Sunday, March 3, 2013

Added Sun Communities (SUI)


As I wrote back in November, I removed the INVRLPRA:CN fund because it wasn’t meeting expectations. And I felt there were better opportunities for income and growth in the residential REIT sector. So on January 18, I added Sun Communities, Inc. (SUI) to the portfolio.
More and more families are recovering from foreclosure and looking for affordable housing. Plus many Boomers are viewing manufactured home communities as an attractive retirement lifestyle. With all that, I think Sun could be a real winner.
Sun Communities owns, operates, and develops manufactured housing communities in the mid-western, southern, and southeastern United States. As of February 21, 2013, it owned and operated a portfolio of 183 communities comprising approximately 52,800 developed sites. Through its subsidiary, Sun Home Services, Inc., the company markets, sells, and leases new and pre-owned homes. Sun Communities, Inc. was founded in 1975 and is headquartered in Southfield, Michigan.
You can read more about Sun Communities on the company’s web site.
Here’s where the REITs in the e-FinancialWriter portfolio stand as of Friday’s close, not including dividends.

REIT

Sector

Blog date

 Price

 Price 03/01/13

RTD* %

Yield %

PSA

Self storage


90.75

151.95

67.44

3.29








VTR

Health care


52.87

71.26

34.78

3.76

HCP

Health care


36.81

48.9

32.84

4.3

HCN

Health care


47.53

64.62

35.96

4.74








IAECREIN:CN

Canada


 19.45cn

26.58cn

36.66

0

ZRE:CN

Canada


 16.29cn

20.97cn

28.73

4.64




 





Retail


27.18

34.56

27.15

 4.57

NNN 








SUI

Res.

 03/03/13

47.43 

46.97 

-0.97

5.37

Avg yield of REITs in portfolio






3.26
Source: Bloomberg  *Does not include dividends paid
If you have trouble seeing the chart, just in zoom in with your web browser.
Enjoy your weekend!
George
P.S. Would you like to know the moment I post something? If so, just submit your e-mail address in the box in the upper right of this blog post.  




Women can expect to pay 20% to 40% more for long-term care insurance starting in 2014

 
A provision within Obamacare will prevent health insurance companies from charging women higher premiums than men beginning in 2014. However, it doesn’t apply to long-term care insurance. And the country’s largest provider, Genworth Financial, recently said it will start boosting its prices based on gender this spring.
Bonnie Burns, a policy specialist at California Health Advocates, a Medicare advocacy and education organization, stated: "Gender pricing is good for insurance companies. But it’s bad public policy, and it's bad for women."

Genworth says the new pricing reflects the fact that women receive two of every three claims dollars. The change will affect only women who buy new individual policies, or about 10% of all purchasers, according to the company. The new rates won't be applied to existing policyholders or those who apply as a couple with their husbands.
Experts say they expect other long-term-care insurers will soon follow suit. And women’s premiums may increase by 20% 40% under the new pricing policy.

In A Boomer’s Guide to Long-term Care I point out why a woman is at greater risk. And I lay out what to look for when shopping for a policy and offer several ways you can reduce your premium cost. Plus I give you several alternatives to consider if you can’t get insurance or simply find it unaffordable.

Best wishes,
George

P.S. You can download a copy of A Boomer’s Guide to Long-term Care for just $9.95, or order a paperback copy today.