A dip here, a dip there, a new grey hair here and a new grey hair there.

The key to keeping cool amid market dips is to stay focused on your long term goals.  Statistically, according to the national Association of Realtors, a home nearly doubles in value every 10 years.  yet, everyone freaks out when there is a correction.  A correction simply creates market swings that favor a buyer sometimes and a seller sometimes.  But these swings are important.  It can't go just one way all the time.

I'm no stock expert, but some say the same focus should be applied to the stock market.  The clamor to sell gets louder and louder when a stock is going down, but people hang on to it when it is going up.  Why?  Because they hope and think it will go up MORE....

Here are some tips to help you keep cool amid market dips (whatever your market position is):

1) Returns come in bursts - keep focused on your long term goals.

2) Get your emotions out of the picture - emotions create errors.

3) Focus on what you can control - don't sweat the things you can't control.

4) Set aside something for you - Don't put every penny into your investments, go spend some money (it feels good).

5) Get professional guidance - seek out a qualified and reputable stock professional or real estate professional to help you plan your investments.

Thank you for making me Your Orange County Real Estate Connection.

Best regards, Michael Caruso