Latest news with #LeeBaker
BBC News
19-05-2025
- BBC News
Skegness caravan fire deaths of dad and daughter inquest opens
A father and his daughter who died in a fire at a Lincolnshire caravan park were killed by smoke inhalation, an inquest Baker, 48, and daughter Esme Baker, 10, from Retford, Nottinghamshire, died at Golden Beach Holiday Park, in Ingoldmells, near Skegness, on 5 a tribute, their family said last month they had been "excited to be spending the first weekend of the holidays together" .The inquests into their deaths were opened at Lincolnshire Coroner's Court by coroner Paul Smith and adjourned until 5 October. Mr Smith confirmed post-mortem examinations had been carried out on 11 April and the medical cause of both deaths were "inhalation of the products of combustion".Mr Baker had worked as a self-employed plasterer and was originally from Doncaster but had been living in Retford, the coroner an investigation into the blaze, Lincolnshire Police said the fire was "accidental". Listen to highlights from Lincolnshire on BBC Sounds, watch the latest episode of Look North or tell us about a story you think we should be covering here.
CNBC
08-05-2025
- Business
- CNBC
Americans believe real estate, gold are the best long-term investments. They're wrong, advisors say
Some Americans believe real estate and gold are the best long-term investments. Advisors think that's misguided. About 37% of surveyed U.S. adults view real estate as the best investment for the long haul, according to a new report by Gallup, a global analytics and advisory firm. That figure is roughly unchanged from 36% last year. Gold was the second-most-popular choice, with 23% of surveyed respondents. That's five points higher than last year. To compare, just 16% put their faith in stocks or mutual funds as the best long-term investment — a decline of six percentage points from 2024's report, Gallup found. The firm polled 1,006 adults in early April. Here's a look at other stories impacting the financial advisor business. Financial advisors caution that this preference is likely more about buzz than fundamentals. Be careful about getting caught up in the hype, said certified financial planner Lee Baker, the founder, owner and president of Claris Financial Advisors in Atlanta. Carolyn McClanahan, a CFP and founder of Life Planning Partners in Jacksonville, Florida, agreed: "People are always chasing what's hot, and that's the stupidest thing you could do." Here's what investors need to know about gold and real estate, and how to incorporate them in your portfolio. Baker understands why people like the idea of real estate and gold: Both are tangible objects versus stocks. "You buy a house, you can see it, feel it, touch it. Your investment in stocks perhaps doesn't feel real," said Baker, a member of CNBC's Financial Advisor Council. While the preference for gold grew this year, the share of Gallup respondents who think it's the best long-term investment is still below the record high of 34% in 2011. Back then, gold investors sought refuge amid high unemployment, a crippled housing market and volatile stocks, Gallup noted. Gold prices have been trending upward this spring. Spot gold prices hit an all-time high of above $3,500 per ounce in late April. One year ago, prices were about $2,200 to $2,300 an ounce. Real estate has also drawn more interest in recent years amid high demand from buyers and accelerating prices. The median sale price for an existing home in the U.S. in March was $403,700, according to Bankrate. That is down from the record high of $426,900 in June. While real estate and gold are two assets that can appreciate in value over time, the stock market will generally grow at a much higher rate, experts say. The annualized total return of S&P 500 stocks is 10.29% over the 30-year period ending in April, per Morningstar Direct data. Over the same time frame, the annualized total return for real estate is 8.78% and for gold, 7.38%. McClanahan also points out that unlike gold and real estate, stocks are diversified assets, meaning you're spreading out your cash versus concentrating it into one investment. "When you talk about stocks, you're not talking about one big asset," she said. "You're talking about thousands and thousands of companies that do different things." McClanahan is also a member of the CNBC FA Council. While the tangibility of gold and real estate may provide a sense of comfort, it also makes them illiquid, or difficult to cash out, McClanahan said. If you are among the Americans that want exposure to real estate or gold, there are different ways to do it wisely, experts say. For real estate, financial advisors say investors might look into real estate investment trusts, also known as REITs, or consider investments that bundle real estate stocks, like exchange-traded funds. An REIT is a publicly traded company that invests in different types of income-producing residential or commercial real estate, such as apartments or office buildings. In many cases, you can buy shares of publicly traded REITs like you would a stock, or shares of a REIT mutual fund or exchange-traded fund. REIT investors typically make money through dividend payments. Real estate mutual funds and exchange-traded funds will typically invest in multiple REITs and in the real estate market broadly. It's even more diversified than investing in a single REIT. Either way, you're exposed to real estate without concentrating into a single property, and it will help diversify your portfolio, McClanahan said. Similar to gold — instead of stocking up on gold bullions, consider investing in gold through ETFs. That way you avoid having to deal with finding a place to store or hide physical gold, you wash off the stress of it getting stolen or making sure it's covered by your home insurance policy, experts say. "With the ETF, you actually get the value of the return of gold, but you don't actually own it," McClanahan said.
Yahoo
08-04-2025
- Yahoo
Caravan fire that killed father and daughter, 10, was 'accidental', investigation finds
A tragic blaze at a caravan park close to Skegness, which resulted in the deaths of a father and his young daughter, has been declared "accidental" following an investigation. Lincolnshire Police were called to the privately-owned caravan within Golden Beach Holiday Park on Roman Bank, Ingoldmells, at around 3.53am last Saturday. Two people were confirmed dead, who were later named as 48-year-old Lee Baker and his daughter Esme Baker, 10, who were from the Nottingham area. READ MORE: Morrisons confirms closure of 17 stores - full list and dates READ MORE: 'I thought it was game over, I will never step foot in Benidorm or Spain again' Join the Manchester Evening News WhatsApp group HERE In their latest update, Lincolnshire Police said: "We are today (Tuesday 8 April) able to share the findings of our Lincolnshire Fire & Rescue colleagues, now that their investigations are complete. "Following the fire that tragically claimed the lives of two people, Lee Baker, 48, and Esme Baker, 10, the cause has been determined as accidental. "As is standard practice, Lincolnshire Police are still investigating the circumstances in order to prepare a file for the coroner." --- Day in day out, our reporters in the Manchester Evening News newsroom bring you remarkable stories from all aspects of Mancunian life. However, with the pace of life these days, the frenetic news agenda and social media algorithms, you might not be getting a chance to read it. That's why every week our Features and Perspectives editor Rob Williams brings you Unmissable, highlighting the best of what we do - bringing it to you directly from us. Make sure you don't miss out, and see what else we have to offer, by clicking here and signing up for MEN Daily News. And be sure to join our politics writer Jo Timan every Sunday for his essential commentary on what matters most to you in Greater Manchester each week in our newsletter Due North. You can also sign up for that here. You can also get all your favourite content from the Manchester Evening News on WhatsApp. Click here to see everything we offer, including everything from breaking news to Coronation Street. If you prefer reading our stories on your phone, consider downloading the Manchester Evening News app here, and our news desk will make sure every time an essential story breaks, you'll be the first to hear about it. And finally, if there is a story you think our journalists should be looking into, we want to hear from you. Email us on newsdesk@ or give us a ring on 0161 211 2920.
Yahoo
08-04-2025
- Yahoo
Fire that killed girl and dad was 'accidental'
A caravan fire that killed a young girl and her father was accidental, an investigation has found. Lee Baker, 48, and his daughter Esme Baker, 10, died at Golden Beach Holiday Park, in Ingoldmells, Skegness, on Saturday. In a statement, Lincolnshire Police said investigations carried out by the fire service had been completed, adding: "The cause has been determined as accidental." The victims were from the Nottingham area and had been "excited to be spending the first weekend of the holidays together", their family said in a tribute released on Sunday. Emergency services were called to the park just before 04:00 BST. The caravan was privately owned, police said. Lincolnshire Police added that officers were still investigating the full circumstances of the fire in order to prepare a file for the coroner, but said this was standard practice. Listen to highlights from Lincolnshire on BBC Sounds, watch the latest episode of Look North or tell us about a story you think we should be covering here. Father and daughter who died in caravan fire named Two dead after caravan fire at holiday park Lincolnshire Police
Yahoo
06-04-2025
- Yahoo
Girl, 10, and father, who died in caravan park fire in Lincolnshire named
Two people who died following a fire at a caravan site near Skegness have been named by police. Lincolnshire Police said 48-year-old Lee Baker and his 10-year-old daughter Esme Baker, both from the Nottingham area, were killed in the blaze. However, formal identification is still yet to take place and "could take some time", the force said. Emergency services were alerted to a fire at Golden Beach Holiday Park, in the village of Ingoldmells, at 3.53am on Saturday. In a statement issued through police, a member of the Baker family said: "Lee and Esme were excited to be spending the first weekend of the holidays together. "We are all utterly devastated at what's happened. "This loss is incomprehensible at the moment, and we ask for people to give us space to process this utterly heartbreaking loss." A GoFundMe page set up for the victims' family described the father and daughter as "two peas in a pod" who were "both happy-go-lucky people who loved life". It has so far raised more than £3,000. The police force, together with Lincolnshire Fire & Rescue, are continuing to investigate the cause of the blaze. Detective Inspector Lee Nixon said: "We believe we might be close to arriving at a working hypothesis. "We are working hard to validate the facts available to us to be able to provide answers for the family and loved ones of those who were very tragically taken by this fire. "Yet the evident intensity of the fire has made this task incredibly challenging." Dan Moss, from Lincolnshire Fire & Rescue, said: "Our thoughts and deepest condolences are with the family at this time. "Our Fire Investigation Team is working with colleagues from Lincolnshire Police, and a full investigation into the cause of the fire is ongoing. "Once investigations are complete, local fire crews and our community fire safety team will be on hand to talk to people in the area and address any fire safety concerns they may have, at what will be an upsetting time."
