It&#x27;s cheaper to borrow against a stock portfolio than real estate (since it&#x27;s much easier for a broker to liquidate your stocks than for your bank to foreclose on your home): <a href="https:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.interactivebrokers.com&#x2F;en&#x2F;index.php?f=1595" rel="nofollow">https:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.interactivebrokers.com&#x2F;en&#x2F;index.php?f=1595</a><p>Although they only give you 4x leverage vs. the 5x-20x common in residential real estate.<p>Anyways, I think you&#x27;re grossly overestimating how good of an investment real estate is. Unless you have some kind of edge (like you&#x27;re a developer and your friend is on the zoning board or whatever) you&#x27;re not going to magically get rich doing it. It&#x27;s just another asset class.