For many Americans, owning a home has long been the way to accumulate wealth. Over the years a home will appreciate in value, or so people assume. Investing in the stock market, for those who have the means, is also an effective way to build wealth over the years.
A decade ago, when the housing market crashed in the Great Recession, the idea of building wealth through real estate was shattered. People saw how real estate values can fluctuate. Still, many millennials who witnessed the housing crash, are eager to invest in real estate. In fact, a recent real estate investment report delivered survey results showing that 55 percent of millennials are interested in real estate investing. Here are three reasons that millennials are interested in real estate investing.
Growth Over Time
The subprime mortgage crisis sounded the beginning of the Great Recession back in 2008. The bubble in the real estate market burst and housing prices plummeted. The real estate market has had a long climb back over the past several years. The point that millennials see though, is that the market did come back. The millennial generation did not rush into home buying, but now are moving into the home buying phase. They are the largest generation of Americans and will have a profound affect on the housing market.
Stock Market Skepticism
Anyone who has taken even a slight interest in the stock market knows that stocks go up and down. However, the millennial generation had a harsh, real-life lesson in this aspect of the market. Many millennials graduated into the Great Recession and the daily headline news about Wall Street crashing and people losing retirement savings. A large portion of millennials believe that real estate outperformed the stock market since 2000, and they are correct. Their witnessing of the Great Recession may make the millennial generation more likely to be skeptical of the stock market.
Real Assets
In this age of information it is easy to gather data about investing. The methods of investing in real estate are available to any millennial who wants to do some research. There is a tangible element to real estate investing that may appeal to the millennials sense of self-image and desire for uniqueness. In fact, findings show that 85 percent of millennials think real estate is a good investment.
Older generations may be interested in downsizing at this point, but millennials are starting families and advancing their careers. These facts, along with the great potential for positive returns, make buying a home and investing in real estate an appealing next step for millennials
