Property prices don’t go up infinitely, if you examine ebb and flow of market in US over past decades for example, you will see that stand alone investment in real estate would’ve returned you gains of just over 1 percentage point above inflation! There comes a point in every market cycle when market runs out of investors willing to buy up at top prices and there comes a point when first time buyers are frozen out of market. As demand dries up, over supply brings down prices and this stops entire market in its tracks. If you remember this fundamental fact and examine movement of market closely and carefully you will be able to see when supply is about to outstrip demand, you will be able to watch first time buyers reigniting market, you will understand when time is right to sell and when time is right to buy.

4)Balance Real Estate Exposure

You may assume that your only exposure to property market is what you physically hold in way of real estate assets – but don’t forget all your paper investments as well. Do you have money invested in REITs, do you have funds that invest in commercial property as part of underlying portfolio, what about your retirement fund, which market sectors are find managers investing in on your behalf right now? Don’t assume that fund managers will make right decisions at right time on your behalf, you might be able to see heat going out of market quicker than they can react. If this happens you have to be prepared to rebalance your entire portfolio and move your exposure away from real estate if you believe market is about to dip.

5)Protect Your Equity

There is nothing more valuable than equity you own in your own home. Do not put that at risk. It is very tempting in a boom market to re-mortgage yourself back up to new greater value of your home, but in so doing you expose yourself, your family, your home and your future to unnecessary levels of risk. Secure roof over your own head first and foremost, and only then proceed into greater real estate market with care! Do not be tempted to secure any extra loans or mortgages on your family home. Professional and wise real estate investors worth their salt will always secure their own position first and foremost.

2. Some emails ask you to send your username or password claiming that it might be lost or something like that. Do not believe and do not send anything! There is no chance that any serious service will ask you for that!

3. The scammers are smarter recently. Instead of asking you to send your login info, they ask you to go to site and update your account details. They provide a link where to click to go to site. Be careful: those links may look like e-gold.com or paypal.com, but they may lead to a different website! Such well known site is for example e-qold.com (note "q" instead of "g"). It can be e-go1d.com, paypa1.com or whatever similar looking. Just avoid clicking on links! If you are unable to determine if mail is scam or not, you can directly type site address or use your bookmarks and update your details. Thus you will be secure that you have done what had been asked from you, but on right site!

4. Some "security issue" warnings claim that they are sending you a security update which you should install on your PC to avoid hacking your account. Never download those attacments. They are keyloggers, trojans or other viruses. None of payment processors will ever broadcast emails with attachment. If you feel unsure just visit site of processor and check news - if they wanted you to download and install something, they would make it available on site!

5. Should you feel something fishy, you can try answering mail and asking for more info. In 90% of cases email will be returned to you, because sender's address is fake. You can go on and try contacting service about this email. Only after receiving a responce you can be sure for source of mail.

Be careful and protect yourself!