the market is closed. Security prices can go up and down after-hours, but market orders can only be executed during normal operating hours for stock exchanges.

Using a market-on-open order may be another tool to consider if investors are concerned about this scenario.

Gaps

On the same note as market closures, pricing gaps — which may occur due to after-hours pricing movements, for instance — can and do occur. A stop-loss order may not help in those cases, and investors may lose more than anticipated as a result.

How to Use a Trailing Stop-Loss Strategy

Using trailing stops is better suited as part of a short-term trading strategy, rather than long-term investing. Buy-and-hold investors focused on value don’t need to worry as much about day-to-day price movements.

With that in mind, there are a few things to consider before putting trailing stop orders to work. A good starting point is your personal risk tolerance and the level of loss you’d be comfortable accepting in your portfolio. This can help determine where to set your trailing stop loss limit.

Again, if you’re a more conservative investor then it might make sense to set the percentage threshold lower. But if you have a larger appetite for risk, you could go higher. You can also tailor thresholds to individual investments to balance out your overall risk exposure.

Technical Indicators

Becoming familiar with technical indicators could help you become more adept at reading the market so you can better gauge where to set trailing limits. Unlike fundamental analysis, technical analysis primarily focuses on decoding market signals regarding trends, momentum, volatility and trading volume.

This means taking a closer look at a security’s price movements and understanding how it’s trending. One indicator you might rely on is the Average True Range (ATR). The ATR measures how much a security moves up or down in price on any given day. This number can tell you where to set your trailing loss limit based on whether price momentum is moving in your favor.

In addition to ATR you might also study moving averages and standard deviation to understand where a stock’s price may be headed. Moving averages reflect the average price of a security over time while standard deviation measures volatility. Considering these variables, along with your risk tolerance and overall investment goals, can help you use trailing losses in your portfolio correctly.

Applying Your Stock Trading Knowledge With SoFi

Whether you plan to use trailing stop strategies in your portfolio or not, making sure you’re working with the right brokerage matters. Ideally, you’re using an online brokerage that offers access to the type of securities you want to invest in with minimal fees so you can keep more of your portfolio gains.

Keep in mind, though, that utilizing stop-loss orders isn’t foolproof, and that there can be pros and cons to doing so. It’s also a somewhat advanced tool to incorporate into your strategy — if you don’t feel like you fully understand it, it may be worth discussing with a financial professional.

Ready to invest in your goals? It’s easy to get started when you open an investment account with SoFi Invest. You can invest in stocks, exchange-traded funds (ETFs), mutual funds, alternative funds, and more. SoFi doesn’t charge commissions, but other fees apply (full fee disclosure here).

For a limited time, opening and funding an Active Invest account gives you the opportunity to get up to $1,000 in the stock of your choice.

FAQ

How does a trailing stop-loss work?

A trailing stop-loss is a built-in mechanism that automatically sells an investor’s holdings when certain market conditions are met — specifically, when a stock loses a predetermined amount of value.

What is a disadvantage of a trailing stop-loss?

There are several potential disadvantages to using trailing stop-losses, including the fact that they won’t execute during market closures. Securities may lose value during that time, and traders could experience a pricing gap as a result.

What is a good trailing stop-loss percentage?

A good stop-loss percentage will depend on the individual investor’s risk tolerances, but many investors would likely be comfortable with a 5% or 10% trailing stop-loss.

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Financial Tips & Strategies: The tips provided on this website are of a general nature and do not take into account your specific objectives, financial situation, and needs. You should always consider their appropriateness given your own circumstances.

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Where Should I Invest My Money?

By | Growing Wealth, invest, Investing | Comments Off on Where Should I Invest My Money?

At any given time, there are numerous places and ways to invest your money, ranging from the stock market to real estate. But how and where you invest your money also brings up numerous potential risks and potential outcomes — for that reason, it can be difficult to decide what to do.

And while investors are right to wonder what investments make sense given the current economic and political climates, they may be surprised to hear that other, longer-term factors are just as important. As such, you may find it useful to learn the behavior of the available investment types, and then compare those patterns to whatever it is that you’re trying to accomplish, and along what timeline.

Learning About Investment Options

If you’re wondering “where should I invest my money right now?” there are several different potential answers and investment opportunities out there. But before you do anything, you’ll need to make some key decisions.

The first is to make a decision by investment type, which involves deciding to invest in certain asset classes or asset types. Your portfolio mix will be your asset allocation, which is covered below.

Stocks, bonds, cash, and money market funds, and real estate are just a few of the asset classes available to investors. Generally, the first order of business is to determine which is most appropriate for the financial goals an investor has. In order to determine this, it’s important to understand how each investment type earns a return.


💡 Quick Tip: If you’re opening a brokerage account for the first time, consider starting with an amount of money you’re prepared to lose. Investing always includes the risk of loss, and until you’ve gained some experience, it’s probably wise to start small.

Where to Invest Money

As noted, there are many different assets that investors can utilize or add to their portfolio. Here’s a rundown.

Stocks

A stock represents a share of ownership in a company. When an investor buys a share in a company, they own a small proportion of that company. Shareholders may even receive voting rights. This is why stocks are sometimes referred to as equities; investors now own equity in that company.

A stock can earn money in two ways. The first way is through the value of shares appreciating over time; this is called capital appreciation. The second is through periodic cash payments made to shareholders, called dividends.

Stock prices can be influenced by both internal and external factors, such as a new product launch or broader national or global events like a political event or natural disaster. Because the nature of business is highly unpredictable, stock prices can be volatile.

Bonds

A bond, on the other hand, is an investment in the debt of a company or government. The bondholder earns a rate of return by collecting a rate of interest on that debt for a predetermined amount of time, such as 10 or 20 years. Because the terms are stated upon purchase, bond values generally tend to be less volatile than stocks, but have more modest returns. That said, bonds are not completely without risk, and it is possible for bonds to lose value.

When interest rates are low, overall, bonds will likely pay out a lower rate of interest. Interest rates can change, and quickly, sometimes, which is something investors may want to take into account.

Typically, stocks are considered to have a higher potential for returns over time, but that comes with the price of volatility — the possibility of an investment losing value, especially in the short-term. Bonds are often considered a safer, more stable investment that may be more appropriate for investors who aren’t as comfortable with the volatility of the stock market.

A big part of deciding where to invest has to do with determining your relative comfort level with each of the different asset classes.

Mutual Funds

Investing directly in stocks isn’t the only option available to investors. Mutual funds present another way to invest in the stock market. Think of funds as baskets that hold an assortment of some other investment type, such as those mentioned above — stocks, bonds, and real estate holdings. Funds provide investors an easy way to access diversified exposure to many investments at once, but they are not an asset class in and of themselves.

Investment funds can be an affordable and quick way to get (and stay) invested, which makes them popular with both new and seasoned investors. But even if you decide to use funds as the device for which you invest in different markets, the first order of business is to understand the fund’s underlying asset class.

For example, someone who purchases a mutual fund that holds 500 stocks, is invested in those 500 stocks — and very much invested in the stock market. If you buy a mutual fund comprising 1,000 bond holdings, then you are invested in those bonds. If you buy a fund with real estate holdings, well, you get the idea.

Get up to $1,000 in stock when you fund a new Active Invest account.*

Access stock trading, options, auto investing, IRAs, and more. Get started in just a few minutes.

*Customer must fund their Active Invest account with at least $25 within 30 days of opening the account. Probability of customer receiving $1,000 is 0.028%. See full terms and conditions.

Options

Options are a form of derivative, and are “higher-level” investments than, say, stocks or bonds. Options can be difficult to understand, but fairly easy to trade — you’d likely want to discuss options trading or investing with a financial professional before you get into it.

That said, investors can invest their money in various forms of options, but they’ll need to keep an eye on their portfolios. Options trading is an active form of investing, as there are strike prices and dates that they’ll need to be aware of.

Exchange-Traded Funds (ETFs)

Exchange-traded funds, or ETFs, are very similar to mutual funds in that they’re effectively a basket of different investments, all compiled into one security. There are tons of different types of ETFs, encompassing all sorts of different market indexes, sectors, and asset classes. Odds are, if you’re looking for a specific type of ETF, there’s likely one out there that fits the bill — or that comes close to it.

Retirement Plans

A retirement plan or account is another place that investors can put their money to work. There are various types of retirement plans — the list includes individual retirement accounts (IRAs), 401(k) plans, and the Roth variations of each. Not all investors may have access to each type, so, see what’s available to you, and which type of plan best fits your investing strategy.

Index Funds

As discussed, index funds offer yet another investment vehicle. These are investment funds that track an index, which is usually a specific part of the broader market. For example, there are index funds that track the S&P 500, or there are index funds that track the tech sector.

Investing in an index fund allows investors to gain exposure to their preferred market segment, and there are numerous options out there, too.

Real Estate

Real estate investing can include physical property — houses, commercial buildings, etc. — or, it comprises purchasing certain real estate-oriented investment vehicles. While many investors may not have the capital laying around to buy a house for investing purposes, they can buy real estate stocks, or even look at REITs, or real estate investment trusts, to get real estate exposure into their portfolios.

Certificates of Deposit (CDs)

Certificates of deposit, often called CDs, should also be on investors’ radar. CDs are somewhat like savings accounts, in which investors “lock up” their funds for a predetermined period of time in exchange for interest rate payments. Functionally, they’re similar to bonds, but there can be fees if you need to pull your money out of a CD before it matures.

Options for Cash

In some instances, it may make the most sense to keep the money for a particular goal in cash. It is helpful to understand what options are available for cash savings.

Savings accounts at a traditional bank or credit union: This is likely the most familiar option. Traditional and commercial banks remain popular for their large geographical footprint. Note that many traditional banks tend to pay a relatively low rate of interest on any cash holdings.

Online-only checking and savings accounts: A newer option for bankers, online-only banks and banking platforms may offer a slightly higher yield than a savings account at a commercial bank. Additionally, many do not require minimums or charge monthly maintenance or account fees.

Money market funds: Often found in brokerage accounts, a money market fund is a fund that holds cash and or other “very liquid investments,” like short-term government securities.

Certificate of deposit (CD): As discussed previously, certificate of deposit is a savings account that holds money for a fixed amount of time, like one year or three years. A fixed rate of return is paid out during that period. Generally, there is a penalty to cash out a CD prior to expiration.

When considering cash as an asset class, consider the risk and reward tradeoff, just as one would for any other investment type. Although cash might not be risky when considered in terms of volatility, it does not come without risk. Cash carries the risk of losing value over the long-term due to the effects of inflation, or prices rising over time.

Beginner-Friendly Places to Invest

If you’re a beginner investor looking for places to put your money, it may be beneficial to revisit some basic investing rules or guidelines. For instance, you’ll likely want to build an emergency savings fund before focusing on your stock portfolio.

But assuming you’re ready to put your money in the market or otherwise start building your investment portfolio, many beginners begin with some basic investment funds. ETFs are a popular choice, as are mutual funds — but note that there are some differences to be aware of.

If you’re not sure where to turn or what to do, consider speaking with a financial professional for advice.


💡 Quick Tip: When you’re actively investing in stocks, it’s important to ask what types of fees you might have to pay. For example, brokers may charge a flat fee for trading stocks, or require some commission for every trade. Taking the time to manage investment costs can be beneficial over the long term.

Which Investments Provide the Highest Returns?

You’ve probably heard a certain phrase before: The higher the risk, the higher the reward. That largely holds true in the financial space, although not in every instance. It’s all to say that riskier investments tend to provide higher returns.

Assets like stocks are probably, by and large, going to provide higher or better returns than, say, bonds. Trading options can likewise be more profitable than buying and holding stocks, too. But there are significant risks involved in any strategy, and those risks can be magnified by the specific investments involved.

Again, if you’re looking for the highest possible return, it may be best to consult with a financial professional for guidance, or to give some thought to how each type of investment fits with your overall strategy.

Creating a Goals-Based Strategy

Contrary to how many new investors are encouraged to think about investing, it may not make sense to try and pick “hot” stocks right out of the gates.

Instead, take a step back and consider the bigger picture view, and ask whether stocks are even appropriate given your goals and investing timeline. This decision on which combination of asset classes to be invested in, and in what proportions, is called asset allocation.

To determine your asset allocation, start by thinking of each “bucket” or “pot” of money independently. For example, maybe someone has $1,000 set aside for retirement and another $1,000 that they’d like to use as a down payment for a home. Think about this intuitively; these are very different goals with different timelines and therefore, may require different investing strategies.

Next, consider the financial goals, risk tolerance, and investment time horizon for each bucket. This can sound pretty boring especially if you’ve been conditioned to believe that you should invest in whatever is currently the talk of the town.

Risk vs Reward

The asset allocation decision really boils down to an examination of an investment’s risk and reward characteristics in order to determine whether it’ll work on a personal level. Here’s what’s so important to understand: with investing, risk and reward are two sides of the same coin. Investors cannot have one without the other. For more reward potential, an investor will have to take more risk. There is no such thing as an investment that produces returns with no risk.

Let’s consider, again, the two hypothetical investment goals from above: $1,000 for a down payment and $1,000 for retirement. How do goals lead one down the path of where to invest?

First, the $1,000 for a down payment: If the money is designated for use in the next few years, the risk of losing any money in a volatile investment may outweigh the potential to earn investment returns. Therefore, it might be best to keep this money in a lower-risk investment or cash equivalent.

Next, the $1,000 for retirement. Many retirement investors have the goal of reasonable growth over the long-term. Because of this long time horizon, there should be enough time to grow beyond spates of short-term volatility. Therefore, it may be suitable to create a portfolio that is primarily invested in the stock market or a combination of stocks and bonds.

Retirement investors close to retiring may opt to consider some exposure to bonds for both diversification purposes and to lower the overall volatility of the portfolio. Ultimately, a person’s comfort level with the stock market will determine their specific stock and bond allocations. And it’s worth noting that an investing strategy isn’t stagnant. As a person ages, their goals and investing strategy will likely need to evolve, too.

Opening the Right Account

Here’s another way to answer the question, “where should I invest my money?” By doing so, in an appropriate account type, at a brokerage bank or on an investing platform.

Just as it makes sense to keep cash in a bank account, the same must be done with investments. But with investments, opening the right account can be a bit trickier.

It is not uncommon to hear someone refer to a 401(k) or a Roth IRA as if one of those is, in itself, an investment. But retirement accounts are not investments — they are accounts. Granted, they can hold investments, but they are still accounts.

Money is contributed to any investment account in cash, and then those proceeds are used to purchase investments, like stocks, mutual funds, and ETFs. (In a plan sponsored by a workplace plan, like a 401(k), the investing might happen automatically, hence the confusion about it being an investment itself.)

It is also possible to invest in an account that is not designated for retirement. At a brokerage firm, these are often simply referred to as brokerage accounts. If you use a trading platform, it may be referred to as an individual or a wealth account.

Retirement accounts offer some sort of tax benefit, like tax-free growth on your investments, which make them suitable vehicles for long-term goals. But because they offer a tax benefit, there are more rigid rules for use. For example, some retirement accounts, like 401(k) and Traditional IRAs, levy a 10% penalty on money withdrawn before retirement age (there are some exceptions to this withdrawal fee). Also, there are limits to how much money can be contributed annually to retirement accounts.

💡 Learn more: How to Open an IRA: Beginners Guide

Weighing Your Options

It all comes down to the individual. You’ll need to look at your risk tolerance, time horizon, and personal preferences to determine the most suitable investing path or accounts.

For short-term goals that require more flexibility, a non-retirement account may be a better choice. Because there are no special taxation benefits, there are generally no rules about when money can be withdrawn or how much can be contributed. Because of this, non-retirement accounts can also be a good place to invest for folks who have met their maximum contribution amount for the year in their retirement accounts.

Investing With SoFi

At any given time, there are a plethora of places or vehicles in which you can invest your money. You can invest in stocks, bonds, funds, real estate — the list is long. But each has its own considerations and risks that must be taken into account. Overall, an individual’s investing strategy is the most important thing to keep in mind.

As for where to open an account, new investors may want to focus on an institution or platform where they are able to keep costs low. There’s not a whole lot that investors can control, like investment performance, but how much they pay in fees is one of them. There are lots of options for investors.

SoFi Invest offers educational content as well as access to financial planners. The Active Investing platform lets investors choose from an array of stocks, ETFs or fractional shares, but restrictions apply.

Ready to invest in your goals? It’s easy to get started when you open an investment account with SoFi Invest. You can invest in stocks, exchange-traded funds (ETFs), mutual funds, alternative funds, and more. SoFi doesn’t charge commissions, but other fees apply (full fee disclosure here).

For a limited time, opening and funding an Active Invest account gives you the opportunity to get up to $1,000 in the stock of your choice.

FAQ

Which investment gives the highest returns?

Higher-risk investments tend to give the highest returns, but can also give the highest losses. These can include certain stocks or investment funds, particularly those focused on market segments that are risky or volatile.

Where can you invest your money as a beginner?

Beginners can use any number of investment vehicles to invest their money. Some choices include investment funds like ETFs or mutual funds, or even retirement accounts or plans.

Where can you invest money to get good returns?

There are numerous investment vehicles that can provide good returns, but those returns can be thwarted by down markets. Stocks and more volatile investments tend to provide higher returns, but also tend to have higher risks than other investment types.

SoFi Invest®

INVESTMENTS ARE NOT FDIC INSURED • ARE NOT BANK GUARANTEED • MAY LOSE VALUE

SoFi Invest encompasses two distinct companies, with various products and services offered to investors as described below: Individual customer accounts may be subject to the terms applicable to one or more of these platforms.
1) Automated Investing and advisory services are provided by SoFi Wealth LLC, an SEC-registered investment adviser (“SoFi Wealth“). Brokerage services are provided to SoFi Wealth LLC by SoFi Securities LLC.
2) Active Investing and brokerage services are provided by SoFi Securities LLC, Member FINRA (www.finra.org)/SIPC(www.sipc.org). Clearing and custody of all securities are provided by APEX Clearing Corporation.
For additional disclosures related to the SoFi Invest platforms described above please visit SoFi.com/legal.
Neither the Investment Advisor Representatives of SoFi Wealth, nor the Registered Representatives of SoFi Securities are compensated for the sale of any product or service sold through any SoFi Invest platform.

Financial Tips & Strategies: The tips provided on this website are of a general nature and do not take into account your specific objectives, financial situation, and needs. You should always consider their appropriateness given your own circumstances.

Claw Promotion: Customer must fund their Active Invest account with at least $25 within 30 days of opening the account. Probability of customer receiving $1,000 is 0.028%. See full terms and conditions.

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07
2023
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What Is the Spot Market & How Does It Work?

By | Growing Wealth, invest, Investing, Terminology | Comments Off on What Is the Spot Market & How Does It Work?

The spot market of a commodity is a market where buyers meet sellers and make an immediate exchange. In other words, delivery takes place at the same time payment is made. This is the simplest spot market definition available.

Commodity markets are somewhat different from the markets for stocks, bonds, mutual funds, and ETFs, all of which trade exclusively through brokerages. Because they represent a physical good, commodities have an additional market — the spot market. This market represents a place where the actual commodity gets bought and sold right away.

Spot Markets Definition

If you’re trying to define the spot markets, it may be helpful to think of it as a public financial market, and one on which commodities are bought and sold. They’re also bought and sold for immediate, or quick, delivery. That is, the asset being traded changes hands on the spot.

Prices quoted on spot markets are called the spot price, naturally.

One example of a spot market is a coin shop where an individual investor goes to buy a gold or silver coin. The prices would be determined by supply and demand. The goods would be delivered upon receipt of payment.

Understanding Spot Markets

Spot markets aren’t all that difficult to understand from a theoretical standpoint. There can be a spot market for just about anything, though they’re often discussed in relation to commodities (perhaps coffee, corn, or construction materials), and specific things like precious metals.

But again, an important part of spot market transactions is that trades take place on the spot — immediately.

Which Types of Assets Can Be Found on Spot Markets

As noted, all sorts of assets can be found on spot markets. That ranges from food items or other consumables, construction materials, precious metals, and more. If you were, for instance, interested in investing in agriculture from the sense you wanted to trade contracts for oranges or bananas, you could likely do so on the spot market.

Some financial instruments may also be traded on spot markets, such as Treasurys or bonds.

How Spot Market Trades Are Made

In a broad sense, spot market trades occur like trades in any other market. Buyers and sellers come together, a price is determined by supply and demand, and trades are executed — usually digitally, like most things these days. In fact, a spot market may and often does operate like the stock market.

You may be surprised to learn that stock markets are, in fact, spot markets, with financial securities trading hands instantly (in most cases).

💡 Quick Tip: The best stock trading app? That’s a personal preference, of course. Generally speaking, though, a great app is one with an intuitive interface and powerful features to help make trades quickly and easily.

What Does the Spot Price Mean?

As mentioned, the spot price simply refers to the price at which a commodity can be bought or sold in real time, or “on the spot.” This is the price an individual investor will pay for something if they want it right now without having to wait until some future date.

Because of this dynamic, spot markets are thought to reflect genuine supply and demand to a high degree.

The interplay of real supply and demand leads to constantly fluctuating spot prices. When supply tightens or demand rises, prices tend to go up, and when supply increases or demand falls, prices tend to go down.

The Significance of a Spot Market

The spot market of any asset holds special significance in terms of price discovery. It’s thought to be a more honest assessment of economic reality.

The reason is that spot markets tend to be more reliant on real buyers and sellers, and therefore should more accurately reflect current supply and demand than futures markets (which are based on speculation and can be manipulated, as recent legal cases have shown. More on this later.)

Types of Spot Markets

There’s only one type of spot market — the type where delivery of an asset takes place right away. There are two ways this can happen, however. The delivery can take place through a centralized exchange, or the trade can happen over the counter.

Over-the-counter

OTC trades are negotiated between two parties, like the example of buying coins at a coin shop.

Market Exchanges

There are different spot markets for different commodities, and some of them work slightly differently than others.

The spot market for oil, for example, also has buyers and sellers, but a barrel of oil can’t be bought at a local shop. The same goes for some industrial metals like steel and aluminum, which are bought and sold in much higher quantities than silver and gold.

Agricultural commodities like soy, wheat, and corn also have spot markets as well as futures markets.

Spot Market vs Futures Market

One instance that makes clear the difference between a spot market and a futures market is the price of precious metals.

Gold, silver, platinum, and palladium all have their own spot markets and futures markets. When investors check the price of gold on a mainstream financial news network, they are likely going to see the COMEX futures price.

COMEX is short for the Commodity Exchange Inc., a division of the New York Mercantile Exchange. As the largest metals futures market in the world, COMEX handles most related futures contracts.

These contracts are speculatory in nature — traders are making bets on what the price of a commodity will be at some point. Contracts can be bought and sold for specific prices on specific dates.

Most of the contracts are never delivered upon, meaning they don’t involve delivery of the actual underlying commodity, such as gold or silver. Instead, what gets exchanged is a contract or agreement allowing for the potential delivery of a certain amount of metal for a certain price on a certain date.

For the most part, futures trading only has two purposes: hedging bets and speculating for profits. Sophisticated traders sometimes use futures to hedge their bets, meaning they purchase futures that will wind up minimizing their losses in another bet if it doesn’t go their way. And investors of all experience levels can use futures to try to profit from future price action of an asset. Predicting the exact price of something in the future can be difficult and carries high risk.

The spot market works in a different manner entirely. There are no contracts to buy or sell and no future prices to consider. The market is simply determined by what one party is willing to purchase something for.

Spot Market vs Futures Market
Spot Market

 Futures Market
No contracts to buy or sell Contracts are bought and sold outlining future prices
Trades occur instantly Trades may never actually occur at all
Non-speculative Speculative by nature

Another important concept to understand is contango and backwardation, which are ways to characterize the state of futures markets based on the relationship between spot and future prices. Some background knowledge on those concepts can help guide your investing strategy.

Note, too, that some investors may be confused by the concepts of margin trading and futures contracts. Margin and futures are two different concepts, and don’t necessarily overlap.

💡 Quick Tip: Distributing your money across a range of assets — also known as diversification — can be beneficial for long-term investors. When you put your eggs in many baskets, it may be beneficial if a single asset class goes down.

Example of a Spot Market

Consider the spot and futures markets for precious metals.

Precious-metal prices that investors see on financial news networks will most often be the current futures price as determined by COMEX. This market price is easy to quote. It’s the sum of all futures trading happening on one central exchange or just a few central exchanges.

The spot market is more difficult to pin down. In this case, the spot market could be generally referred to as the average price that a person would be willing to pay for a single ounce of gold or silver, not including any premiums charged by sellers.

Sometimes there is a difference between prices in the futures market and spot market. The difference is referred to as the “spread.” Under ordinary circumstances, the difference will be modest. During times of uncertainty, though, the spread can become extreme.

Futures Market Manipulation

To fully answer the question “What does the spot price mean?” it’s important to include one final note on futures markets. This will illustrate a key difference between the two markets.

Recent high-profile cases brought by government enforcement agencies like the Securities and Exchange Commision and Commodities and Futures Trading Commission highlight the susceptibility of futures markets to manipulation.

Some large financial institutions have been convicted of engaging in practices that artificially influence the price of futures contracts. Again, we can turn to the precious-metals markets for an example.

During the third quarter of 2020, JP Morgan was fined $920 million for “spoofing” trades in the gold and silver futures markets and lying about it to COMEX.

Spoofing involves creating large numbers of buy or sell orders with no intention of fulfilling the orders.

Because order book information is publicly available, traders can see these orders, and may act on the perception that big buying or selling pressure is coming down the pike. If many sell orders are on the books, traders may sell, hoping to get ahead of the trade before prices fall. If many buy orders are on the books, traders may buy, thinking the price is going to rise soon.

Cases like this show that futures markets can be heavily influenced by market participants with the means to do so.

Spot markets, on the other hand, are much more organic and more difficult to manipulate.

3 Tips for Spot Market Investing

For those interested in trying their hand in the spot market, here are a few things to keep in mind.

1. Know What’s Going On

Often, prices in the spot market can change or be volatile in relation to the news or other current events. For that reason, it’s important that investors know what’s happening in the world, and use that to assess what’s happening with prices for a given asset or commodity.

2. Keep Your Emotions in Check

Emotional investing or trading is a good way to get yourself into financial trouble, be it in the spot market, or any other type of trading or investing. You’d likely do well to keep your emotions in check when trading or investing on the spot market, as a result.

3. Understand the Market

It’s also a good idea to do some homework and make a solid attempt at trying to understand the market you’re trading in. There may be jargon to learn, terms to understand, price discovery mechanisms that could otherwise be foreign to even a seasoned investor — do your best to do your due diligence.

Spot-on Investing

Spot markets are where commodities are traded, instantly. There are numerous types of spot markets, and there are numerous types of commodities that might be traded on them. Investors would be wise to know the basics of how they work, and come armed with a bit of background knowledge about the given commodity they’re trading, in order to reach their goals.

Spot market trading can be a part of an overall trading strategy, but again, investors should know the ropes a bit before getting in over their heads. It may be a good idea to speak with a financial professional before investing.

Ready to invest in your goals? It’s easy to get started when you open an investment account with SoFi Invest. You can invest in stocks, exchange-traded funds (ETFs), mutual funds, alternative funds, and more. SoFi doesn’t charge commissions, but other fees apply (full fee disclosure here).

For a limited time, opening and funding an Active Invest account gives you the opportunity to get up to $1,000 in the stock of your choice.

FAQ

What is spot market vs a futures market

Trades on a spot market occur instantly, on the spot. Trades in the futures market involve contracts for commodities with prices outlined for some time in the future — if they occur at all.

What does spot market mean?

The term spot market refers to a financial market where commodities are bought and sold by traders. The trades occur on the spot, or instantly, for immediate delivery.

What is the difference between spot market and forward market?

Forward markets involve trading of futures contracts, or transactions that take place at some point in the future, whereas spot market trades occur instantly, often for cash.

SoFi Invest®

INVESTMENTS ARE NOT FDIC INSURED • ARE NOT BANK GUARANTEED • MAY LOSE VALUE

SoFi Invest encompasses two distinct companies, with various products and services offered to investors as described below: Individual customer accounts may be subject to the terms applicable to one or more of these platforms.
1) Automated Investing and advisory services are provided by SoFi Wealth LLC, an SEC-registered investment adviser (“SoFi Wealth“). Brokerage services are provided to SoFi Wealth LLC by SoFi Securities LLC.
2) Active Investing and brokerage services are provided by SoFi Securities LLC, Member FINRA (www.finra.org)/SIPC(www.sipc.org). Clearing and custody of all securities are provided by APEX Clearing Corporation.
For additional disclosures related to the SoFi Invest platforms described above please visit SoFi.com/legal.
Neither the Investment Advisor Representatives of SoFi Wealth, nor the Registered Representatives of SoFi Securities are compensated for the sale of any product or service sold through any SoFi Invest platform.

Financial Tips & Strategies: The tips provided on this website are of a general nature and do not take into account your specific objectives, financial situation, and needs. You should always consider their appropriateness given your own circumstances.

Claw Promotion: Customer must fund their Active Invest account with at least $25 within 30 days of opening the account. Probability of customer receiving $1,000 is 0.028%. See full terms and conditions.

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Jul
07
2023
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How to Create A Home-Buying Wish List Template

By | Budgeting & Goals, Home Ownership, mortgage | Comments Off on How to Create A Home-Buying Wish List Template

Are you thinking about hunting for a home or already hitting the open houses? If so, creating a home-buying wish list can help you identify what you need, what you want, what to avoid, and other key factors in your decision of whether to bid on a property or not.

By getting these thoughts down on paper (or an online document), you can better focus your house hunting and have a guide as you navigate this process.

Here, you’ll learn more about creating a home-buying wish list template and zooming in on the right property for you. It will also help you steer clear of falling for a house that can wind up being a bad fit as time passes.

What Is a Home-Buying Wish List?

A home-buying wish list is a simple template that can help you identify and prioritize the features you are looking for in a home. It gives you a method to evaluate whether a property is one to bid on or one to pass on.

For example, a wish list can help you zero in on the price you want to pay, the community you want to be in, the style and size of the home, the acreage of the property and outdoor features, and other variables.

By having a wish list, you can stay on target. Say you fell in love with a charming farmhouse with shutters and perfect window boxes full of flowers, but no ground-floor bathroom (or room to add one) and a roof in need of repair. If your wish list said, “Must have a ground-floor bathroom” and “Roof in good repair,” you would hopefully be able to say no to the home’s curb appeal and keep searching. That way, you may well avoid having buyer’s regret.

First-time homebuyers can
prequalify for a SoFi mortgage loan,
with as little as 3% down.

Benefits of a Home-Buying Wish List

A home-buying wish list has several pros:

•  Creating a wish list gives you the opportunity to consider your needs and wants in a home. It also will help you prioritize the features that you most want in a property.

•  A wish list can help you stay on budget. If you know that you absolutely must have a spa-style bathroom or a chef’s kitchen, you need to stay focused on finding a home that offers that or else have money set aside to renovate to those specifications.

•  By developing a wish list, you and your partner or family member you are house shopping with can align on priorities.

•  You can better understand trade-offs involved in a home purchase. For instance, if you are determined to buy in an area with a hot housing market or a pricey school district, you may only be able to afford a smaller property than you might like.

Recommended: First-Time Home-Buyer Programs

How to Create a Home-Buying Wish List

If you are ready to dive in, follow these steps to develop your wish list.

First, Daydream a Little

After you’ve closed your eyes and thought about it, write down everything you saw in the vision.

Before writing down all your wants on a home-buying wish list, sit back and fantasize a little about what an ideal home looks like. This dream house will look different to everyone, but after you’ve closed your eyes and thought about it for a while, you should write down everything you saw in the vision.

Is there a big yard and open space (or even a pool), or is it in the center of town where all the action is? Do you gravitate toward a mid-century modern home or a center-hall colonial? Does the dream home come with a big eat-in kitchen, or are lots of bedrooms more important? Is there space for a game room? An outdoor spa? A wraparound deck or a balcony overlooking it all?

It’s your dream. Go ahead and dream about home size, home age, and home style. That way, you can better realize what you really want (and want to steer clear of) in a home. Start writing down your wish list.


💡 Quick Tip: With SoFi, it takes just minutes to view your rate for a home loan online.

Whittle Down the Dream List

After spending some time thinking about what a dream home would look like if money were no object and jotting down notes, you might then start crossing things off your list.

Realistically, maybe you don’t need five bedrooms but can live with three instead, and maybe the basement doesn’t need to be finished just yet. Or, perhaps a kitchen remodel can come with lower-end appliances that look like commercial ones but come with a more manageable price tag.

Bring down that daydream list to reality before beginning the search.

Consider Who You’re Buying With, Too

Before going out to buy a home, whether you’re a first-time home buyer or old hand, it’s important to think about who’s going to live there. Is it just for one? A couple? A whole family?

It would be best to get everyone’s input on wants vs. needs to ensure that all will be satisfied with this monumental life and financial decision. You might want to sit down as a group and consider the following.

•  Setting: It may also be a good idea to get granular about your location. For instance, a potential homebuyer who has a dog may want to consider a neighborhood that has good walkability and sidewalks.

A potential buyer who works from home may want to think about how close a coffee shop is so they can pop over for a snack. Websites like Walk Score can help people discover how close cafes, shops, restaurants, grocery stores, and public transportation are to their new address.

•  The right school district: If a person is buying a new home with family members in mind, it’s important to consider every home’s school district. Websites like GreatSchools provide information on school district rankings. All users need to do is pop in the ZIP code.

Even if a person isn’t thinking about having children, school districts still may play a role in their home-buying decision. That’s because a school district can play a major part in a home’s resale value.

It may be a good idea to also draw up a neighborhood wish list.

💡 Quick Tip: To see a house in person, particularly in a tight or expensive market, you may need to show proof of prequalification to the real estate agent. With SoFi’s online application, it can take just minutes to get prequalified.

Home-Buying Wish List Template

Need some inspo for creating a home-buying wish list? Check out the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s checklist .

You can then customize it and drill down on the features that really matter to you. For instance, if you have school-age kids, you might add a line for after-school care programs; are they offered or not?

If you know you will be tight on cash for renovations, then you might get more specific about the age of key home systems, such as the HVAC, the major appliances, the roof, and so forth.

Questions to Ask While Home Shopping

In addition to running through the usual features of a home, here are a few additional points to consider:

•  Are you in an area that is prone to natural disasters? Would you, say, need flood insurance, and how much would it cost?

•  Have any additions been made to the home? If so, was the paperwork (permits and such) properly filed?

•  What are the typical monthly utility costs for the home? This may help you get a ballpark number that can help you assess your home-buying budget.

•  Is there an HOA? If so, what costs are involved, and what rules are enforced?

Recommended: What Do I Need to Buy a House?

The Takeaway

Creating a homebuying wish list helps to identify wants and needs, what is in the budget, and what everyone involved—spouse, children, pets, guests, an elder parent—can live with happily (if not ever after, for a while). Home style, size, neighborhood, and amenities come into play.

Looking for an affordable option for a home mortgage loan? SoFi can help: We offer low down payments (as little as 3% - 5%*) with our competitive and flexible home mortgage loans. Plus, applying is extra convenient: It's online, with access to one-on-one help.


SoFi Mortgages: simple, smart, and so affordable.

FAQ

How do I make a house wish list?

A good place to start is with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s checklist. You can then customize the wishlist to better suit your areas of focus, such as school districts and programs, or, say, acreage and outdoor features.

How do I get my house ready to sell with a checklist?

Many home-buying sites and mortgage lenders offer downloadable checklists that help you get your house in order to sell. These typically review how to assess and enhance the exterior of your home, your property, as well as the interior. Usually, they go room by room with features for you to note and maintenance issues to potentially wrangle.


*SoFi requires Private Mortgage Insurance (PMI) for conforming home loans with a loan-to-value (LTV) ratio greater than 80%. As little as 3% down payments are for qualifying first-time homebuyers only. 5% minimum applies to other borrowers. Other loan types may require different fees or insurance (e.g., VA funding fee, FHA Mortgage Insurance Premiums, etc.). Loan requirements may vary depending on your down payment amount, and minimum down payment varies by loan type.

SoFi Mortgages
Terms, conditions, and state restrictions apply. Not all products are available in all states. See SoFi.com/eligibility for more information.

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SoFi loans are originated by SoFi Bank, N.A., NMLS #696891 (Member FDIC). For additional product-specific legal and licensing information, see SoFi.com/legal. Equal Housing Lender.

Financial Tips & Strategies: The tips provided on this website are of a general nature and do not take into account your specific objectives, financial situation, and needs. You should always consider their appropriateness given your own circumstances.

External Websites: The information and analysis provided through hyperlinks to third-party websites, while believed to be accurate, cannot be guaranteed by SoFi. Links are provided for informational purposes and should not be viewed as an endorsement.

Third-Party Brand Mentions: No brands, products, or companies mentioned are affiliated with SoFi, nor do they endorse or sponsor this article. Third-party trademarks referenced herein are property of their respective owners.

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