Fifteen years can seem like a pretty long time – and the year 2030 sounds like a date from a science fiction novel. But the future is now – and, as a recent article from Business Insider reports, today’s emerging trends will shape the investing landscape of tomorrow. According to Business Insider, KPMG, the international tax and financial advisory consortium, recently released a report detailing likely changes in the financial and investing fields over the next fifteen years, and their potential impact on the world of investing in all its forms. While many of KPMG’s predictions are directed to investment firms and financial advisers, investors in income property can find new opportunities by following the future too. The research conducted by KMPG finds four factors that shape megatrends in investing – and in just about every industry: changes in demographics, technology, social behavior and the availability of resources. Those “big picture” shifts affect a variety of smaller changes that lay the groundwork for a very different investing landscape. The seeds of those megatrends have already been planted. Trends shaping the investing world of today are only expected to accelerate heading into the next decade and beyond. Among them: changing dynamics in the provider-consumer relationship, increased use of mobile technology and social media, and psycho-technological innovations like virtual reality applications and gamification. We’ve already seen how the Internet and social media have changed the way people buy real estate. It’s possible to find properties online and do the entire buying process without the need for any kind of real estate professional. Buyers and renters can search for properties anywhere, anytime, and innovations in virtual reality technology allow them to take customized virtual tours and even “try on” various décor and remodeling options. The use of social media and online contacts also points to a shift in attitudes about doing business. In a world where fraud and scams are easier than ever, trust and authenticity are essential – and businesses and individuals who cultivate credibility and honesty stand out. It’s also a world of increasing audience engagement, as buyers and sellers become more independent and willing to educate themselves rather than depending on advisers and other professionals to make their decisions for them. In fact, by 2030, some financial professions may all but disappear, their place taken by independent consumers with the tools to do the job themselves. The investing world of the future is also likely to be far more mobile and global than ever, as technology puts people in touch from around the globe and transactions can be conducted with the click of a mouse or the keys of a smartphone. The investing world of a few years from now will also be affected by changes in available resources. Current climate events like the ongoing severe drought in California will push development and real estate prices in new directions, and the current shortage of available homes for purchase could create major changes in who buys homes, and where. The availability (or lack thereof) of energy sources also plays a role. The recent drop in oil production hit some oil dependent cities hard, and other changes in the supply of energy and other resources, combined with other economic and social factors, could mean major changes in real estate and other kinds of investments. Changing demographics, along with changes in societal values, may also mean big shifts in how people buy, save and allot their resources. In fifteen years, today’s “millennials” will be approaching midlife – and they’re now the largest demographic group in the US. Their choices – and those of other generations too – are shaped by changing values about consumerism, the environment and o