Is there an end to rising house prices?

Found this article, My Say by Azam Aris from The Edge Malaysia's forum dated 23, May 2011.

I shared the same view as per Azam Aris mentioned in his article "No end yet to rising house prices" that the rise in house prices is not commensurate with the rise in income for many (Malaysian).

Below are 2 paragraphs that are worth to share with you, especially if you are puzzling if you shall get yourself a house now which is far beyond your means or wait.

Brad Jones, an investment strategist with Deutsche Bank, says the framework created by Kindleberger and Minsky defines finanacial market bubbles as occuring in seven cycles:

1. displacement (the birth of a boom)
2. expansion (growth of the boom)
3. easy credit (which fuels asset price inflation)
4. euphoria (over-optimism and overconfidence)
5. insider profit-taking (the liquidation of positions by lead investors)
6. panic (chaos as investors try to sell but are hindered by illiquidity and leverage)
7. revulsion (investors stop participating in the market)

All major financial market bubbles in the 20th and 21st centuries, Jones notes, have followed the seven stages of the Kindelberger-Minsky framework. "Notably today, it appears some Asian assets are in the third (stocks) and fourth (property, credit, loans and small caps) stages of the the cycles," he says.

To me, I have already own a decent house. If  I were to buy another house, it will be for my family and myself, sort of upgrade of existing lifestyle and definitely not speculation.

Carjacking - New way of car hijacking

Just last weekend on Friday night we parked in a public car park. As we drove away I noticed a sticker on the rear window of the car. When I took it off after I got home, it was a receipt for petrol. Luckily my friend told me not to stop as it could be someone waiting for me to get out of the car. Then we received this email yesterday.

WARNING FROM POLICE:  NEW WAY TO DO CARJACKINGS (NOT A JOKE)

This applies to both women and men beware of paper on the back window of your vehicle.

Heads up everyone! Please, keep this circulating.. You walk across the car park, unlock your car and get inside. You start the engine put it into Reverse. When you look into the rearview mirror to back out of your
space, you notice a piece of paper stuck to the middle of the rear window. So, you stop and jump out of your car to remove that paper (or whatever it is) that is obstructing your view.

When you reach the back of your car, that is when the carjackers appear out of nowhere, jump into your car and take off. They practically run you over as they speed off in your car.

And guess what, ladies? I bet your purse is still in the car. So now the carjacker has your car, your home address, your money, and your keys. Your home and your whole identity are now compromised!

BEWARE OF THIS NEW SCHEME THAT IS NOW BEING USED.

If you see a piece of paper stuck to your back window, lock your doors and just drive away.
Remove the paper later. And be thankful that you read this blog.

I hope you will forward this to friends and family, especially to women.

A purse contains all kinds of personal information and identification documents, and you certainly DO NOT want this to fall into the wrong hands.