Joseph, everyone has to find what works for them, but I've built way more wealth in real estate than in the stock market, even though I started investing in stocks many years earlier. I routinely get above 20% returns on single-family rentals (I now have 7), and good monthly cash flow from my one commercial property. With property management, I spend about 2 hours per month on my portfolio. Of course there are potential issues with tenants, repairs, etc, but that is why the copetition is less than the stock market (because it takes more work and capital). Note that owning your own house is not investing as that is an expense, so you can't compare owning a personal residence to owning an investment property. It doesn't work for everyone, but for those that want to learn and practice, it can be a great way to build wealth and passive income.