One of the most common questions that I am asked is “should I invest in real estate?” Even more common than this question is the matter of fact statement that real estate is a great investment.
These statements are not usually made about publicly traded REITs, but about direct private ownership of real estate assets; buying a condo to rent out or renting out the family home when a new home is purchased. In some ways the perception that real estate can be a great investment has basis in the long-term data, but there are a lot of factors to consider.