As a small investor, can I invest either directly or indirectly - in mortgages? What kind of risks would I be undertaking if I did? Are there any other financial instruments that have similar risks? Given the current economic situation, would you invest in mortgages? Why or why not? What about these other financial instruments that I asked about, would you invest in them? If the risks are similar to the risks inherent in mortgages, would you make the same decision as you would with mortgages?