The stock market has fallen nearly 12% since it reached a record high early last fall...and much of that decline has come since just the first of the new year.

That drop, brought on in part by bad news about the mortgage industry, has a lot of investors wondering whether they should sell their stocks.

But a local investor representative's advice is: don't panic!

"The common mistake is to sell common investments at a low price," says Louverature Jones, Financial Advisor for Edward Jones Investments. "It doesn't really make sense for you to buy it at a high price and sell it at a low price. For investors who are looking at the long term, take this opportunity to buy more of your investments at lower prices."

Jones says investors shouldn't take any drastic actions.

Instead, you should meet with your financial advisor, for advice on how you can weather the volitile stock market.