[Germanauto]

I think it really depends on location. People have gotten rich over the years through real estate. The home I grew up in in a large metro in the Midwest has not appreciated a dime in over 25 yrs. Yes the COL in such regions is low, but home ownership isn't a great investment. This home been paid off for years and is now just a stable source of additional income for my folks, but it's a massive headache to upkeep and find renters for.

We moved to the west coast 15 yrs ago and real estate has exploded in value over that time. These west coast metros are basically recession-proof. The downside is that these locations have become so expensive that even some of the highest educated and earning members of society have trouble getting into the market.