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Highlights of the June 2008 Issue of MONEY
[Full stories also available online at www.CNNMoney.com]
THE ONLY SEVEN INVESTMENTS YOU NEED, by Michael Sivy, Carla Fried, Carolyn Bigda, and George Mannes, page 72
Yes, it's a tough market, but don't assume you need more "weapons" in your portfolio. Now more than ever, don't complicate your strategy. Simplify it.
The big myth in investing is this: Managing your portfolio in this market is some kind of complicated, arcane science. Best advice: Turn off the noise and focus on your true goals. You'll make better decisions if you hold your investments to a number small enough to track and understand easily, but large enough that you're not putting all your eggs in one economic basket. Seven investments is all it takes. MONEY outlines them for you.
SPECIAL REPORT: REAL ESTATE SURVIVAL GUIDE
POSTCARDS FROM THE EDGE, by Pat Regnier, page 80
People in L.A. are coping in ways they never imagined with a housing bust they never saw coming. Like it or not, California's reputation as a national trendsetter is going to remain intact.
In MONEY's annual special report on real estate, you'll see how homeowners in the greater L.A. area are coping and how the drama might play out here and in your hometown too.
THE 100 BIGGEST U.S. MARKETS, page 92
The state of home prices, what's in store for the year ahead — and when the worst will be over. MONEY outlines it all.
HOUSE RULES, by Amanda Gengler, page 95
Whether you're buying or selling, the real estate game has changed. To win, you've got to learn a new playbook.
Five rules if you're buying:
- You can't time the bottom; you can pick a great house
- One reason to buy now: mortgage rates
- Another reason to buy: rates on big mortgages
- Don't buy cheap; buy good schools
- Make sure your agent has your interest at heart
Five rules if you're buying:
- Get real about price
- Vet your agent — especially if it's you
- Pimp your house — hire a home stager
- Cash will make your home look even better
- Underwater? Learn to swim
REAL ESTATE'S NEXT EVOLUTION, by Stephen Gandel, page 98
This post-bubble, credit-crunched market won't last forever. Coming on strong are new trends that will reshape tastes in homes and transform how you buy and sell. Here's what lies ahead.
One thing, at least, is certain about real estate: At some point — not this year and maybe not next year, but someday — housing prices will start to come back. Real estate values may not be where they were at the market peak in early 2006, but homes will once again look like a safe place to put your money. Still, you shouldn't kid yourself. The real estate market will not go back to the way it was before the bubble. We have learned too much. MONEY details what the next stage of real estate might look like.
FEATURES
HOW TO SEE THE REBOUND COMING, by Janice Revell, page 106
Sooner or later the economy and the markets will take a decisive turn for the better. Good things will happen to those who spot the moment first.
So what are the surefire signs that we're bouncing back? The only honest answer, of course, is that there are no 100% surefire signs. In every cycle there are wild cards that can trump even the best predictions. On the other hand, history shows that some hints of renewal are far more reliable than others. At least one of them is worth watching in every market that matters to you, from stocks to real estate to jobs. MONEY tells you where to find these harbingers of economic spring, why they work, and how you can make the best use of them.
BIG-PICTURE GUY, Interview by Eric Schurenberg, page 114
The godfather of global investors, George Soros retired as a multibillionaire. But now he's back, hedging his wealth against what he calls the worst economic crisis in 75 years.
Soros retired in 2000 from running hedge funds and delegated control over a large part of his endowment fund to outside managers. But when subprime defaults began to ricochet around the world, he decided, at 77, to start investing again and to put his take on the crisis into a book, The New Paradigm for Financial Markets. This is his interview with MONEY Managing Editor Eric Schurenberg.
THE HIGH COST OF A GREEN DREAM, by Paul Keegan, page 116
It seemed like a fantasy project to renovate their new home in an environmentally sensitive way. Reality is costing them more green than they could have imagined.
A D.C.-based couple bought a four-bedroom Capitol Hill townhouse that they decided to gut and make as green as green could get: from energy-saving light fixtures and appliances down to the framing, plumbing and insulation. But going green, the couple are now discovering, can quickly land you in the red. MONEY explores the cost of going green.
DEPARTMENTS
START: Funding Your Candidate How to get the most out of giving to your favorite pol. Your Money & Your Life Want to be rich? Don't get too happy. PLAN: Are You Ready to Manage Mom and Dad's Money? Even if you think you have everything covered — especially if — you'd better read this. Do It Now Eight cost-effective ways to clear out your clutter. Savings and Credit Turbulence ahead for airline cards. INVEST: How to Thrive in a Barren Market Stocks have been stranded for a decade. But times like these require the resolve to forge ahead — despite the pain. The Answer Guy Is portfolio insurance legit? And why not invest a 401(k) for the short term? Sivy on Stocks A sigh of relief from stock buyers. SPEND: The Power of Induction Ultimate kitchen upgrade: the new cooktop that boils water twice as fast but won't burn kids' fingers. Best-Picture Nominees A new wave of camcorders can maximize video for high-def TV.
MONEY is available in digital format. To access this version go to http://digital.money.com
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For further information please contact:
Brett LeVecchio
212-522-0361
Brett_LeVecchio@timeinc.com
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