MORTGAGE RISK . . . With house prices still rapidly increasing in many areas of the country, more than a few new buyers and homeowners are stretching their limits on original and home equity loans. While prices could continue to rise, there's no guarantee. If you haven't been through a down cycle, you don't know what to expect. Some buyers in the late 80's didn't see the price recover till the mid-90's. Some buyers in the peak of the 70's and 80's walked away from the house rather than continue to make mortgage payments on a property that had shrunk over 15% in value. Your home is just that. It's not an unlimited source of equity. Don't mortgage your home to invest in stocks or other risky ventures. Using a home equity loan to consolidate and eliminate credit card debt does make sense--but only if you don't start spending on those cards anew.