From Debugging to Diversifying: A Software Engineer’s Investment Journey

Disclaimer: The views, thoughts and opinions expressed in this content solely belong to the author above: Ms Dalis Chan, and not of the organisation in which Ms Chan is employed at.

Meet Dalis Chan, a software engineer at Google who came to Singapore on a Ministry of Education ASEAN scholarship from Cambodia more than 10 years ago. Before she arrived here, Dalis had little knowledge about financial investments, as the topic was seldom discussed within her family. However, while in junior college, she was surrounded by peers who frequently conversed about financial investments, igniting her curiosity in the subject. She decided to take the plunge and invest her student savings into cryptocurrencies, the only form of financial investment open to her then as other forms of investments require larger minimum investment sums.

Lost Money on Crypto with Valuable Lessons Learnt

As a newcomer to the financial investing world, Dalis was eager to explore the potential opportunities in crypto trading. Fuelled by the allure of quick profits and the excitement surrounding the cryptocurrency market, she found herself overwhelmed by a sense of greed. Driven by the desire to make substantial gains within a short time span, Dalis made hasty and impulsive decisions without fully understanding the risks involved. The highly volatile nature of the cryptocurrency market proved to be unforgiving and Dalis lost more than half of her capital.
Instead of crying over spilt milk, Dalis viewed the setback as a valuable learning experience. Through this episode, she gained crucial insights about her investment preferences.

Dalis came to the realisation that active trading was not for her. The constant monitoring of financial charts, coupled with the unpredictable fluctuations in the market caused her significant stress and anxiety. This led to her reevaluating her investment approach, and she decided on a more stable and long-term strategy that is more aligned with her personality.

During this introspection, Dalis discovered that she was not a hands-on investor, preferring instead to focus on her career and pursuing other interests. She then explored managed funds, an investment vehicle that allows her to benefit from a professionally-managed portfolio.

Investing in Managed Funds

Dalis' successful internship at Google, while pursuing a computer science degree at NUS, culminated in her being offered permanent employment, an exciting opportunity which she embraced. Currently, Dalis diligently sets aside 40% of her salary for investment purposes.

Dalis is a firm believer in diversification, choosing to invest most of her savings in managed funds that track the S&P 500 index. With her background in the tech industry, she also sees potential in tech stocks, as they offer high returns with relatively lower risks. In addition, she maintains an interest in cryptocurrencies.

A Risk Taker as of Now but Not in the Future

As a single young working professional without heavy financial commitments like a mortgage or car loan, Dalis has a high-risk appetite. She enjoys the flexibility of pursuing a higher level of financial risks in her investment decisions.

Dalis is realistic about her long-term financial goals and understands that life events, such as purchasing a property and taking on a mortgage or starting a family, may necessitate a shift in her investment approach. In such situations, she plans to de-risk her investment portfolio to align with her future responsibilities and financial priorities.

Real Estate Investing

Dalis invested into land banking opportunities in Cambodia and has been considering diversifying her real estate exposure beyond her homeland by exploring REITs. However, she finds this investment vehicle to be less intuitive and more challenging to comprehend. While researching on real estate investments, she stumbled upon RealVantage, a co-investment platform that offers investors an opportunity to access the real estate sector with smaller financial outlays.

Dalis has since recommended the platform to her friend, reaping the benefits of RealVantage’s ongoing referral reward programme.

Investment Goals: Realising her Dreams of World Exploration

Dalis holds ambitious dreams for her future, and her investment goals are intrinsically tied to making these aspirations a reality. With a clear vision in mind, she aims to strategically grow her financial investments to create a path towards early retirement in her fifties, providing her with ample time to travel around the world.

To achieve this, Dalis recognises the importance of making well-informed investment decisions. With her high-risk appetite and willingness to diversify, she seeks to maximise the growth potential of her portfolio. By strategically allocating her resources across various investment avenues, she aims to leverage opportunities for robust returns over the years ahead.

About RealVantage

RealVantage is a leading real estate co-investment platform, licensed and regulated by the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS), that allows our investors to diversify across markets, overseas properties, sectors and investment strategies.

The team at RealVantage are highly qualified professionals who brings about a multi-disciplinary vision and approach in their respective fields towards business development, management, and client satisfaction. The team is led by distinguished Board of Advisors and advisory committee who provide cross-functional and multi-disciplinary expertise to the RealVantage team ranging from real estate, corporate finance, technology, venture capital, and startups growth. The team's philosophy, core values, and technological edge help clients build a diversified and high-performing real estate investment portfolio.

Get in touch with RealVantage today to see how they can help you in your real estate investment journey.

Disclaimer: The information and/or documents contained in this article does not constitute financial advice and is meant for educational purposes. Please consult your financial advisor, accountant, and/or attorney before proceeding with any financial/real estate investments.