According to a recent Gallup Poll of 1,000 American adults, real estate is seen as the top long-term investment, ranking higher than even stocks and gold. This is the second consecutive year real estate has been the top-ranked investment as selected by 35 percent of Americans as compared to 22 percent for stocks and mutual funds, 17 percent for gold, 15 percent for savings accounts, and 7 percent for bonds.

This is a stark turnaround from 2011 when 34 percent chose gold as the top investment as compared with 19 percent who said real estate.

Clearly, as the average sale price of new homes continues to rise, more and more Americans see real estate as the top long-term investment.