Real Estate is certainly a wise investment. But I look at the US long term real estate market with two major things hanging over its head. The baby boomer generation that is now the retiring generation and soon to be in the old folks homes generation leaving a lot of empty homes. Also, property only holds its value because the government protects those property rights. As the US debt climbs and the budget requires more and more money to fund just the interest on that debt there will be a struggle by the government to find new sources of revenue. Property owners may end up in the cross hairs (among many sources) as they are already paying taxes...what's another one added on. Either through their local government, the state or the federal government directly. Or just simply the expanded use of eminent domain. When the majority of voters do not own property...they now own your property.