By guest contributor Gerald Tay

You have probably heard this popular phase when learning about property investment: “Location! Location! Location! You can’t go wrong if you buy in a good location.” The lesson for investors is that “location” should be the top consideration in your investment decision. In other words, as long as you follow this sacred mantra of property investment and buy a property in a good location, it will definitely be a good investment and you are sure to make money in the long term, regardless of all risks.

Is this mantra right? No! And Beware! You still face the possibility of making a bad investment even if you pick a property in a good location. Surprised? This mantra has been mainly repeated by three categories of people. They are Salespeople, Property Speculators, and Novice Investors who try to “act smart”.

Professional investors like me know that ...