Buying properties?

Reading this article reminds me of something that I've constantly wondered in recent years.

The last few years have been a boom time for property investments related books - with Richard T. Kiyosaki being one of the most popular authors with his "Rich Dad" series. Azizi Ali is Malaysia's local equivalent. It has also been a boom time for properties worldwide.

Having read some of these books, a strange thought constantly surface in my mind.

What if some of these writers have this strategy/gamble?

1. Start collecting properties when prices are reasonable, i.e. no significant boom in recent years
2. Write books on real estate investment
3. Launch the books
4. Hope the books will sell well and create buying frenzy
5. Wait for price of properties to appreciate
6. Dispose off properties after meeting certain targets
7. Wait for bubble to burst
8. Back to step 1

You might say that I am thinking way too far, but with these books dominating the best sellers lists worldwide for years, there is a huge possiblity that it might be true. Some might argue that it is the boom that drives these writers to write instead. Well, perhaps. Or it could also be a combination of both.

Even though difficult to prove, I believe that the books written by these property gurus could have, to certain extent, fuelled the property bubble we are currently creating and consequently profitted from the sales of their own properties.

Richard T. Kiyosaki should have. He confessed that he is currently dumping real estate that produces no cash flow and going "long on gold and oil." He has begun to post articles on his website to caution against what might be called "surreal estate exuberance."

So to those who are thinking of making it big in properties in Malaysia, be more cautious as we've also experienced some boom in the past few years. But then, with the constant speculation that Bank Negara will revise the BLR upwards, I believe there's still enough room to make some good profit.