Singapore Entrepreneurs Network & Startup Organization

Thank-you for introducing Kiva.

After spending a few hours reading about Kiva, I am convinced about their business model and have invested with 2 micro-businesses.

Hope that Kiva will eventually have a model that benefit the lenders, rather than just breakeven.

2010?  Better pay up and don't waste money on the interest.You should have bought those that has shorter waiting time.

Glad you find it a great avenue to change the world.   I understand there is
another group trying to do something similar and returning some interest to the investors, but
frankly, I can't trust them as they seem to be positioning themselves as a 'banker'  aka like
pay-pal and hoping to profit from it.

Granted, nothing wrong for social enterprise to make money, but I rather park my money with
people like kiva who are clear in their objectives and pure in their operation.  I donated to
thier salary & sushil fund (read their blog) to encourage them.

Are you keen to work together to help promote Kiva in our region?

I see that property prices are booming
here in Singapore and while this is happening
I'm wary of the potential bubble burst with the
recent development of some market corrections.

Anyone in favor of malaysia's properties?

Would like to hear from fellow investors in
our neighbouring country.

Vern

Latest Update.

Many things, only time can prove. The "Walton" type of salesman will preach that Land-Banking is a low risk high return (or something along this line) investment.  This is in actual fact something very misleading. Land-Banking is in truest fact a high risk high return investment.

Personally experience: a close friend had bought into Walton Land-Banking for about 7-9 years, and at the end he has difficulty finding buyers and eventually had to cut loss to let go his piece.

I've met the founder of IP Global, not a bad guy, but I'm not impress by the properties they market.

I did checkout some of their projects in HCMC, Vietnam. 

For one project, it's right in the middle of the Chinatown....mind you, the HCM chinatown is rather different from chinatown in the major South East Asia capital cities.  There is not way to get their projected returns from rental as no expats will want to rent in the area and locals won't pay high rent for the area since it's not the area of growth.

Redevelopment of the area will be slow and will face much resistence from locals.  Their projected returns is only possible via inflation.

Another project is on the southern bank, but was sold out by the time I learn about it.  There are more potential for capital appreciation but greater markup by IP Global too.

It seem to me that IP's model is to request a number of units from developers to market globally.  They put a huge mark-up on the projects since most of their clients are unable to access the project directly. They pick fast growing fast cities and is probably possible to show some good returns on some projects, but having no control over the projects they market is too much a risk to me.

Remember, good projects in HCM were flipped many times by locals within weeks after launch.  The projects marketed by IP won't even sell locally in HCM....

Anybody Keen in Land Investment in a G8 Country, 15-20% Annual return and exit 4-7 years?