Banks are auctioning 2,362 properties in next 30 days. The foremost benefit of purchasing a property in a bank auction is that you could get it at a significant discount to the market rate.

Allotment could be low, and expected listing-day gains can quickly morph into losses if sentiment takes a turn for the worse

Keep your mobile number and e-mail updated. When you receive the weekly report on cash holdings, check to ensure there is no discrepancy between the amount you have kept with the broker and what the latter has reported, advises Sanjay Kumar Singh.

To overcome your fear of the property being taken over, draw an ironclad agreement with a good lawyer's help, recommends Sanjay Kumar Singh.

Small-cap funds have enjoyed a massive run-up over the past year. The category has turned in an average return of 109 per cent - the best-performing fund has yielded a humongous 201 per cent. Many investors, however, are concerned whether the category has turned risky after such a sharp rise.

If a retail investor wants exposure to a healthcare ETF, it should be a part of his satellite portfolio, suggests Sanjay Kumar Singh.

'Decide on an asset allocation you are comfortable with and stick to it for the long term.'

Despite the Sensex's 74 per cent run-up over the past year, the Indian equity market could still reward investors if the expected revival in earnings materialises, according to market experts. Returns during the coming year are more likely to be in line with longer-term trends (the Sensex's five-year return is around 14 per cent). Several factors are expected to aid the market's performance this year.

'It is a good match for those aged 25-30, who have just started working and need a basic product.'

To select the right platform, get the opinions of a few existing users or browse online for feedback. Select a platform that offers a seamless experience. Check that the platform you are going with is a regulated entity, suggests Sanjay Kumar Singh.

Investors must, however, be prepared for volatility in ELSS, cautions Sanjay Kumar Singh.

But be ready for lock-in till the age of 60.

The BSE Midcap and the Small-cap Index have run up 25.3 per cent and 31.3 per cent respectively over the past year. Valuations are no longer cheap, notes Sanjay Kumar Singh.

'Do some profit booking and bring your equity allocation back to its original level.'

Stick to low-cost ULIPs launched in the past few years. Go with an insurer with a good investment team and solid track record of long-term returns, suggests Sanjay Kumar Singh.

Retail investors may safely invest in shorter-duration funds, suggests Sanjay Kumar Singh.

Investing in the US market provides Indian investors a hedge against the rupee's long-term tendency to depreciate against the dollar.

Investors who cannot manage an asset-allocated portfolio or rebalance regularly, or do not have an advisor, may opt for these funds, but only after a detailed study of their strategy, suggests Sanjay Kumar Singh.

'This market is very expensive in some pockets, dirt cheap in some, and the belly of the market is reasonably valued.'

The first and most important check you must run is to see if you have adequate life cover.