Investing should be a continuous process. I’m not just referring to equities and fixed income vehicles. Real estate and alternative investments should be part of your overall strategy. In the low interest rate environment we’ve lived in for the last decade, as well as for the foreseeable future, the push for investments which produce income has become paramount.

Diversification should be an important component of your strategy. Real estate investments should consist of properties which provide rental income, mortgage funds which yield interest income, private and public reits and properties which are being developed for resale. While I’m comfortable investing in reits and mortgage funds, I invest through property managers for my investments in rental properties and properties being developed for resale. I don’t have the expertise and time to do this personally.

You should decide what percentage of your investment portfolio you need to hold in fixed income investments. When investing in equities, you need to consider the mix between small cap and large cap companies, the split between Canadian, US and international companies, the appropriate mix of industries and how important it is to receive dividend income.

Investing is a marathon, not a sprint. You need a strategy and patience. You have to continually revisit all aspects of your investments. It’s your money and your responsibility to achieve the best results in your personal situation.