When conventional investments like property or stocks and bonds grow tiresome, more exotic financial pursuits may beckon those who like to enjoy the eccentricities of life. These investments bring about a sense of exhilaration and a pride of ownership that few others can.
Needless to say, excitement and performance are not necessarily correlated, so one must consider that some of these investments could bring about a poor return. Therefore, if you are looking for low risk, you might be better off looking elsewhere.
Racehorses
Though this venture is quite thrilling, it isn’t the safest way to invest your capital. There is a lot of knowledge involved in breeding and training horses, so buying a horse outright is a foolish move for the average investor. However, there are a number of partnerships that allow you to invest a small stake in return for a portion of the earnings of a horse that is raised and trained by professionals.One of the most famous stables of partnership-owned racehorses is Team Valor, whose horses earned more than USD $3.2 million in 2006. A typical upfront investment will be in the $12,500 to $22,500 range, and will allow you to join in on the winnings.
Other racehorse partnerships include Starview Stable in New York and Country Life Farm in Maryland.
On top of the initial investment, you will have to pay for your share of the care and training of your horse. This will generally put you back a few thousand dollars per year.
The key point when choosing a partnership is to pick one that has a history of success. Raising and training horses takes skill and years of experience.
Vintage wines
If you’re a wine connoisseur, you might consider becoming a collector as well. Global demand for premium wines has been rising steadily over the years, making them easy to find and purchase.With age, fine wines mature and improve; thus, unlike many other commodities, they don’t depreciate over time.
That said, not all wines are suitable for investment. However, if you are knowledgeable about wines or have access to such know-how, investing in them can be very profitable.
Classic cars
For the car lover, buying a classic automobile can be a satisfying investment choice. Unless you are into restoring cars yourself, however, this may not be a big moneymaking investment. But take comfort in the fact that you possess something truly unique that will not sap the money out of you.It may surprise you, but eBay is a great resource for finding classic automobiles.
Art and antiques
Looking for a special piece for your living room table? Some people choose to pick up art and furniture when they travel to exotic places around the globe. Others prefer to pick up selected pieces at an auction.Sotheby’s and Christie’s are two top auction houses that will allow you to acquire fine art and antiques. They hold auctions at various times and locations throughout the year.
As a casual investor, you can subscribe to have a catalog sent to you and put in a bid if anything tickles your interest.
The important thing is to know the value of the item you are bidding on before the auction. There are no refunds if you overpay.
Film
If you have an interest in the performing arts, film or theater investments generally involve a tidy sum, depending on the scale of the production.Films can be shot on a tight budget, sometimes for as little as a few tens of thousands of dollars. But they can cost much more depending on the number of locations, the amount of time and the equipment needed.
If you are interested in helping to fund a film or theater production, contact your local film board. Another way to get involved is to contact a producer directly to see what is in the pipeline. The contact information for notable professionals can be accessed with a subscription to IMDbpro.com.
For films that have already been shot, you can buy regional distribution rights at a film festival, such as the New York Film Festival, the Toronto International Film Festival or even the Cannes Film Festival.
Technology ventures
The risk is high, but the return can be enormous. By serving as an angel investor or a venture capitalist, you might help to uncover the next “big” thing.There are many inventors out there who are looking for funding, and you might be the right person to step in and help out.
If you are looking for a good project to invest in, registering with a network of angel investors is often a great way to get started. These investors are routinely approached to provide financing in the USD $500,000 to $1 million range.
If you want to contact inventors directly, an inventor advisory firm such as DonDebelak.com might be able to set you up with a suitable candidate. Other resources include Inventors’ Digest, a magazine and online resource for inventors.
Keep in mind that you should research the inventor and the intellectual property rights before you dive in.
off the beaten investment path
Exotic investments generally suffer from a common problem: They are reasonably illiquid. That means that they are harder to sell than your average stock or bond, and flipping them for a quick buck can often be difficult. However, the satisfaction and pleasure you will derive from investing in something you are passionate about will likely make it worth every penny.Resources:
http://teamvalor.com/getstarted.htm
http://www.inventorsdigest.com/ME2/Default.asp
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