Are these a good set of ETFs? Lazy Portfolio?

Question

I'm just starting out and wanted to create a "lazy portfolio" I'm 30 yrs old. Are these a good set of ETFs? (70stocks/30bonds)

VTI - Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF (AMEX)

VTV - Vanguard Value ETF (AMEX)

IJS - iShares S&P SmallCap 600 Value Idx

IWC - iShares Russell Microcap Index (ETF)

VNQ - Vanguard REIT ETF (AMEX)

DLS - WisdomTree Intl. SmallCap Div Fd. (ETF)

VEU - Vanguard FTSE All-World ex-US ETF (AMEX)

VWO - Vanguard Emerging Markets ETF (AMEX)

BND - Vanguard Total Bond Market ETF (AMEX)

AGG - iShares Lehman Aggregate Bond (ETF) (NYSE)

TIP - iShares Lehman TIPS Bond (ETF) (NYSE)

Answer 1

Presumably you'll want to keep your investments in various ETF's at roughly the same proportion relative to each other.  Which means that you will have to frequently buy and sell small numbers of shares for each ETF.  And this is going to cost you a lot in trading commissions.  Which is not good.

Your long list of ETF's might be a good way to invest only if you invest a one big lump sum of money, and you don't do anything else with it for many years.

But if you plan to keep adding to your investment every few months.  Then with so many ETF's, you'll end up spending too much money on trading commissions.  When you plan to keep adding more to your investment periodically.  Then it makes more sense to choose one or two well diversified ETF's and invest all of your money in them.  That way your trading commissions will be reasonable.