Real estate again named best long-term investment

Yet again, America has chosen real estate as the best long-term investment.

According to a recent Gallup survey, 31 percent of respondents choose real estate over stocks, gold, savings accounts/CDs or bonds as the best long-term investment. Stocks and mutual funds picked up second place with 25 percent, and gold took third place, with 19 percent. Real estate also took the top spot last year.

According to the report, the percentage of people choosing real estate as the best investment is up 1 percent from last year, and growth has been steady over the past few years. Real estate took a hit during the recession in 2007, but began to come back around 2011.

Around that time, gold took the top spot as best long-term investment, most likely do to its tangible quality, said Lydia Saad of Gallup. “A return of Americans’ confidence in real estate and stocks as solid long-term investments was first evident a year ago, paralleling real-world improvements in these areas. Their continued strength this year indicates that was no fluke. Meanwhile, gold has slipped even further as an attractive way to maintain or grow wealth,” she added.

Interestingly, real estate was the top choice-or tied for the top choice- as the best long-term investment among both males and females surveyed, regardless of age or income.

The survey was based on a random sample of 1,015 residents living across the United States.