Original story here: http://www.cheatsheet.com/money-career/why-most-americans-are-investing-in-real-estate-not-stocks.html/

If you’ve been hesitant to dip your toe in the water when it comes to investing in stocks , you’re not alone. A recent Bankrate survey found that just 17% of Americans agreed that stocks are the best way to invest money that won’t be needed for at least 10 years. The two most preferred means of investing were cash (23%) and real estate (27%). Men were more likely to choose real estate as their preferred investment method while women were more likely to turn toward the safety of cash investments such as savings accounts and CDs.

Bankrate says many Americans remain fearful of the stock market’s short-term volatility, and would rather give up higher long-term returns than take the risk. They mention that although the S&P 500 has risen 27% over the past two years, Americans are just three percentage points more likely to turn to stocks now than they were two years ago.

“Most Americans are still not embracing the stock market for long-term investment horizons . Many still fear short-term volatility more than they desire the higher long-term returns,” said Greg McBride, CFA, Bankrate.com’s chief financial analyst.