Unlike most other goods or services that financial assets are based on, real estate responds to an innate desire -- the desire to have a piece of this earth one can call his own. This basic yearning has been, in my opinion, the driving force of the real estate market, and the reason I continue to believe in it.

Over the last year, for example, there has been an increase in the number of firms that are offering Private Investment Council or Private Investment Pools. Why? Because people are foolish enough to believe that these things are special. What a load of crap!

It's the eternal question: if you want to secure your financial future, how should you go about it? Should you save or should you invest? Well, the ty...

We've got to come clean about the unethical use of our retirement funds. There isn't enough money to expand the Canadian Pension Plan because the surplus was earmarked to boost the military-industrial complex. When our hard-earned money isn't being used to cause bloodshed, it's going to companies affiliated with the CPP's own CEOs and the Alberta oil sands.

It has all come to where we are today: Loss of confidence, loss of trust, and staggering market losses. This is the time for transparency, authentic conversation, honesty and humility. Those who display this behaviour have a chance to slowly regain the shattered trust of their customers. Straight talk. Honest talk. Committed talk. No spin. No rationalization. The industry messed up, and the public wants to hear the truth.

With the stock market turning into more of a roller coaster each day, people are looking to invest their hard earned money into something safer, with less volatility, but that still yields above average returns. Real estate is quickly becoming the investment of choice for many of these lost investors. If you aren't completely sold on the idea, here are five benefits to investing in real estate to help sway your decision...