Interest rates are at historic lows. But they will rise eventually. If you invest in fixed-income vehicles, such as bonds, what might higher rates mean for you?

Ahwatukee is seeing an increase in real estate activity compared to the same time last year.

Last month, the Dow Jones Industrial Average hit a milestone, when, for the first time, it closed above 15,000. Of course, 15,000 is a nice, round number, and it sounds pretty big — but what does it mean to you, as an individual investor? Is it cause for celebration — or is it more of a “caution” flag?


Editor’s note: This is part two of a continuing summer series on the proposed South Mountain Loop 202 Freeway.

Dear Debt Adviser: I own my home and have no mortgage or note. I have no debts except a student loan of about $11,000, and I can pay that off right now. I’ve always wanted to be debt-free, and I could write a check tomorrow and do that.

After years in the doldrums, the housing market appears back on track. Home sales and prices are up, and mortgage rates remain near historic lows, reinvigorating the appeal of homeownership.

Having once again received the trifecta of AAA ratings from the three major bond rating agencies, the Maricopa Community Colleges are readying to sell $151 million in General Obligation Bonds to finance a variety of construction projects throughout Maricopa County.

I’m sure by now you’ve heard that we have a short supply of homes to sell. As I have been saying, this shortage is pushing up the price of homes that do go onto the market.

15815 S. 46th St., Suite 116

New Valley Church in Ahwatukee is offering Financial Peace University, a well-known program, for those wanting direction in how to save, spend and get out of debt.

Here’s a sobering statistic: 46 percent of workers surveyed had little or no confidence that they will have enough money to live comfortably throughout their retirement years, according to the 2010 Retirement Confidence Survey, issued by the Employee Benefit Research Institute. So you may want to explore all possible retirement savings vehicles —including a variable annuity.

You’re probably accustomed to measuring the progress of your investments, and the overall condition of the investment world, by checking on indexes such as the Dow Jones Industrial Average and the S&P 500. And since these types of benchmarks focus almost exclusively on American companies, you might get the idea that the best investments are located right here in the United States. But that impression would be false — because there is, literally, a world of investment opportunities beyond the U.S. borders.

As an investor, you want your money to grow so that you can achieve your important goals, such as a comfortable retirement or college for your children. But you may also invest to increase your cash flow. In fact, without a strong cash flow, you may be forced to dip into your growth-oriented investments to pay for short-term needs — and if you do this repeatedly, you could damage your prospects for attaining your long-term goals. That’s why you’ll want to look at different ways of boosting your cash flow — one of which may be premium bonds.

4425 E. Agave Road, Suite 136

You probably aren’t too worried about it, but April is Stress Awareness Month. Each year, the Health Resource Network sponsors this “month” to inform people about the dangers of stress and to share successful coping strategies. Obviously, it’s important to reduce stress in all walks of life — including your investment activities. How can you cut down on the various stresses associated with investing?

Next week, we observe Earth Day. First celebrated in 1970, Earth Day has grown into an international movement whose goal is to raise awareness of the need to take action to sustain a healthy, sustainable environment. You can do your part through recycling and other measures, but you can also apply some of the lessons of Earth Day to your financial situation — and, in particular, to your approach to investing.

Life is full of ups and downs — and the financial markets are no different. As an investor, you’re no doubt happy to see the “ups” — but the “downs” can seem like a real downer. Isn’t there any way to help smooth out the volatility in your investment portfolio?

The real estate market is improving dramatically according to real estate professionals, and those looking to get involved in the market can learn all about their options at the Arizona Homebuyers Expo this Saturday, April 13.

Arizona shoppers are getting a bit of a financial reprieve as prices for meat took an unexpected -- and potentially unexplained -- drop during the first quarter of the year.

While spring has sprung, here in the Valley it is beginning to feel more like summer. And with 100-degree days around the corner, many of us are beginning to think about where we will take refuge from the heat and how high our electric bills will climb.

636 E. Ray Road, Suite 8

4809 E. Thistle Landing Drive, Suite 100

Selling any home can be challenging, depending on the market. But if you have an old home and want to appeal to buyers in their 20s and early 30s, you may need to take some extra steps.

For all the flak that our state’s education system has taken over the years (I’ve dealt some of it), we proudly lead the nation in an important segment: career and technical education.

In an uncertain economy, it’s natural for people to “tighten their belts” by cutting down on their spending. And yet by having too much cash on hand today, you could actually slow your progress toward your financial goals of tomorrow.