Canny ways to buck trend

AFTER a bull run in the property game for a decade and more, you might be forgiven for thinking the days of making a buck in bricks and mortar were over. Wrong. And, an hour or two spent with an enthusiastic gathering of self-motivated investors shows otherwise, and shows other investment options too for those prepared to take the odd financially-rewarding punt. Enter, thus, the ICES Group.

The what? A loose, but focused, gathering of investment-minded individuals, the ICES Group initially sounds cultish, and even perusing its website and its plethora of links to self-help books, goal setting agendas and positive thinking vibes makes it sound a bit left, or right, of centre.

But, a couple of hours spent at one of its monthly meetings in Dublin, Cork, Limerick or Galway (as this reporter has just done) show the seriousness of its purpose, as an informal forum where like-minded investors talk and tally figures with others of similar ilk, and where fledgling novitiates to making money also are made equally welcome.