When it comes time to making a major purchasing decision -- a car or house, say -- most people will do their homework and find sources of independent information to help determine whether it's a good buy. The same is true when you face a serious medical decision. Would you rely on someone touting Dr. X's skills on a television show and then call up the good doctor to arrange for an operation? Not likely.

Then why don't we do the same kind of thorough kick-the-tires research when it comes to making investing decisions that will have a big impact on our financial future?

Many of us either don't know how or don't think we have the time. We rely instead on those we think are the experts -- the big brokerage houses, for example. But Craig Gordon has a little secret to share with you. Too many so-called investing experts don't do their homework either, making due with company announcements and meetings with management for their information and recommendations about whether to buy a stock. They're not doing marketplace checks and talking with customers, suppliers, and competitors to see what is really happening in the market.

By the time a stock is being touted by one of the big brokerage firms or stories start to circulate in the investing media, the game is over. What was a great value becomes overpriced and known by just about everyone. The secret to making money is to do it the old-fashioned way: take the pulse of the marketplace, gather data, and spot trends -- not by relying on tips and speculation.

Home Depot, not so long ago, was a mere four-store chain in Atlanta that started to expand into the Florida market. At the same time, the do-it-yourself trend was taking off, and those investors who had reliable information about the quality of Home Depot's management and the response by consumers...