If you look back to how the world was a century ago, the past is hardly recognizable compared to how things are at the present time. The automobile was still in its infant stages. Computers and television were decades away from being brought into existence. Infrastructure like freeways and modern office buildings were unimaginable.

The investment world was much different too. A global economy was not a reality as much of the world was carved up and controlled by colonial empires. The idea of a stock market drop in Asia affecting Europe or the Americas was a foreign concept.

We know change is inevitable and things that seem certain now might not be a reality in the 22nd Century. What investment trends can we expect to see in 100 years?

Here are a few ideas –

1. China overtakes United States as world economic leader:

Given its massive national debt and the current troubled state of its economy, the United States may eventually yield its spot as the de facto world economic leader. China owns much of the U.S. debt and the Chinese have the population base to sustain technological growth and overtake the United States and Japan in several critical industries. China’s own currency may even displace the U.S. dollar as the world reserve currency.

2. Technology rules the day:

No, we are not going to see flying cars that populate science fiction movies anytime soon. What we will see is a continued advance in things like nanotechnology and biotechnology. Advances in nanotechnology will revolutionize both health care and manufacturing. People will be healthier and many more will live past 100 – leading to overpopulation concerns.

3. Resource rich countries will boom:

The future will belong to countries like Canada and Russia rich in natural resources. Fresh water, rare earth metals and oil will be more valuable than gold to the global economy as burgeoning populations and technological advances create a need for them.

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There is more to investment than simply buying up tons of stocks. You need to have a sound investment plan and do your homework on the market before jumping in with both feet. Knowing what to buy and knowing when to buy are both crucial elements if you hope to build a rich and diverse portfolio.

If you are beginning your foray into investment, here some strategies that will help you succeed:

• Invest for the long term

No one can predict how the stock market will play out over a long period of time. You cannot time the market exactly right. Real money is made from being patient and spending several days with a stock you have purchased. If you enter and exit the market on a frequent basis, you could miss out on a chance to make a real profit beyond just a few hundred dollars.

• Put a margin of safety in place

You always need a buffer between the value of the stock and its actual price. A margin of safety helps protect your capital and prevents you from losing substantial money if your initial stock pick turns out to be a bad assessment. Purchasing a stock at a much lower price makes the stock market a less risky venture for a beginner and helps you remember the most important stock market rule: Don’t lose money.

• Know when to sell and when to wait

Quick selling is a bad strategy with stocks. But holding onto stocks indefinitely is an equally poor idea. The best way to approach the stock market is to study trends and act when the time is right. When you determine a stock’s initial value, come up with an exit price for that stock and stick to it. That means not going into panic mode and selling when the price dips a little. It also means not going crazy and selling every time a slight profit is in sight.

Sometimes things happen and you get to busy at the workplace and you could use some extra hands. Many people own vacation homes that are out of state and just can’t afford to keep them. Since homes aren’t exactly selling these days, people will opt to rent out their property.

Renting property is a great alternative when you can’t sell, but many times someone is required to be there to help collect rent, keeping up with the place and help the tenants with any problems or concerts.

This is where hiring a Las Vegas property management company would come in handy to help.

Property management companies can offer you several services. Choose the option that fits your needs and you’re good to go. Hiring a property management company means they will represent you.

Before hiring a property management company, it’s good to figure out what you need. For instance, you might just need someone to handle all the rent and have someone fill in as a go between you and the tenant.

Find some local property management companies in your area and see if there are any good recommendations. Most buildings will have a sign if they’re being run by a property management company and which one. If the building looks like it’s in great condition and doesn’t look run down, give them a call to get an appointment.
You can even have them check out your building and get an evaluation.

Another option would be to speak with the people at the Better Business Bureau about getting possible candidates for property management.

It’s not always easy renting out a home in a different state and you need to trust that your property management company has your best interests at heart. You have to be able to trust that they’ll do the job for you.