Since starting my investment in Saizen REIT in the later half of 2009 at a price of 13c/unit, the REIT gained in market value and I also received income distributions from the REIT twice. However, the totally unforeseen triple disaster of earthquake, tsunami and the following nuclear power plant crisis wrecked a steadily improving picture.
As I was consistently buying more units in the REIT, to say that I was not in the least mentally or emotionally affected would be untrue. Some were asking me to dump my investment in the REIT, painting horrific images. Some left comments in my blog with words to the same effect and more. Also, news that countries around the world were asking their citizens to leave Japan (due to perceived radiation risks) didn't help.
However, throughout the crisis, I tried to stay calm and rational and, by my own standards, I did it fairly well. I analysed the situation early on and came up with a worst case scenario which suggested that at 13c/unit, the REIT was oversold by panic stricken investors. I stood by my analysis and the fact that insiders were buying reinforced my belief that the unit price was at a floor, if not the bottom.
I could stay calm and rational partly because I was not using any borrowed money or money which I would need in a hurry elsewhere. That we should never invest using borrowed funds or funds needed in the near future is an important principle for all investors.
Some friends would say that I have an added advantage of sitting on a thick cushion of investment gains and dividends accumulated since late 2009. This is, perhaps, true, since at the back of my mind, I knew that I would not be losing any of my capital in the crisis even if the unit price were to weaken further.
The REIT's fundamental and technical pictures have altered somewhat due to the disasters. These changes, I mentioned in an earlier blog post. Read it
here. As an investor, we must not be stubborn and I recognise the new reality for what it is and decided to reduce exposure to the REIT when the time is right. When would this be? I have mentioned in a few blog posts that 15c would be the resistance to watch as the gap closes.
Divesting my investment in Saizen REIT partially when it tested and broke support turned resistance at 15c today was something quite mechanical for me. It was the thing to do and I did it. I am not one to be married to my investments.
What does this say about me? I never like selling at supports or what I perceive to be supports. Even in a downtrend, prices would go down a river of hope and selling in rebounds and, hopefully, at resistance is the thing to do.
Does the partial divestment of my investment in Saizen REIT mean that I am turning my back on the REIT? No. I have not closed my position in the REIT, merely lightened it. I remain vested and might even add to my position if the unit price should weaken once more.
Although the partial divestment has erased some of my investment gains, my overall portfolio remains in the black and my capital is intact. Rebuilding my investment gains means that the game is once again afoot.
Oh, if you are wondering what the good news for Saizen REIT is, they have announced a plan which could possibly see YK Shintoku, the last portfolio with a CMBS, unencumbered by end of May 2011. Details? I am going to be lazy here. Please read the announcement
here.
Related post:
Saizen REIT: Staying calm and rational.