What are the three common features of all investments and why are they important?

What will be an ideal response?

First, all investments require that investors pay some sort of price determined by the market to obtain the asset. Second, all investments provide owners with the opportunity to earn future income. Lastly, all future incomes are usually risky.
These features are important because they allow investors to treat investments in a standard way. The combination of the three features allows investors to determine which investments best fit each investor’s preferred level of risk and return.