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The Optivest Blog

US & World Economy –

The rapid rise in the 10-year Treasury interest rate from 1.6% to 3% has rippled through the financial and real estate worlds. Bond portfolios got crushed, stocks dropped then rebounded and residential and commercial real estate appreciation has stalled. In response, the Fed has delayed the action that caused the rise (reducing its monthly bond repurchases) as they are concerned with not harming the improving economy. The financial markets are digesting all of this as well, and the 10-year Treasury yield has backed down to 2.65% for now.

(As reported in Entreprenuer.com on July 16, 2013)

What’s your number?

It seems that we all have a number in mind, whether realistic or not, that if we get there, our financial future would be secure and we could retire without worry. For many this “number” keeps growing and forever seems out of reach. For some this number is “a little bit more,” even though they have long passed their requirements for a comfortable retirement.

After more than 30 years of working with investors and retirees, I have perfected a formula that works for families looking into the future. As you approach retirement and you are taking care of only you and a spouse (children raised and parents are not a financial burden) then the following formula is a realistic target:

US & World Economy –

US consumers have kept the American economy slowly moving forward despite the weakness in our exports and the “sequester and tax” policies. Job growth has finally resumed, giving hope for a stronger second-half of the year economy. China’s slow down in growth (particularly in infrastructure and real estate) has contributed to a drop in commodities. Europe is emerging from its “double dip” recession after choosing austerity vs. US-style stimulus and remains vulnerable to set-backs as their unemployment remains at record levels.

DANA POINT, CA– (Marketwired – Jul 10, 2013) – Optivest Properties, a property acquisition and management company specializing in mini-storage warehouse and an affiliate of Optivest, announced today that they have joined Northwest Self Storage of Ore. and SecurCare Self Storage of Lone Tree, Colo. to form National Storage Affiliates (NSA), the first affiliate-owned and operated self-storage REIT (real estate investment trust).

NSA now has more than $800 million in committed asset value and is owned by its affiliate operators, who will contribute the ownership of their self-storage assets to NSA over the next few years, as current mortgage debt matures. The formation of NSA, a Maryland real estate investment trust, will make it the largest privately-owned company in the self-storage sector, with approximately 220 facilities, 100,000 storage units and 12.5 million rentable square feet of space located in 15 states.  READ MORE: Marketwired

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(As reported in the North Dallas Gazette on May 8, 2013)
By: Mark Van Mourick

When selling a business, owners time their exits for many reasons: health, retirement planning, availability or lack of family successors, competition, technology change and many more. Yet overwhelmingly the question most often asked of financial advisors by entrepreneurial companies is “what’s my business worth?”

Mark Van Mourick, CEO and president of Optivest, Inc., provides five tips to help enhance the value of a business: 

US & World Economy –

Animal spirits are back! With Europe in a mild but stable recession, China on an upswing, US housing starts and prices rising (Case Shiller Index up 8.1% over the last 12 months ending in January – best since 2006), and the Dow Jones and S&P 500 both making new all-time highs, consumers and businesses alike are feeling better. Consider these new economic levels:  the stock market at new highs from 2007, S&P 500 quarterly earnings at new highs, US household net-worth at a new high ($69 trillion vs. $67 trillion), and household debt service to income ratios at a 30 year low (J.P. Morgan).

US & World Economy –

The world breathed a sigh of relief after the recent Fiscal Cliff vote and all of us are happy to remove that phrase from our vocabulary. The US economy is in good shape to absorb the changes to the taxes and likely debt ceiling outcome (more on
that below) and according to most economists, should grow at 1.5 – 2.2% in 2013. In other words, more of the same slow growth we have experienced for the past couple of years. Regardless, a serious cloud has been lifted and businesses can now plan with greater confidence. In addition, China’s economy and US housing starts are building strength and will help the economy this year. While there is always something to worry about, the scope of our problems have become smaller over the last few years.

US & World Economy –

While the US economy continues to slowly grow, all eyes are on the election and the 2013 “fiscal cliff”. Job growth has stalled and productivity per employee has little room to grow. We seem to be treading water with Europe’s recession pulling us down and a slightly faster growing Asia pulling us up.  Corporate cash holdings are at high levels as businesses continue to be cautious. The wait is almost over.

US & World Economy –

Weak second quarter job growth and earnings have dominated recent headlines. After a healthy 226,000 per month average job growth in the first quarter of 2012, a measly 80,000 jobs per month were added in the second quarter of 2012 – stalling the decline in the unemployment rate (currently 8.2%). Corporate earnings growth is also slowing. Combined with the start of a recession in Europe, this resulted in a strengthening dollar and weak commodities. The price of oil dropped, despite the continued rumbling from Iran. Add the continuing drama from Greece and Spain and you end up with heightened volatility in the financial markets and lack of confidence from investors.

US & World Economy –

What a difference a few months can make! Last year’s fears of double-dip recessions and Greek tragedies have given way to large job growths (636,000 job gains in the first quarter), improved investor confidence, and the best first quarter for the S&P 500 in 14 years (up 12.6%). The question is will this growthcontinue or peter out like it did after the spring gains in 2011 and 2010? With a large Band-Aid on Europe, a 7.5% soft landing in China and continued modest growth in the US (2 – 2.5% GDP), we expect the economy and financial markets to churn mostly sideways through the Fall, and not experience the 16-18% mid-year drops of the previous two years.