More Americans continue to name real estate than stocks, gold, savings accounts/CDs or bonds when asked which is the best long-term investment. The 34% of Americans choosing real estate this year is down sharply from last year’s record-high 45% but is on par with the typical proportion selecting real estate from 2016 to 2020, before housing prices skyrocketed during the pandemic. Higher interest rates over the past year have cooled the housing market, dampening consumer exuberance about real estate as an investment. Meanwhile, the perception that gold is best has nearly doubled, rising from 15% in 2022 to 26% today. ... (full story)