CapitaMalls Asia: Farewell.

I have filled the form in acceptance of the voluntary conditional cash offer for CapitaMalls Asia.

Although there are arguments that the offer price is unfair and although I can understand the arguments, I feel that there is a great degree of subjectivity too. Much is relative.

Just like how we compare an investment with another to see how it could be undervalued or overvalued, we could also compare an investment with itself in the past to see how its value has changed over time.

CapitaLand’s offer works out to about 1.2x CapitaMalls Asia’s book value now which is cheaper than the 1.5x book value when it listed in 2009. If we want 1.5x book value today, the price is closer to $2.70 a share.

So, for someone who bought into CapitaMalls Asia at the IPO price of $2.12 a share, obviously, the voluntary conditional cash offer of $2.22 a share leaves a bad taste in the mouth. However, for someone who bought at under $1.20 a share during the lows in late 2011 which was at a 20% discount to the NAV/share back then, $2.22 is probably a sweet enough exit price.

I think it is a fair enough offer and I explained why in an earlier blog post:

"The NAV/share is $1.84. So, this offer is a 20% premium to book value. NAV grew 10% year on year. So, being paid $2.22 a share, it is like getting paid in advance for growth that is likely to happen in the next couple of years."

We might want to remember what Warren Buffett thinks of IPOs. If you cannot remember, go to the earlier blog post I mentioned above: CapitaMalls Asia: Being offered $2.22 a share.

Better to wait for a price that is so attractive that even a mediocre sale gives good results.

Should an average person be "playing" the stock market?

Is investing in the stock market a game?

And if we play the game well, will we be rich?

Should an average person play the game?



In a nutshell:

Buy index funds and keep for 20 to 30 years.

(AK71 being kaypoh: And hope we don't suffer a lost decade or two.)

Related posts:
1. Dollar Cost Averaging.
2. POSB Invest-Saver Account.
3. OCBC Blue Chip Investment Plan.
4. Common Sense Investing.
5. Retiring a millionaire is not a dream.
6. Is investing in stocks suitable for you?

Achieving financial freedom is a family affair.

"Don't worry about money. Concentrate on your studies. Leave money matters to us."

This is something well meaning parents might tell their children but this is an example of how a good intention might actually be taking a step backward.

More enlightened parents will encourage their children to save money, highlighting the virtues of saving. 

This is probably the most basic level. 

Parents who don't even do this are doing a poor job of parenting. 

I won't mince my words here.





Financially savvy parents might, then, take their children's savings and invest in income generating assets. 

This will help to build a stronger financial foundation for their children. 

If the parents do a very good job, the children could have an easier time in adulthood.





Financially savvy and more enlightened parents will teach their children the ways to make money work for them as early as possible. 

This is a case of teaching someone how to fish and not just giving a basket full of fish to him. 

Parents who fall into this category are probably very rare. 

Well, at least I have not met any yet.

I blogged about how I got my primary school going niece interested in investing before. 

She understands not only why she should be saving money but also how she could use her savings to generate passive income now. 

It is not enough to save money, she has to make the money work for her.

Some might tell me that children should enjoy their childhoods and I am being too realistic. 

Well, I never did believe in Santa Claus as a boy. 





Seeing how my dad's business almost went bankrupt and the problems it caused for the family when I was in primary school forced me to grow up rather quickly. 

No Santa Clause came during Christmas to drop us any goodies.

We could have financial problems one day if we do not do the right things today. Be realistic.

Financial problems will not magically disappear. Be realistic.





What is the best thing to do?

Be prepared and get everyone in the family involved, yes, including the children.

I see some parents coddle their children to the extent of spoiling them. 

I am sure examples of such parents are pretty common in Singapore. 

I see them all the time.

The economy has been chugging along in Singapore and unemployment rate has been low and many people are drunk on cheap money. 

Conspicuous consumption has risen.





If you buy things you don't need, you will soon sell things you need.
- Warren Buffett.

If you are reading this blog post, I gather that you are interested in achieving financial freedom. 

If you have children or when you have children, please take the next step.

Your children will thank you in future.




Related posts:
1. Teaching young children financial literacy.
2. At what age to start investing in stocks?
3. Rich Dad, Poor Dad: 2 are better than 1.
4. Little Book That Beats The Market.
5. Warren Buffett: Illustrated.

A strategy to grow wealth and augment income (2013).

I am primarily investing for income and in my last blog post, in what has become a yearly practice, I revealed my full year income from S-REITs as well as how they fit into my investment strategy. They are relevant to income investors but with the spectre of rising interest rates in the years ahead as well as a peaking in the real estate cycle here, it is sensible not to be overly optimistic about S-REITs in general.

So, apart from a large purchase made in Saizen REIT in the middle of 2012, I have devoted most of my resources to stocks. These should be undervalued and are likely to continue growing for years to come. Since I want to have income from my investments, I would also like for these stocks to pay dividends.

Marco Polo Marine's yard in Batam.

Now, with these stocks, the main strategy is to buy and hold. However, I am not averse to trading around my investments. So, I could divest partially or fully if it is a good idea to do so. For 9M 2013, I revealed that I locked in gains of S$188,625.13. Has the number changed?

Well, I mentioned that I partially divested my investment in Sabana REIT last month. This added S$12,860.03 to gains from trading in 2013.

So, total trading gains in 2013 is S$201,485.16.

What about adding to my long positions?

What I hope to do primarily is to identify good companies, initiate long positions in them at fairly good prices and then wait to add to these positions if there should be bad news which send their share prices down. These are companies which I am comfortable to stay invested in for years, knowing that they possess some competitive advantages which differentiate them.

Warren Buffett famously said that we should invest with the thought that the stock market could close the next day and not reopen for five years. What does this mean?

Invest in stocks of companies which we are confident will do better over the next five years. We wouldn't be bothered by any volatility in their stock prices in the meantime unless it is to add to our long positions with greater margins of safety. If we understand this, we will know what stocks to avoid. How? Do an inversion.


With this in mind, in the last three months, I added to my long positions in NeraTel and Yongnam as their share prices declined due to bad news which I believe are neither long term nor recurring in nature. I have received fairly good dividends from these stocks and I also made some money trading these stocks earlier in the year.

I also added to my long position in SPH. I was paid both the special dividend and the year end dividend for this as well.

Marco Polo Marine is still my single largest investment although its share price has not declined significantly enough for me to add to my long position. The much higher dividend per share paid out recently was a bonus.

I also retain long positions in CapitaMalls Asia and Wilmar International. These are strong companies and leaders in their fields. They are likely to do better in future.

So, was anything new added to my portfolio?

I initiated a long position in Croesus Retail Trust and even added to this position by using funds freed from a partial divestment of Sabana REIT.

Wait a minute? Didn't I say that I am wary of rising interest rates and a possible peaking of the real estate cycle? Yes, I did but Croesus Retail Trust owns malls in Japan and the BOJ is bent on keeping interest rates really low. Abenomics demand this. The Trust has a relatively low cost of debt which is locked in for 5 years.

Luz Shinsaibashi.

Japan has also suffered from continual deflation for 20 years. If anything, the real estate cycle should have a greater chance of bottoming than peaking. Anecdotal evidence tells of a recovering real estate market in recent months that is likely to pick up speed in future.

Although my strategy, with a generous dose of luck, has worked well this year, I can only hope that it will continue to work in the new year.

To grow wealth and augment income? Yes, indeed, that is the plan.

Related posts:
1. 2013 full year income from S-REITs.
2. Yongnam: Substantial shareholder increased stake.
3. NeraTel: Added to my long position.
4. Marco Polo Marine: Exciting times ahead.

Buffett's secrets from Baltimore County Public Library.

I just received a parcel. It contains a hard cover copy of "Buffettology" from Baltimore County Public Library!

The library received the book in November 1997. Wow! Imagine that. I was only 26 years old in 1997.

This book is 16 years old! It was sitting in a public library in the USA and now it is mine. I get a strange, fuzzy feeling thinking about it.

It also gives me satisfaction to know that this purchase from BetterWorldBooks helped to fund literacy for the less privileged.

Some stuff in the book.

New material for bedtime reading.

Related post:
Good deal on Buffettology.

Buffettology: Hard cover at US$9.98 a copy.

If you missed out the last time, 5 copies just became available at US$9.98 a copy.

Free shipping worldwide.

Follow the link to the special deal in this blog post:
Good deal on "Buffettology" (hardcover)

When to BUY, HOLD or SELL? (Part 2)

Now, a question that people sometimes ask me with regards to selling is if they should cut loss? 

Well, from a valuation perspective, if we got into a stock which we thought is worth $10 a share at, say, $8 a share, and if the price should fall to $6 a share, should we sell?

OK, let us push this a little and let us say we thought the stock is worth $10 a share but for some reason, we bought it at $12. At $6 a share, should we sell? 

I think you know the answer.

Well, if we need the money urgently because there is an emergency at home, then, we don't really have a choice, do we? 

This is also why we must always use money we can afford to lose for investing. 

If we don't need the money, everything remaining equal, should we not be thinking of buying more if prices fall? 

This is why we must always have a war chest ready!

What we have to remember is that we want to buy at a price we would not sell at and sell at a price we would not buy at. This is a general mantra we should chant to ourselves and embrace its spirit.

Although we might think that $10 for a certain stock is cheap, it does not mean that it would not become $8 or $5 or even $2. 

Of course, if we are sure that our facts are correct and our reasoning is right, we should be buying more as prices fall.

Isn't it risky to buy more as prices fall? Of course, there is risk involved. Cheap could get cheaper. This is why I feel that some knowledge of technical analysis (TA) is useful. 





Purists in fundamental analysis (FA) will pooh pooh at this idea, of course, but unless we have very deep pockets, I think a bit of TA is useful. Anyway, I will talk a bit more about TA later.

Now, since we are on the topic of risk, some would argue that the level of risk associated with an investment should be considered when we talk about valuations. 

So, in the case of a business trust, for example, if it is perceived to be more high risk in nature, we would need a higher distribution yield before we invest in it, wouldn't we? 

I blogged about how this was the case for me when I invested in Perennial China Retail Trust: here.

The same goes with bonds although in the case with bonds, the holders are more lenders than investors and I blogged about bonds before: here and here.

Now, with interest rates rising and we are seeing higher coupons from 10 year bonds, the risks associated with REITs have risen. 

This is why their unit prices have fallen because Mr. Market is now demanding higher distribution yields for investing in a riskier instrument compared to 10 year government bonds. I am not saying anything new, of course.

As anyone can see, there is no one size fits all valuation technique.





So, some have thrown up their hands in despair and decided that they would only use charts to help them decide when to buy and sell. TA gives us a peek into Mr. Market's psychology. 

We then buy and sell based on technical signals which tell us the sentiments in the market. 

Of course, TA is about probability and never certainty. 

TA is about managing probabilities!

There is no exactitude, no matter which approach we choose to use. There are only approximates. 

As long as we are approximately right, we are better off than being exactly wrong. This is good enough. 

This is what Warren Buffett would say. If you have yet to watch the video on why he is the world's greatest money maker, watch the video: here.

Make money using the tools available to every person.

Valuation is a subjective exercise and often, whether to BUY, HOLD or SELL, we have to rely on experience too. 

If there was a magic formula that worked all the time, Warren Buffett and any investment guru for that matter would never have made bad investment decisions in their careers. 

So, it is important to remember this and not become narrow minded when we think of valuations.

Related posts:
1. When to BUY, HOLD or SELL? (Part 1)
2. Recommended books for FA and TA.

When to BUY, HOLD or SELL? (Part 1)

Buying and selling are natural opposites. The reasons for buying a stock and selling a stock, often, are mirror images as well. Intuitively, it feels right. How do we give form to an intuition? More accurately, how do we decide when to buy or when to sell?

Well, we often read about valuations. Some analysts might have a SELL call saying the stock is overvalued. At the same time, some analysts might have a BUY call saying the stock is undervalued. Then, there are some analysts who might say the stock is fully valued and have a HOLD call.

What can we take away from this? Valuation is subjective! Anyone who tells us it isn't doesn't know what he is talking about or does he?

There is a lot of literature on valuation techniques. If we do a search online, we will know that this is true.





So, which valuation technique to use? This is already an exercise in subjectivity. Then, each valuation technique could require us to make certain assumptions which is another exercise in subjectivity. Of course, we are only talking about bottom up approaches here.

What about a top down approach? This requires a grasp of economics, market conditions and industry specific trends, just to name a few things that come to mind. Reminder: the assumption that consumers have perfect knowledge when we discuss certain economic concepts only works in a classroom environment.

If you have zero or very little knowledge of economics and business, you might want to teach yourself by reading these books:

Timeless. US$17.61 a copy.

This book is heavy reading and somewhat pricey.
Click the book and search for
"Understanding Michael Porter:   
The Essential Guide to Competition and Strategy".
This is easier reading and much cheaper.

So, it is not surprising that experts could have differing views all the time. They could make different assumptions in their quantitative approaches and they could have different opinions on the qualitative aspects of businesses which require judgement calls. If experts have such a hard time, what can retail investors like us do?

Value investors are often looking to buy stocks at half of their intrinsic values. If a stock that has an intrinsic value of $1.00 is selling for $0.50, simply, it is a buy. Now, if a stock has an intrinsic value of $1.00 and is trading at $2.00, what do we do? You tell me.

The question is, therefore, how do value investors determine intrinsic value. They use an approach called Discounted Cash Flow (DCF). I shan't go into details here because there are many free online resources that will teach us what is DCF and we will realise that we could come up with different intrinsic values for the same stock. Why different values? We could make more conservative or more aggressive assumptions and values will change.

To understand cash flow, we will have to look at a company's cash flow statement. I blogged about it before and you can read it: here. If you want to read up on valuation using DCF, you could go to Wikipedia: Valuation using DCF.

Some people look at PER, NAV/share and NTA/share of a stock to see if it is undervalued or overvalued. Some might argue that if a stock has a very low PE and trades at a discount to NAV, it is undervalued. Well, it could be. However, if by doing a comparison, we find that other companies in the same industry have similar ratios, then, perhaps, it is just the industry norm.





I remember many years ago, I made a very good trade in Singland. At that time, most of the big name property counters rose in value but Singland was still stuck in a rut. I did a comparison of its ratios against its peers and found it was relatively cheap or, if you like, undervalued. I bought and within a couple of weeks, its price shot up. I cannot remember exactly now but it was quite a handsome capital gain. Singland was a laggard. I did not know if it was absolutely undervalued but it was relatively undervalued.

Different industries have different characteristics. Some are cyclical like the property market. So, given changing market realities, property stocks could see their share price fluctuating as well because their earnings are impacted negatively during down cycles and positively during up cycles. The same could be said of shipping stocks.

If you want to read up on how we could possibly make generalisations about stocks and have an inkling as to their characteristics, you might want to read books which I blogged about before by Pat Dorsey (here) and Peter Lynch (here and here).

By now, if you are still with me, good on you because I am not done yet. We are soldiering on in part 2.

Read part 2:
When to BUY, HOLD or SELL? (Part 2)

Warren Buffett: An Illustrated Biography of the World's Most Successful Investor.

As I promised Endrene, I am recommending a book which I am sure will appeal to her boys as it has a much lower lexical density. It is undemanding and it will get the uninitiated quickly interested in Warren Buffett and his approach to investing.

I got my copy of the book almost 10 years ago when it was first published and, honestly, it was my first Warren Buffett book. So, if you had thought of AK71 as a scholarly person, banish that thought!

Buy the book here and help support literacy programs for the poor and underprivileged:

Warren Buffett: An Illustrated Biography of the World's Most Successful Investor
Price: US$ 18.45. Free shipping worldwide.

For people who prefer ebooks, it costs US$ 15.40.
See it here: Warren Buffett

For people who do not particularly enjoy reading, this book will do the trick. Confirm and double confirm!

Related post:
The Little Book That Beats The Market.

Good deal on "Buffettology" (hardcover).

My blog post this afternoon regarding a good deal on "Buffettology" was an unexpected success because all three copies of the book were sold in just a couple of hours. I didn't expect readers to be so enthusiastic during working hours.

I think I know who got the last copy of that special deal as I saw this on my Facebook wall:

董奕华: Left with last piece!!!

董奕华: AK sell you US$14. You want :)

Gunning for a 100% gain! Very enterprising!

Anyway, for those who missed out on that deal, here is another one. It is the hardcover version and only at US$3.00 more. Yup, the price is US$9.98 only. Free shipping worldwide.

This is a steal since a new paperback sells for more than US$20.00 a copy.

You got to be fast. Only three copies are available and I don't know how quickly this one will sell out:


Buffettology: The Previously Unexplained Techniques That Have Made Warren Buffett the Worlds

Related posts:
1. Good deal on "Buffettology".
2. Warren Buffett: The world's greatest money maker.

Good deal on "Buffettology".

An example of what we will learn from this book:
Look for businesses with recurring revenues.  Having repeat customers means that long-term capital expenditures can profitably return capital. Invest in manufacturers! For example, if we want to buy a can of Coca Cola, we wouldn’t care where we buy it from.

Buy "Buffettology" pre-owned.

Only 3 copies available at US$6.98 each.

Free shipping worldwide.



Buffettology: The Previously Unexplained Techniques That Have Made Warren Buffett the World's Most Famous Investor

Related post:
Recommended books for FA and TA.

Interview with Matthew Seah (Part 2): Value Investing.

I prefer to have a more direct control over my money rather than letting a third party invest for me which usually results in subpar to market returns after fees are paid anyway.

So, although I invest in ETFs, I only invest in passive ETFs like S&P500 ETF and STI ETF where the returns are very similar to returns of the S&P500 and STI, respectively.

My investment approach when it comes to stocks is to pay attention to 3 Rs:

Right model
Right management
Right value

Investing in businesses which have all the 3 Rs has been very rewarding for me.

If you have guessed that I am a value investor, you are right.

Value Investing has been proven to be the best investing method, as can be seen with the phenomenal growth of Berkshire Hathaway, Warren Buffett's company.

Many people buy stocks after hearing good news about the stocks. They are just buying something which is selling at a higher price in the hope of selling it later at an even higher price, which doesn't make sense to me.




Value Investing is like shopping for stocks on sale. It would be more logical to buy stocks when they are at a discount and not when they have become pricier. This is about buying something at a price lower than its intrinsic value.

Another thing which is important to remember is to invest in companies which have some kind of competitive advantage over their peers. These companies tend to have a larger market share, and are more profitable in the long run. Therefore, they are likely to continue growing in years to come.

For someone who is new to investing, I would suggest being more cautious. What do I mean?

I tested some strategies through paper trading prior to real investing. When I started paper trading, I was more emotional and often closed my trades too early. Now, I hold on to my investments for a much longer period which has proven to be more profitable than short term trading.

Being stronger financially now also means that I am able to weather larger drawdowns to my investment portfolio without feeling too emotional. 

I will end by sharing this quotation:

"Your goal as an investor should simply be to purchase, at a rational price, a part interest in an easily-understandable business whose earnings are virtually certain to be materially higher five, ten and twenty years from now." Warren Buffett

Related posts:
1. Warren Buffett: The greatest money maker.
2. Getting started in investing and trading.
3. Interview with Matthew Seah (Part 1): Financial Freedom.

Asian Pay Television Trust (APTT): IPO.

Usually, when people ask me about IPOs and if I would take part, I would answer in the negative.

Subscribing to what Warren Buffett thinks about IPOs and that is IPOs of stocks are almost always bad investments, I have not taken part in IPOs in many years. Warren Buffett is of the opinion that IPOs are rarely undervalued offers.

What about the IPO of APTT? Is this an exception?

Well, APTT will be holding TBC which was a business in MIIF's portfolio and we know that TBC was the crown jewel of MIIF's portfolio of businesses. With TBC removed from its portfolio, MIIF saw its unit price tumbled almost 70% yesterday.

At a unit price of 97c, APTT's distribution yield is estimated to be 7.5% in the first year and this is estimated to increase to 8.5% in the second year. With relatively high yields like these waved around, the IPO has attracted a high level of interest from institutional investors.

Indeed, Dow Jones Newswires reported in an article dated 2 May 2013 that 8 cornerstone investors were secured. These are investors who are willing to commit to holding significant stakes which shows their confidence in the Trust.

In a yield hungry world, investors fed up with a low interest rate environment could push up the unit price of APTT when it starts trading on 29 May 2013. Of course, there is no way of telling if this would happen but look at how Croesus Retail Trust saw its unit price rose 23% on its first day of trading recently and we get an idea of just how things could turn out for APTT. Although not really comparable, it suggests that Mr. Market could be quite happy with distribution yield compressing to just 6.5%.

In case you are wondering about gearing (and you should), APTT's gearing is about 40%, while Croesus Retail Trust's gearing is at 47%.

If a distribution yield of 6.5% is what Mr. Market is willing to accept, APTT could trade at $1.12 per unit. If Mr. Market demands a minimum of 7% yield in the first year, we could see APTT trading at $1.03 to $1.04 per unit. If news that the placement tranche was 3 times oversubscribed by institutional investors is reliable, chances are we will see APTT trading higher.

If you are interested in participating in the IPO, take note to do so by 12 noon, 27 May 2013.

Related posts:
1. MIIF: Asian Pay Television Trust (APTT).
2. MIIF: Lower fair value.

Staying optimistic about 2013.

Feeling worried about 2013? At least the Americans should be feeling optimistic. Well, that is according to Warren Buffet et. al. in this video clip:



At the end of the clip, everyone seemed to be saying the best time to buy stocks and to start a business is when the economy is in the doldrums. Words of wisdom.

If the American economy finds its feet again, logically, that would be good news for Asia.

We can only wait and see, I suppose, but if these people are right, the worst could be over. Then, the bull market could have legs!

Related post:
Why is Warren Buffet the world's greatest money maker?

Why is Warren Buffett the world's greatest money maker?

I want to thank Kelvin for providing the link to this video which I enjoyed very much.  

Anyone who is interested in a quick introduction to Warren Buffet's life and how he got to be the world's richest man would find this 47 minutes video worth watching.





Although it should be common knowledge to any experienced investor, I would like to draw attention to how 

Warren Buffet had no qualms about investing in something he was against as long as it offered good value and a chance to make decent money. 

This is somewhere 40 minutes 30 seconds into the video and it highlights the importance of being open minded and not being parochial.







Interested in the book Warren Buffet referred to in the documentary? 

You can get it pre-owned from BetterWorldBooks at a bargain with free shipping worldwide. 

See:
Intelligent Investor: The Classic Text on Value Investing

Related posts:
1. Recommended books for FA and TA.
2. Be cautious even as we accept higher risk.

Recommended books for FA and TA.

I used to have a little widget in my blog which listed the books I would recommend to anyone who might be interested in learning about Technical Analysis and Fundamental Analysis through self-study. 

Unfortunately, that widget from Amazon slowed down the speed at which my blog was loaded and, so, I removed it.

Since then, I would have to list the books for readers who might email me for a book list. 

So, I have decided to provide the book list here in a blog post. 

This would make it easier for both readers and me. This is, perhaps, long overdue.







For fundamental analysis (FA):

1. Warren Buffett and the Interpretation of Financial Statements: The Search for the Company with a Durable Competitive Advantage.
See:
Warren Buffett and the Interpretation of Financial Statements: The Search for the Company with a Durable Competitive Advantage


2. Fundamental Analysis For Dummies.
See:
Fundamental Analysis for Dummies
What's the key to multibillionaire Warren Buffett's five-decade run as the most successful investor in history? Fundamental analysis. Now, "Fundamental Analysis For Dummies" puts this tried and true method for gauging any company's true underlying value into sensible and handy step-by-step instructions.

For those who prefer e-books:
Fundamental Analysis For Dummies

For technical analysis (TA):

1. Technical Analysis Plain and Simple: Charting the Markets in Your Language (3rd Edition).
See:
Technical Analysis Plain and Simple: Charting the Markets in Your Language

For those who prefer e-books:
Technical Analysis Plain and Simple


2. Technical Analysis For Dummies, 2nd Edition.
See:
Technical Analysis for Dummies

For those who prefer e-books:
Technical Analysis For Dummies


3. Candlestick Charting for Dummies.
See:
Candlestick Charting for Dummies


You could possibly borrow these books from the local libraries. 

If you would like to buy the books instead, please consider buying them from BetterWorldBooks to help save the environment and fund literacy for the less fortunate. They ship free globally.

Visit BetterWorldBooks here:


Find out more about BetterWorldBooks at:
ASSI is an affiliate of BetterWorldBooks.

Related post:
Why is Warren Buffet the world's greatest money maker?

Market gyrations, my portfolio and a sabbatical.

My investments in S-REITs are holding up nicely which gives credence to my strategy to overweight S-REITs in my portfolio. Their relative price stability and high distribution yields provide some solace in a volatile market.

A brief look at some of my larger investments in S-REITs:

1. AIMS AMP Capital Industrial REIT closed at $1.20 per unit. My cost per unit ranges from $0.775 to $1.10.

2. Sabana REIT closed at $0.97 a unit. I first initiated a long position at $0.93 in March 2011. I bought more as its unit price sank below $0.90. I am still holding on to those units I bought at $0.865.

3. First REIT closed at $0.90 a unit. This is an investment I have had for many years. My lowest entry price was $0.42 during the global financial crisis. I took part in its rights issue at $0.50 a unit. I bought more nil-paid rights for a total cost of $0.66 a unit. I also bought more units at $0.70+c.

4. LMIR closed at $0.39 a unit. Like First REIT, this is an investment I have had for many years. My lowest entry price was $0.185 during the global financial crisis. I took part in its rights issue at $0.31 a unit. I also bought more nil-paid rights for total cost of $0.331 to $0.365 a unit.

5. Saizen REIT closed at $0.143 a unit. The history I have had with this REIT is somewhat bumpy. I increased my long position once again with a large purchase as its warrants reached their last day of trading not too long ago. Average price of that purchase $0.129.

I have collected many quarters of income distributions from these investments and my war chest is constantly being refilled. So, I constantly have funds to take advantage of any investment opportunities which might come along.

My strategy is to stay partially invested as we must also have cash to continue investing especially if Mr. Market decides to sell good quality stocks and trusts at bargain basement prices.

Recent efforts to invest in some companies instead of S-REITs have produced below average results. In fact, my poorly timed investments in China Minzhong and Wilmar, although relatively small, are a drag on my portfolio's performance. If I had stuck to my strategy of concentrating on S-REITs in recent times, my porfolio would have fared much better.

Of course, there would be people who disagree. Readers who comb the cyberspace for information would have, no doubt, come across some local blogs which vilify REITs. Well, everyone is entitled to his own opinions.

I have gotten somewhat tired of defending my position. Actually, why do I even need to defend my strategy? If people like it, they are welcome to follow. If they don't like it, don't follow. This is a free world. Just don't be rude.

I was never a savvy person with IT stuff and when I discovered blogging, I was like a child who discovered the sweetness of sugar. I got a sugar high. I have always enjoyed writing. So, I took to blogging like a fish to water. Also, as I age, I have developed an increasingly serious speech impediment. To a rather talkative person, this is an annoyance and makes blogging even more of an outlet of expression.

Making money from blogging was never a first thing on my mind. It came about later on when friends suggested that I could put some ads in my blog. I must say that I have been able to make some pocket money this way. Pocket money? Hey, Nuffnang pays me 20c for every click I get for ads they place on my blog. If my primary motivation for starting this blog is to make money, I must be seriously mental.

If I were to stop blogging tomorrow, what would I lose in monetary rewards?

Well, I have been thinking of taking a break from blogging and I have shared this thought here in my blog as well. There are other aspects of my life I would like to spend more time on. There are also people I would and should spend more time with. It is also quite obvious to regular readers that I have been blogging less frequently too.

We often hear of the saying that "this is the last straw that broke the camel's back". Well, I think I got another catalyst to stop blogging at least for a while earlier this evening.

To my regular readers, you know which blog posts I have here in my blog which would keep you squarely on your goal of financial freedom. Each time you waver, come back to my blog and go down the right sidebar. I would also be doing the same, no doubt. It is not easy to start but start we must. The journey is hard but go on we must. When we see the results of our effort, it would get easier and easier. Remember, if AK71 has done it, you can too.

To new readers, understand that we are all different. Not everyone can be a Warren Buffet or Donald Trump or Robert Kiyosaki. They have all taken their own paths to success. You should find your own. Reading my blog, if you feel that my way is something you would like to emulate, give it a go but know that everyone's circumstances are different. Set for yourself realistic goals. Take baby steps but you have to work towards building up passive income to a level that is equal to or exceeds your earned income. Then, you would have achieved financial freedom and you work because you want to and not because you have to.

In everything we do, there is an element of luck. Even Warren Buffet was wrong before. No one is God and even with Him, there is debate on things He might have done wrong. OK, this is a sign that I should stop. Yes, Father, I have sinned.

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The following was a blog post written on 28 November 2011 after talking to "ao" in LP's infamous cbox (Bully the Bear). It was never published... till now:

A reader asked me recently if I ever get tired of replying to comments in my blog, especially with skeptics aplenty when it comes to my investments in REITs. I told him that I am only human and I do feel tired sometimes.


Recently, I had lunch with the blogmaster of Time to Huat and another long time friend. They asked the same thing, almost. One of them said that some comments were almost repetitive and marvelled at my patience in replying to every comment even so.


To me, I feel that if a job is worth doing, it is worth doing well. How do we measure worth? In the world of blogging, at least to me, it is not measured in dollars and cents. I would be better off giving private tuition with my time, using such a measure.


When I started blogging, I took on certain responsibilities whether I knew it at that point in time or not. I am airing my thoughts in cyberspace. I am sharing ideas. Of course, there will be questions and also disagreements. What is a blogger to do? Face these squarely.


Being a blogger is like being a semi public figure. Semi public? Yes, we can choose to blog without revealing our true identity. I have gotten a taste of what it is like to be a semi public figure and I doubt I would ever want to be a public figure. So, although I have met a handful of readers and fellow bloggers so far, I have decided quite some time back to be more reclusive. I value my privacy too much to ever become a public figure.


Recently, I have been thinking again whether I should stop blogging altogether. My blog posts are usually crafted with care  So, it takes up a lot of time and I only have so much time...