"Until when, and then what"Until the current financial crisis...

"Until when, and then what"

Until the current financial crisis looks like blowing over...consider if you asked this question 6 months ago...you would have dropped 30% on your share portfolio and be down on your property portfolio and costs for repayments would have risen far more than rent.

Never put all your eggs in one basket ie stretch to buy 3 houses.

It is still much cheaper to rent than buy, and all indicators are that property which has just begun falling in every city will keep falling, for some time yet.

If i were you and i really wanted a house for personal reasons ie family then i would do as i have just done and buy, if its for investment purposes i would probably hold off, for how long...until things looked to have settled or turned..maybe 12 months maybe 5 years.

If you are buying a second property for tax benefits ie negative gearing then you are probably best off getting a margin loan for shares, buy a basket of diversified blue chips with good steady earnings and dividends.They must be in an uptrend or if not you should wait until the general market goes into an uptrend.
You could set a stop loss ie money management as i do on every investment so you know what you are prepared to lsoe before you even buy.
The other advantage is it doesnt cost 5% to buy and 5% to sell your shares unlike property.

I also have money in physical gold and art, both good inflation hedges and safe though art can be a bit illiquid like property.

The majority of my money currently is in bank bills term deposits and savings accounts.

There are 2 positions you can take...buy investments or sell investments...though there is one other that many forget and thats to do nothing ie money in the bank...you can get close to 9% currently.

Its better to do nothing and make 9% then do something and lose.

Good luck

PS i am not a financial adviser anymore...i let that one expire.
I am a sophisticated investor for investment purposes.