Real Asset Portfolio Investing

By Author: Kelly Leary
Total Articles: 272
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Investors who choose real asset portfolio investing appreciate diversification and reduced exposure.


The expertise that an investment advisor can offer means informed investment decisions and reduced risk as well as a range of ownership.


When an investor chooses to participate in a real asset portfolio, he or she is being strategic on at least two fronts. One is that real assets (commodities, precious metals, real estate, etc) are often used as hedges against inflation and market volatility that may be affecting financial instruments such as stocks and bonds. Second, by investing through a portfolio, the investor is avoiding exposure that might come from owning just one or two real assets.


Real estate is historically a smart place to achieve real asset growth – a large proportion of personal wealth has been historically achieved through both developed and undeveloped land. The “lone investor” alternative – owning just one piece of property – subjects that investor to the whims and happenstance ...
... of local jurisdictions and local economics. It does the owner of a large tract of land little good if the local jurisdiction is unfavourable to zoning changes or if a depressed regional business environment causes that land to drop in value.


This is where a well-managed real asset portfolio offers a strong advantage. The portfolio will have multiple properties in multiple locations. A portion will be readily realisable, returning value at paced durations. Any exposure to local challenges would be minimal, largely because fund managers are skilled at avoiding problematic assets in the first place. The level of expertise an experienced fund can bring to bear on a land acquisition also reduces the risk of poor investment decisions and low returns.