A recent study by Fidelity Investments warns people not to count on their home equity to fund retirement, according to MarketWatch. The research shows that during every five- and 10-year period between 1963 and 2005, home values underperformed stocks and bonds.
Home sales have grown sluggish and prices have dropped in various markets throughout the country during the last year, but we still have to question the study, which only looked at the country as a whole. Chicago might well have given the stock market a run for its money during the late ’90s, and homeowners in certain neighborhoods saw astronomical appreciation.
And there’s the old advice to consider the source. For many readers, this study will carry as much weight as research from the American Ice Cream Council stating that ice cream is good for you, when in truth, it might very well be.