With a growing population, who all need places to live, work, learn, shop and access recreation and services, the long-range demand for land continues to grow while the supply obviously does not. 

Over the long term this leads to increased values. with the fastest growth in the Locations with the highest demand. Typically these are Locations where well-paying employment is accessible.

Naturally the growth is not in a straight line and there are temporary dips when the economy is down but as the economic cycle turns back up so does demand and so do prices.

I always counsel clients that they should not count on a cash profit from a Real Estate investment until  2 years after they purchase. By this time the Appreciation in Value will generally be sufficient to offset their initial Legal and Mortgage costs and their costs to re-sell the property. Accordingly it is always wiser to focus on the longer-term 'big picture' rather than just on the next few months.

Some people are reluctant to buy or to 'trade up' at the present time because they fear that prices may drop another 5% or so before the market recovers and values start to grow again. Whether they are right is debatable but this is fair enough and one should never feel 'rushed' into buying.

However its important to consider :

1/ There are sufficient 'motivated sellers' and sufficient Listings on the market that we can already negotiate additional discounts. Meanwhile, Interest Rates are now at Record Lows. Can you guarantee that they will stay that way ?

 If the Interest Rate for a 5-Year loan increases  1% while one is waiting to buy, then any "saving" has   disappeared and if Interest Rates move to the levels seen AFTER the last recession then Can you afford the gamble ?

2/  Instead of starting to pay off a Home and Secure the future, How long should Renters keep throwing away their Rent Money every month ?

If one is just looking to make a fast buck by buying and selling quickly then Real Estate involves the same risks as other investments

However, if you are looking for a safe Investment with good long-term gains Real Estate is your best choice.

Don't forget that as your equity builds it is always good to have Real Estate as collateral to borrow against for other purposes.

Also, remember that unlike other Investments Real Estate which you designate as your 'Principal Residence' is exempt from Capital Gains Tax and that each Family Member aged 18 or older can designate their own Principal Residence to optimize the tax benefit.