Is the American Dream of home ownership dead?

Just completed research presented to the Illinois Association of REALTORS® shows that just the opposite is true. A survey conducted earlier this month with IAR’s partner, Strategic Guidance Systems, gauged how Illinois residents perceive the housing market from a lifestyle and economic standpoint.

Among the findings presented at the Illinois Association of REALTORS® Public Policy meetings in East Peoria, Ill.:

  • 82 percent said owning a home was part of the American Dream.
  • 75 percent of respondents said owning a home is a safer investment than putting money in the stock market.
  • 61 percent of those responding said it was better to own a home as opposed to renting.
  • 48 percent of those responding say having a house is a major benefit for long-term investment for the future.

“Home ownership does remain a fundamental part of the American Dream,” said Dan Ball, a consultant with Strategic Guidance Systems.

The results can be seen here: SGS-IL-IAR-11-HomeownershipBenchmark-freqs