Facebook IPO: Five Things To Consider Before You Buy Facebook Stock

As Mark Zuckerberg and his Facebook executives hit the road to draw interest in what is expected to be the largest initial public offering in internet history, he is betting that investors will Like Facebook.

The 8-year-old social network recently indicated an IPO per-share range of $28 to $35, which would give the Menlo Park, Calif.-based social media titan a value of $77 billion to $96 billion.

Facebook expects to raise up to $10.6 billion from the IPO -- a figure that towers over the current largest initial public offering to date -- Google's in 2004 -- which raised just $1.9 billion. Facebook will set its final price on the eve of May 18 -- the company's first day of trading.

All that said, here are five things to consider before buying Facebook stock:

1. Are You Eligible To Buy Facebook Stock?

While much anticipation is leading up to the Facebook's first day of trading, much of the general public will not have first crack at shares.

Individual investors will be able to purchase Facebook shares on the Nasdaq on May 18, while institutional investors, such as mutual funds and hedge funds, will get a chance to buy in sooner.

2. Is It A Good Idea To Buy Facebook Stock On May 18?

According to leading analysts, it would be unwise for individual investors to purchase Facebook stock on the first day of trading.

While most investors think they might get the estimated price of $28 to $35 a share, the hedge funds and mutual funds could easily drive up the price of the stock before May 18.

This is why I think buying IPOs can be so perilous for people who are individual investors, CNN commentator Christine Romans said on Your Money.

You're caught up in the frenzy of this company and the frenzy of the whole game of buying Facebook and maybe you think it's a great long-term investment, and maybe it will be. But buying on that day, when the [hedge funds and mutual funds] have got their price before you do, is just a bad idea.

3. What's The Best Way I Can Go About Buying Facebook Stock?

According to Matt McCall, president of Penn Financial Group, the best way to buy Facebook stock is to wait until after May 18.

What's probably going to happen is that Facebook may price around $35 a share on May 17. Most likely, my best guess is that it opens around $80 to $90 a share on May 18, he said on CNN's Your Money.

According to McCall, the mistake to avoid here is to set up an account the day before Facebook starts trading.

Investors who place an order, for however many shares, are committed to that order, even if the share price differs from what they expected.

4. When Is The Best Time To Buy Facebook Stock?

The best time to get in on the Facebook IPO is about a week later, McCall suggests.

According to the Penn Financial president, the week after the stock's debut, day traders and short-term investors tend to sell off their shares in hopes of making a quick buck.

There are a lot of people out there that are going to be day-trading the stock. And so after a couple weeks, it'll lose its allure, Mccall said.

If you want to buy in, see where Facebook closes at on its first day of trading. Take 20 percent off that number and pick that price as your limit. Put a limit order in to buy at that number, and if it hits, then you own Facebook, McCall added.

5. What's The Safest Way To Invest In Facebook?

Your Money insiders suggest that the safest way to invest in Facebook is by using the Global X Social Media ETF, -- an exchange-traded fund.

The Global X Social Media ETF includes companies from all over the world that provide social networking, file sharing, and other Web-based media applications.

According to McCall, this safer way to invest in Facebook gives you exposure to a variety of social media brands while investing in one traded fund.