If you are new to Juyo or acquiring pieces on the sword market, generally, please take very careful stock of the following...

Money:
Your long held habits do not apply. Forget them. Think of acquiring as you would in buying a home. Forget "the Steal Deal" - you'll only steal a poor sword. You'll gain a collection of poverty. 

You are not here to gain a poor collection. 

All fair-priced are good. Prices follow the economy. With few exceptions, swords want to rise. Reason: there is a constantly expanding interest. There are more people; there is greater knowledge. There is an expanding group of collectors and an expanding knowledge-base. Respect for swords as works of art is elevating.

The market for Juyo, is always and always has been strong.

Your job is to create a fine collection for your life. The money will be fine and especially so for the enhanced collection. 

Mis-matched junkers will gain you exactly what you do not want. Forget that.

If you buy well, you will have a great collection. Acquire the right property at the right price and expect an ever-enhancing result. 

You cannot buy gold for lead prices and expect to have gold. With Juyo, it's ok to invest. It's an ever-enhancing investment. 

Forget junk. The money will be fine. Don't fret.

You want those special ones. You are a thorough-bred collector - forget the nags. You are not a nag collector. 

You want those special ones. 

You do not have to sell something before buying that special piece. It will sell when it sells; - get that special item, when it's available. 

These two, liquidating the past and securing that special piece for your future are not linked. 
In some short period, it will have made no difference when you sold. Do not let that special piece get away. The past is the past, don't bother with it. 

Do not let that special piece get away.  

You need that study.

At the very least, 'Shows' present a plethora of confusing issues. Too many swords, too many people, too many choices. Everyone experiences this.

Rule: Remain careful and serious in both buying and selling. Smart buyers become focused on pieces where there is actual interest to purchase. Extraneous or periphery pieces and information are cast off, confusing issues are cast off.

You want the good ones. The good ones may, and probably are, available before the show. 

The habit of "waiting for a show" may gain the unwanted aspect of seeing that good piece become involved and out-of-reach while it visits the very same show. A show puts buyers in competition. This is not an advantageous position.  

The new rule: Forget rules We must see what is actually in front us. 

One must step away from rules to step further. 

We need to comprehend what we are looking at, with clarity. This cannot be done in the abstract, with rules. 

We don't lose rules by looking beyond them.

The real rule to learn is always see the whole picture. The little stuff is pat. 

Don't miss the real situation for the sake of the insignificant.

when buying, make your deal - when you see it.

"Time is Your Friend" is the best rule in most cases - except one:  When buying.

If you don't act, at the right time for the right piece, - you're likely to miss it.

It's like catching the train, don't miss the train.

With buying: - you have to know what is the right piece at the right price, etc - and then be ready, absolutely, to just buy.

The trick is knowing what you are after. Being prepared, you become the winner.

In all other situations, collecting, holding or selling,  time is your friend. However, NEVER let that dream piece get away.