iShares Cohen & Steers Realty Majors (ICF)

All Comments on ICF

  • commenter
    Frank Li
    Jun 25 04:31 PM
    Asset Allocation and the All ETF Portfolio [view article]
    Definitely interested -- please post more. Reply
  • commenter
    Geoff
    Considine
    Jun 25 02:53 PM
    My Website
    Asset Allocation and the All ETF Portfolio [view article]
    I agree strongly that most investors do not know how to manage their total market exposure or total risk exposure in an ETF portfolio--hence the article in which I show an ETF portfolio with moderate Beta and moderate R^2. Frankly, I find the idea of investors who lack quantitative tools to assess their total portfolios dabbling in short-oriented ETF's somewhat disturbing. But, that's free markets for you--if people will buy it, someone will sell it. Reply
  • commenter
    yourfilled
    Jun 25 01:32 PM
    Asset Allocation and the All ETF Portfolio [view article]
    I just returned from the ETF Summit in New York City. The cost for this seminar was $3,000. So you can bet only hege funds and "big money attended." I was struck by the number of ETFs that encouraged investors to use such products as hedge vehicles or ways to increase Alpha. From my own standpoint, the public is still a long way from understanding how to use ETFs in a declining market. I am not a practicing broker, but I was struck by the ETF with the symbol QID. It allows you to short the market in an IRA. It does this by using an inverse order. When you buy the QID, you are shorting the market. However, the most you can lose is the amount you invest. And you need not post additional margin. If any of you are interested in knowing more about the conference, I will post more.
    Good luck in trading.     Reply
  • commenter
    Geoff
    Considine
    Jun 25 12:57 PM
    My Website
    Asset Allocation and the All ETF Portfolio [view article]
    Good questions. First, remember that this is all about the statistics. You don't want to bet too heavily that you can pick the best performers from a population--not my point at all. I am guessing that you fall more on the John Bogle side of the divide rather than the Warren Buffett side! There is a philosophical issue here. I prefer to hold more individual stocks in my portfolio but I understand that many investors prefer to minimize the company specific risk which is related to the issue you raise. Your point is that it is better to buy 20 stocks in an index because you would have low odds of picking out the best of those stocks and investing in just these. On the other hand, buying everything in an index means that you are damping out the potential benefit of the string companies. There is also the long-term impact of total fees.

    There is always some 'selection risk' in picking funds or individual stocks. This is why I am not a fan of mechanical 'optimization' of portfolios--whether made up of stocks or funds.     Reply
  • commenter
    john johnson
    Jun 25 11:12 AM
    Asset Allocation and the All ETF Portfolio [view article]
    Regarding individual stocks vs ETFs, do you have any comment on the idea that there is a statistical fat tail for individuals stocks -- a few high-performance stocks contribute an enormous amount to an ETF. It would be risky to assume one will be lucky enough to choose one of those stocks. Do you consider this factor important to weighing whether ETFs or individual stocks are superior on a risk-adjusted basis? thanks! Reply
  • commenter
    Hankhawk
    Jun 24 10:05 PM
    Broad Selloff Hits Utilities and Housing Hardest [view article]
    I keep reading worse reports of the housing market yet to come -- the subprime impact
    is no way near the bottom. The Fed. will definitely not raise interest rates and risk
    taking the blame for further housing problems and having some housing stocks go into
    bankruptcy. Whatever investments you decide to make, know that interest rates will
    not be raised for much of 2007 and into 2008 -- the housing market is in a critical decline.     Reply
  • commenter
    LeeCarlson
    Jun 23 03:35 AM
    Eleven Good Points On Residential Real Estate [view article]
    Hi SJDiii,..I totally agree with your assessment of the market. I too sell in Fl, primarily in the Clearwater area, and it is a lot worse in Fl than in most states. We were invaded by "investors" who made really bad decisions and are now trying to just get their money back, and in addition, everyone and his brother suddenly became a mortgage broker, and lenders went along, until the investors found thet they couldn't find a tenant and couldn't sell, The newspapers are full of Auctions and Forclosure sales and the end of the downturn isn't in sight ! Even with prices fropping, there are no sales ! ...You are right about NAR, a real waste of money we have to pay those guys to give out bad advice and to continually hear them say things aren't so bad.!!! They need to learn how to just "tell the truth ! Reply
  • commenter
    lawrencerest
    ucher
    Jun 22 03:31 PM
    Eleven Good Points On Residential Real Estate [view article]
    The Mississippi Gulf coast needs a new direction in every real estate section, new laws new affordable prices-financing and insurance, buying here must have an evacuation plan included just like a certificate of termite inspection. Reply
  • commenter
    wixeywaxy
    Jun 22 02:26 PM
    Eleven Good Points On Residential Real Estate [view article]
    There are a lot of existing homes up for sale in my area, but in recent weeks we've seen a very noticeable increase in traffic and sales are picking up. Hope that is true in general. Vic Reply
  • commenter
    sjdiii
    Jun 22 02:04 PM
    Eleven Good Points On Residential Real Estate [view article]
    David, I agree with the points made. Very factual and I plan to pass it on to the builder I work for. With respect to appraisals, right now fees are dropping because there is less work in our area for them. In addition builders cannot get the "numbers" out of them that they were used to. I have given customers new home estimates only to have banks say that the appraisal was less. So we are starting to see things tighten up with respect to appaisals which I believe is a good thing.

    In regards to NAR, my feeling are they are just a money making operation. They always seem to indicate things aren't so bad no matter how bad things really are and believe me they are bad. We have not had a sale of a new home in 9 months now. I have realtors currently telling me that they are getting more calls. Not sure what they are smoking but this Bradenton / Sarasota area is close to dead right now. There is so much inventory on the market, prices are dropping, foreclosures are increasing, and auctions are going on in every development. Banks are reluctant to lend money and interest rates are raising. So I agree with you that it will take at least another year to 18 month more before we see a normal buy & sell environment.     Reply
  • commenter
    Paul Meisel
    Jun 22 09:20 AM
    Eleven Good Points On Residential Real Estate [view article]
    Excellent points.

    On #3 -- it seems to be widely known among certain circles of realtors and mortgage brokers which appraisers will "get you your number". One old-time appraiser I know got a realtors license becuase his (conservative) appraisal business was down so much.

    On #5 -- without disagreeing with your analysis I do not find the level too troubling for those who are geographically stable. I anticipate no need to sell, so as a strategy I periodically refinance in order to borrow cheap money which gets invested in fairly safe but better returning vehicles (additional funding for retirement accounts; blue chip dividend paying stocks). I can see however that those who may need to relocate can feel better with more equity cushion. Like in a lot of other things, where you stand depends upon where you sit.     Reply
  • commenter
    info
    Jun 12 03:50 PM
    A Look At U.S. Home Price Performance in 20 Markets [view article]
    If anything this has to be a boon to the savvy real estate investor. Who can now come in and pick and choose what he wants to buy at a low price. In over built areas and markets that show potential but are still weighed down right now by a huge supply and concern that prices will go much lower. What's the best advice you can give--buy in areas that are unique and won't drop further, SF and cities where job market is strong--new companies moving in, Boise, Idaho? For the new investor it might be the time to wait and save....

    Our site: investmentpropertiesin...     Reply
  • commenter
    Joseph
    Serrano
    Jun 10 10:04 AM
    Broad Selloff Hits Utilities and Housing Hardest [view article]
    Seems to indicate the culprit is trending higher interest rates. Which by your data affected all equities but in particular realty and utilities worse. It appears to me that we have a creeping foundational change taking place where bond yields are becoming a competitive investment alternative to stocks, which should affect portfolio asset allocation. I have been moderately aggressive the last six months investing in equities and mutual funds, but encountering last weeks changes in interest rates i'm going to have a bias to being more conservative by increasing fixed holdings. I was 85/15, but adjusted to 70/30 last week and on a rally back may go to 60/40 because I think we are due for a serious correction going into September. "Pigs get slaughtered", No? Reply
  • commenter
    fmccain
    Jun 06 02:11 PM
    A Look At U.S. Home Price Performance in 20 Markets [view article]
    As a Charlotte resident I can assure you their numbers won't last. We have over 20 condo projects (possibly 40) in the works within 5 miles of the downtown. The trend is 100% driven by artificial demand (investors) and is based on a population 'estimate' of 20 years from now. You only meet four people in Charlotte; bankers, girls looking for bankers, race fans, and people looking to 'flip' properties. Reply
  • commenter
    kurtlehman
    Jun 06 12:36 PM
    A Look At U.S. Home Price Performance in 20 Markets [view article]
    As an agent in Las Vegas for the past 6 years, I can agree that prices are going to be pushed downward in the future. The spike in prices over the late 03 through mid 04 period was a vast overcorrection of what was indeed an undervalued housing market. But now with record foreclosures, more bank owned repos and houses advertised as short sales hitting the listings, the inventory is so bloated in the face of demand and affordability that it takes very aggressive pricing to get an offer. Kurt Lehman Reply
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