Had a great conversation with a 20-something Millennial this afternoon. The guy is way smarter than the average bear, and blessed with common sense to boot. He’d sent me an email with several questions, most of which I found more than merely interesting. Among them was,

Why don’t people talk about real estate as a viable means for retirement?

It’s been part of my basic understanding of what I do. What with all the empirical evidence showing real estate is far safer, more reliable, and generates more wealth than the many alternatives, the vast majority choose everything other than real estate. Why is that?

I’ve had over 40 years to come up with a credible answer. People have figured out how to save money. Pay off their homes. Invest in stocks. Yet, they don’t go for the real estate. I don’t know how the ‘Invest for retirement’ pie is divided, but the percentage has to be single digit for real estate.

It doesn’t make objective sense. Americans flock to so-called qualified retirement plans at work that have been huge failures. The typical 50-something American (mostly male) has less than six figures in their account. Think they’re longing to retire? Or, are they hittin’ the panic button, their heads on a swivel as they frantically cast around for a viable solution to workin’ ’til they drop?

Based on my professional experience, most simply don’t think they can make it happen. They prefer the ‘experts’ provided by their employers, who guide them in choosing in what to invest for retirement, inside their 401k. By the time the results of that approach become painfully evident, it’s like runnin’ outa gas on the freeway in fly-over country. You thought you shoulda filled up at the last town, but decided it was easier to keep goin’.

How’s ‘easy’ been workin’ out for ya lately?

Real estate is simple on paper, just like every other route to a solid retirement. But, like most things in life, simple is the last thing it is once execution is the word of the day. The long and short of it is this:

Getting to a magnificently abundant retirement through real estate investing is anything but simple. Sometimes it’s a gigantic pain in the butt, and I’m being kind. However, if retiring well was easy it’d be like Grandma said — “If it was easy, everyone’d be doin’ it.

You’ve been goin’ down the Yellow Brick Road for how long now? There’ve been roadblocks, some scary, on the way to Retirement Oz. Yet it never dawned on ya what was waiting for you behind that final curtain.

Thing is, you ain’t Dorothy, and you’re not dreamin’. Retirement Oz doesn’t exist — and there’s no ruby shoes that’ll take you back home.

Ruby shoes AND callin’ me at 619 889-7100 will get things started on the road to a real retirement. Rather write me? Click on the Contact BawldGuy button up top. Have a good one.