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The money panel

JUNAB ALI, 58, retired, St. Petersburg

By TIMES STAFF WRITER
Published April 16, 2006

How did you get started in investing?

By watching my father as a child. My first investment was real estate. I was 18.

What is your best investment?

Residential real estate.

What is your worst investment?

Commercial real estate.

What have you learned about investing that you think all investors should know?

Learn all you can and don't be afraid to take the first step.

How would you describe your approach to investing?

I tend to be a little more aggressive than most people. If you're going to make some real money, you have to take a risk.

What do you find the most difficult about investing?

Knowing when to get out.

How are you invested?

Two-thirds in real estate and one-third in stocks and mutual funds.

What changes have you made in your investments in the past year?

In my mutual funds, I got into Eastern European and emerging markets very, very heavy and it has have been extremely rewarding - China, Eastern Europe, India, Latin America.

How did you make those changes?

I was with a mutual fund company that is very, very low cost, but they weren't doing much for me. So I went to another company with a higher fee, but they make me money.

Do you think now is a good time to invest?

It's always a good time to invest. You've got to be fully invested in something. Just what you want to be invested in is the question.

What is your goal for your investing?

Just financial independence to do what you want to do.

What is your biggest concern?

Short-term rates are approaching long-term rates, which means we may have a recession. I'm not worried about it, but that's what I think about - just because I want to take advantage of it.

Where do you get your investment tips?

I go everywhere online. Bankrate.com is excellent. Investopedia.com. I subscribe to Forbes.

[Last modified April 14, 2006, 22:05:03]