4. Investments in Marketable Securities

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2012

Investments in Debt and Marketable Equity Securities (and Certain Trading Assets) Disclosure [Text Block]

4.    INVESTMENTS IN MARKETABLE SECURITIES

Investments in marketable securities consist primarily of large capital corporate equity and debt securities in varying industries or issued by government agencies with readily determinable fair values (see table below). These securities are stated at market value, as determined by the most recently traded price of each security at the balance sheet date. Consistent with the Company's overall current investment objectives and activities its entire marketable securities portfolio is classified as trading. Accordingly all unrealized gains and losses on this portfolio are recorded in income. For the years ended December 31, 2012 and 2011 net unrealized gain (loss) on trading securities was approximately $86,000 and ($189,000), respectively.

	December 31, 2012							December 31, 2011
		Cost		Fair		Unrealized			Cost		Fair		Unrealized
Description		Basis		Value		Gain (loss)			Basis		Value		Gain (loss)
Real Estate Investment Trusts	$	174,000	$	122,000	$	(52,000	)	$	231,000	$	154,000	$	(77,000	)
Mutual Funds		760,000		817,000		57,000			418,000		457,000		39,000
Other Equity Securities		570,000		557,000		(13,000	)		532,000		523,000		(9,000	)
Total Equity Securities		1,504,000		1,496,000		(8,000	)		1,181,000		1,134,000		(47,000	)
Debt Securities		621,000		662,000		41,000			889,000		885,000		(4,000	)
Total	$	2,125,000	$	2,158,000	$	33,000		$	2,070,000	$	2,019,000	$	(51,000	)

As of December 31, 2012, debt securities are scheduled to mature as follows:

	Cost		Fair Value
2013 – 2017	$	25,000	$	26,000
2018 – 2022		235,000		256,000
2023 – thereafter		361,000		380,000
	$	621,000	$	662,000

Net gain from investments in marketable securities for the years ended December 31, 2012 and 2011 is summarized below:

Description	2012		2011
Net realized gain from sales of marketable securities	$	35,000	$	130,000
Net unrealized gain (loss) from marketable securities		86,000		(189,000	)
Total net gain (loss) from investments in marketable securities	$	121,000	$	(59,000	)

Net realized gain from sales of marketable securities consisted of approximately $152,000 of gains net of $117,000 of losses for the year ended December 31, 2012. The comparable amounts in fiscal year 2011 were gains of approximately $212,000 and losses of $82,000.

Consistent with the Company’s overall current investment objectives and activities the entire marketable securities portfolio is classified as trading (as defined by U.S. generally accepted accounting principles). Unrealized gains or loss of marketable securities on hand are recorded in income.

Investment gains and losses on marketable securities may fluctuate significantly from period to period in the future and could have a significant impact on the Company's net earnings. However, the amount of investment gains or losses on marketable securities for any given period has no predictive value and variations in amount from period to period have no practical analytical value.

Investments in marketable securities give rise to exposure resulting from the volatility of capital markets. The Company attempts to mitigate its risk by diversifying its marketable securities portfolio.