With the pandemic forcing many working professionals to adapt and change their business strategies in order to keep up and survive in the current economic climate, some have started to look into new and developing trends.
Many savvy young entrepreneurs and investors are finding new ways to overcome the challenges that remote working and restrictions have thrown their way, investing using technology and smartphones and taking advantage of current market opportunities in order to come out of the other end of the tunnel with a stronger financial portfolio.
Interested in getting involved with investment while you have some additional free time on your hands? Want to come out of the pandemic with a better grip on your finances? To help get you inspired, here are a few examples of popular investment trends worth exploring in 2021.
Simple smartphone investing
If you’re completely new to investment, and unsure of where to start, then there are a huge number of different smartphone apps and services that you might be able to take advantage of. According to Yahoo Finance, the pandemic has bred a new generation of young people in their 20’s and 30’s, learning about investment markets and using their saved money in order to start building up a modest portfolio of their own. Some of the most popular trading platforms in terms of stocks at the moment are Trading 212, and RobinHood if you are in the US. If you want to test the waters without actually putting in any money of your own, most of these platforms also have a simulation mode, too.
Want to invest passively as you go about your everyday life? MoneyBox is another example of a smart app that rounds up change from small, incremental purchases (such as train fares, coffee etc.) and puts it into an investment profile on your behalf. This way, you can put your spare cash back to work for you right away while you focus on the things that matter.
The ‘Virtual Viewing’ – Long-term remote investment strategies
Property investment is often looked upon by investors as a strong, long-standing investment, one that’s tactile and more secure than more volatile options like stocks and shares. With the pandemic restricting travel – and thus property viewings as a result – you might think that the property market has staggered as a result, but in some areas there are still plenty of opportunities to secure potentially lucrative real estate at below-market value.
In order to bypass the remote issue, some forward-thinking companies are using VR technology to provide investors with a first-person perspective on their apartment/home, all from their front room. It might not be identical to the real thing, but it’s a clever solution that goes one step further from just the standard blueprints or CGI images.
Tip – Again, if you’re completely new to investing, property might seem like something a bit too advanced to look into on your own, but there are plenty of guides out there to help you get to grips with the specifics, depending on the area or property type that you might be interested in. Award-winning UK company RWinvest offer a wide range of different mobile-friendly materials that you can have a look at completely free, from detailed guides and videos going over some of the basics of the property market, to podcasts that you can listen to while working or doing something totally different.
As long as you’re getting your information from a trustworthy and reputable source, there is an abundance of information out there! Remember though, only you know your financial situation, and whether or not you have the right amount of capital available to tie up in an investment strategy.
An eco-friendly future
Those interested in property investment as a long-term investment strategy will also want to pay attention to the growing number of eco-friendly property developments, setting the standard for the future of city living, and integrating modern facilities and trends that will surely become a normalcy in the years to come. Element Developments, for example, is focusing on city-centre luxury apartments that aim to reduce carbon emissions through technology-driven means. Facilities in their flagship ELEMENT- The Quarter development in Liverpool include eco-lighting, heaters, solar paneling, and even an intricate rainwater system that recycles naturally collected water in order to aid plumbing.