Is it better to buy a house or invest in S&P 500?
As mentioned above, stocks generally perform better than real estate, with the S&P 500 providing an 8% return over the last 30 years compared with a 5.4% return in the housing market. Still, real estate investors could see additional rental income and tax benefits, which push their earnings higher.
Housing Market Historical Returns. In terms of averages, stocks have tended to have higher total returns over time. The S&P 500 stock index has had an average annualized return around 10% over very long periods (higher if you include dividends), while average annual real estate returns are often more in the 4-8% range.
Ever since the S&P 500 index was devised, it has built an impeccable track record of earning positive returns over time. In fact, research shows it's actually harder to lose money with the S&P 500 than it is to make money if you keep a long-term outlook.
The average stock market return, as measured by the S&P 500 index, is about 10% per year. Some years are up, some years are down, but over time, if you invested in an S&P 500 index fund, you'd average about 10% minus inflation. Since 1972, REITs, on average, have returned an 11.9% total annual return.
Since 1970, in this scenario, the S&P 500 produced an average annualized return of nearly 11% over the following decade. That's not too shabby. Armed with this uplifting information, it's obvious that it's always a good time to be a buyer of stocks.
The one time it's okay to choose a single investment
That's because your investment gives you access to the broad stock market. Meanwhile, if you only invest in S&P 500 ETFs, you won't beat the broad market. Rather, you can expect your portfolio's performance to be in line with that of the broad market.
While investing in index funds is profitable and straightforward, if you're willing to learn the business and put in the work, you can often make higher returns through real estate investing over the long haul.
If the S&P 500 outperforms its historical average and generates, say, a 12% annual return, you would reach $1 million in 26 years by investing $500 a month.
Once you have $1 million in assets, you can look seriously at living entirely off the returns of a portfolio. After all, the S&P 500 alone averages 10% returns per year. Setting aside taxes and down-year investment portfolio management, a $1 million index fund could provide $100,000 annually.
Moreover, the S&P 500 is just one piece of the investment puzzle. Diversification is key to any successful investment strategy, and putting all of your eggs in one basket is never a good idea.
Should you invest in shares or property?
Property is generally considered a lower-risk investment, whereas shares carry more inherent volatility and uncertainty. However, sometimes with higher risk comes the potential for higher returns. Shares have a higher return when the market is good, but this is usually short-lived given its volatile nature.
Assuming an average annual return rate of about 10% (a typical historical average), a $10,000 investment in the S&P 500 could potentially grow to approximately $25,937 over 10 years.
Data source: Author's calculations. As you can see from the chart, investing $5,000 annually in the S&P 500 would make you a millionaire in a little over 30 years, assuming average 10.25% annual returns.
The S&P 500 usually moves higher between June and August, and July has historically been the single best month of the year for the index.
The worst 10 year annual return was a loss of almost 5% per year ending in the summer of 1939. That was bad enough for a 10 year total return of -40%.
If Monday may be the best day of the week to buy stocks, then Thursday or early Friday may be the best day to sell stock—before prices dip.
The main drawback to the S&P 500 is that the index gives higher weights to companies with more market capitalization. The stock prices for Apple and Microsoft have a much greater influence on the index than a company with a lower market cap.
The S&P 500 is a stock market index composed of about 500 publicly traded companies. You cannot directly invest in the index itself. You can buy individual stocks of companies in the S&P 500, or buy an S&P 500 index fund or ETF.
In 2002, the fallout from frenzied investments in internet technology companies and the subsequent implosion of the dot-com bubble caused the S&P 500 to drop 23.4%. And in 2008, the collapse of the U.S. housing market and the subsequent global financial crisis caused the S&P 500 to fall 38.5%.
Disadvantages include the lack of downside protection, no choice in index composition, and it cannot beat the market (by definition).
What is the most reliable house price index?
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) house price index has long been relied upon as the most reliable of the indices when trying to decipher what house prices have actually been doing.
The short answer is that it really depends . The challenge with investing in a standard index fund (ie: one that tracks the S&P 500) is that you have timing risk. If the market tanks when you are ready to buy, chances are that home prices will also tank but perhaps by not as much. You'll have less money to spend.
Reinvest Your Payments
The truth is that most investors won't have the money to generate $1,000 per month in dividends; not at first, anyway. Even if you find a market-beating series of investments that average 3% annual yield, you would still need $400,000 in up-front capital to hit your targets. And that's okay.
Investor D can invest $2,000 every month but has no lump sum. He is also sticking with the S&P 500 but assuming a rate of return of 9%. He will need 17 years and six months to become a millionaire.
By investing in index funds or exchange traded funds (ETFs), you can achieve millionaire status at a lower price and with less risk. Here's what to look for in an index fund or ETF: Broadly diversified. Look for funds with stocks across a wide variety of industries.
References
- https://money.usnews.com/money/retirement/articles/how-can-i-earn-100-200-or-500-per-month-in-guaranteed-income-in-retirement
- https://www.indmoney.com/mutual-funds/best-sip-plan-for-5-years
- https://finance.yahoo.com/news/genius-ways-1-000-month-105500970.html
- https://medium.com/@dashboard_fx/how-to-beat-the-s-p-500-market-621800a232e4
- https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/next-big-thing:-3-revolutionary-megatrends-to-invest-in-for-2024
- https://baroncabot.com/blog/invest-in-property-or-shares
- https://m.economictimes.com/mf/analysis/23-equity-mutual-funds-offer-over-30-sip-returns-in-five-years/articleshow/107131358.cms
- https://finance.yahoo.com/news/vanguard-p-500-etf-voo-112006029.html
- https://www.investopedia.com/articles/investing/011516/targetdate-funds-vs-sp-500-indexing.asp
- https://www.bankrate.com/investing/how-to-invest-like-millionaire/
- https://www.quora.com/Is-it-a-good-idea-to-invest-all-of-your-savings-into-an-S-P-500-Index-Fund-at-this-time-considering-the-current-record-highs
- https://fundselectorasia.com/10-funds-that-beat-the-sp-500-by-over-20-in-2023/
- https://ycharts.com/indicators/sp_500_5_year_return
- https://www.investopedia.com/articles/investing/011316/pros-and-cons-indexes.asp
- https://ycharts.com/indicators/sp_500_monthly_return
- https://money.usnews.com/investing/articles/how-to-become-a-millionaire-by-investing
- https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/got-%24500-to-invest-monthly-this-exchange-traded-fund-can-make-you-a-millionaire.
- https://www.zeebiz.com/personal-finance/news-sip-calculator-rs-20k-sip-in-this-small-cap-mutual-fund-started-10-years-ago-would-have-given-rs-1-cr-in-todays-time-know-more-about-it-quant-small-cap-fund-nippon-india-small-cap-fund-what-is-sip-full-form-272215
- https://www.reuters.com/business/finance/hedge-funds-navigate-choppy-year-deliver-double-digit-gains-2024-01-03/
- https://www.etftrends.com/tactical-allocation-channel/decade-of-dominance-the-etf-that-quietly-beats-the-sp-500/
- https://www.investopedia.com/day-trading/best-time-day-week-month-trade-stocks/
- https://www.quora.com/If-I-invest-1000-per-month-in-SIP-for-20-years-how-much-will-I-return-after-20-years-For-this-amount-which-fund-is-best-for-me
- https://ycharts.com/indicators/sp_500_3_year_return
- https://www.fool.com/investing/2024/02/06/average-stock-market-return-in-every-month-of-year/
- https://www.etmoney.com/mutual-funds/featured/best-index-funds/12
- https://finance.yahoo.com/news/more-money-investing-10-000-220010726.html
- https://www.investopedia.com/financial-edge/0711/how-to-double-your-money-every-6-years.aspx
- https://m.economictimes.com/mf/analysis/looking-for-best-mutual-funds-for-sip-investment-check-top-10-winners-of-last-5-years/articleshow/107997953.cms
- https://www.policybazaar.com/sip/sip-plans-for-1000-investment-per-month/
- https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/got-%24500-a-month-to-invest-heres-how-the-sp-500-could-make-you-a-millionaire
- https://www.policybazaar.com/sip/5000-monthly-sip-plans/
- https://www.bankrate.com/investing/the-dow-nasdaq-sp-500-differences/
- https://www.zeebiz.com/personal-finance/investment/news-investing-rs-2000-every-month-via-sip-in-this-icici-bank-scheme-may-grow-into-rs-162-lakh-in-five-years-mutual-fund-investment-tips-stst-243202
- https://paytm.com/blog/investment/are-you-an-intelligent-investor-or-an-average-investor/
- https://www.livemint.com/money/personal-finance/how-much-mutual-fund-sip-is-required-to-make-rs-50-lakhs-in-3-to-5-years-11672583467274.html
- https://awealthofcommonsense.com/2023/02/deconstructing-10-20-30-year-stock-market-returns/
- https://www.investopedia.com/articles/personal-finance/022216/put-10000-sp-500-etf-and-wait-20-years.asp
- https://www.investopedia.com/articles/investing/100615/investing-100-month-stocks-30-years.asp
- https://www.investopedia.com/nasdaq-vs-sp500-vs-dow-5213252
- https://www.forbes.com/advisor/investing/best-total-stock-market-index-funds/
- https://www.themarkethustle.com/news/do-day-traders-beat-the-stock-market
- https://finance.yahoo.com/news/got-1-000-invest-stocks-131200052.html
- https://www.marketwatch.com/investing/index/spx
- https://www.fool.com/investing/2023/01/15/sp-500-had-worst-year-in-history-what-happens-next/
- https://www.fool.com/investing/general/2013/09/21/the-best-performing-stock-on-the-sp-500-since-1980.aspx
- https://www.bankrate.com/investing/best-s-p-500-index-funds/
- https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/you-can-do-better-than-the-sp-500.-buy-this-etf-instead.
- https://www.fool.com/investing/2022/02/05/2-reasons-sp-500-index-funds-are-the-perfect-inves/
- https://www.hedgeweek.com/top-50-hedge-funds-outpaced-sp-500-more-3-over-past-five-years/
- https://www.bajajfinserv.in/investments/sip-calculator
- https://www.fool.ca/2023/10/03/how-much-should-you-invest-to-earn-400-month-in-passive-income/
- https://www.bajajfinserv.in/investments/start-an-sip-to-save-tax-on-your-income
- https://finance.yahoo.com/news/13-best-performing-p-500-170755396.html
- https://www.brickweaver.com/ons-house-price-index-how-reliable-is-it/
- https://www.forbes.com/sites/pattieehsaei/2023/10/12/you-can-afford-to-invest-start-with-just-100-per-month/
- https://www.cnbc.com/2024/01/23/worlds-largest-hedge-funds-record-bumper-year-of-profits.html
- https://www.fool.com/investing/2024/01/27/is-right-now-a-good-time-to-invest-in-the-sp-500-h/
- https://www.franklintempleton.com/planning-and-learning/learn-about-investing/investing-principles/cost-of-timing-the-market
- https://www.cbsnews.com/news/where-can-i-earn-6-on-my-savings-today/
- https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/wealth/calculators/sip-calculator
- https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/columnist/krantz/2016/03/30/ask-matt-sp-500-dividends-taxable/82394944/
- https://www.fool.com/investing/2023/07/14/got-25-per-week-heres-how-far-investing-in-the-sp/
- https://www.quora.com/If-I-would-buy-a-house-in-3-to-5-years-would-it-be-smart-to-invest-my-savings-in-an-index-fund-now
- https://www.investopedia.com/ask/answers/032415/which-investments-have-highest-historical-returns.asp
- https://finance.yahoo.com/news/15-stocks-consistent-growth-170229170.html
- https://www.financial-planning.com/list/profunds-direxion-rydex-mutual-funds-with-the-best-10-year-returns
- https://www.statmuse.com/money/ask/what-is-the-highest-the-dow-jones-has-been-ever
- https://www.sharebuilder401k.com/blog/how-the-rule-of-72-helps-you-understand-how-your-savings-can-grow/
- https://www.sarwa.co/blog/invest-sp-500
- https://www.investopedia.com/ask/answers/052015/which-has-performed-better-historically-stock-market-or-real-estate.asp
- https://www.nerdwallet.com/article/investing/how-to-start-investing
- https://www.etmoney.com/learn/stocks/nasdaq-100-versus-sp-500-which-index-is-better-for-investing-in-the-us/
- https://www.nerdwallet.com/article/investing/how-to-invest-in-sp500
- https://finance.yahoo.com/news/5-dividend-etfs-beat-p-190000575.html
- https://www.rdegges.com/2022/real-estate-vs-stocks/
- https://stockanalysis.com/article/can-you-beat-the-market/
- https://www.kotak.com/en/stories-in-focus/mutual-funds/best-sip-plans-for-5-years.html
- https://talkmarkets.com/content/how-much-money-do-i-need-to-invest-to-make-3000-a-month?post=431352
- https://twitter.com/DaveRamsey/status/1740392947818905964
- https://www.nytimes.com/2022/12/02/business/stock-market-index-funds.html
- https://www.moneycontrol.com/mutual-funds/performance-tracker/sip-returns/large-cap-fund.html
- https://www.fool.com/the-ascent/buying-stocks/articles/heres-what-happens-when-you-only-invest-in-sp-500-etfs/
- https://www.livemint.com/money/personal-finance/mutual-fund-calculator-rs-10000-sip-can-help-you-get-rs-9-lakh-monthly-pension-details-here-11638064389828.html
- https://finance.yahoo.com/news/13-stocks-outperform-p-500-165621345.html
- https://www.usatoday.com/money/blueprint/investing/best-total-stock-market-index-funds/
- https://www.zeebiz.com/personal-finance/news-sip-15x15x15-formula-can-make-you-a-crorepati-in-15-years-even-at-age-40-sip-calculator-how-to-become-a-crorepati-mutual-funds-saving-investment-strategy-monthly-income-264231
- https://www.fool.com/investing/2024/02/04/sp-500-record-highs-now-good-time-to-buy/
- https://www.bankoncube.com/post/what-is-the-best-1000-per-month-sip-for-20-years
- https://finance.yahoo.com/news/3-stocks-beaten-p-average-105100504.html
- https://www.titan.com/articles/does-the-sp-500-pay-dividends
- https://www.fool.com/investing/2023/11/26/want-to-outperform-92-of-professional-fund-manager/
- https://www.morningstar.ca/ca/news/185437/sp-500-or-total-stock-market-index-for-us-exposure.aspx
- https://corporatefinanceinstitute.com/resources/career-map/sell-side/capital-markets/index-investing/
- https://www.tiktok.com/@daveramsey/video/7317666328783932715
- https://www.cnbc.com/select/what-is-sp-500-how-to-invest/
- https://finbox.com/ARCA:SPY/explorer/asset_price_return_10y/
- https://www.pionline.com/hedge-funds/hedge-fund-2023-returns-roll-including-citadel-de-shaw-and-point72
- https://www.businesstoday.in/personal-finance/investment/story/sip-of-rs-1000-monthly-can-lead-to-significant-gains-heres-how-much-you-can-save-in-10-20-and-30-years-410464-2023-12-22
- https://www.fool.com/the-ascent/buying-stocks/articles/heres-how-much-money-you-could-have-if-you-invested-1000-a-month-for-20-years/
- https://smartasset.com/investing/investing-100-a-month-how-much-will-you-make
- https://time.com/personal-finance/article/how-to-invest-in-index-funds/
- https://www.zeebiz.com/personal-finance/news-sip-how-to-get-rs-1-crore-by-investing-rs-15000-per-month-in-a-systematic-investment-plan-stst-257911
- https://etfdb.com/compare/highest-5-year-returns/
- https://brainly.com/question/26701911
- https://finance.yahoo.com/news/much-interest-earn-1-million-150000229.html
- https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/4-ways-to-grow-%24100000-into-%241-million-for-retirement-savings-13
- https://www.nerdwallet.com/article/investing/real-estate-vs-stocks-which-is-the-better-investment
- https://www.bankrate.com/investing/low-risk-investments/
- https://www.retirebeforedad.com/vtsax-vs-vfiax/
- https://ycharts.com/indicators/sp_500_10_year_return
- https://www.vaneck.com/us/en/blogs/moat-investing/decade-of-dominance-the-etf-that-quietly-beats-the-s-and-p-500/
- https://www.stash.com/learn/how-to-invest-in-sp500-2/
- https://www.fool.com/investing/how-to-invest/index-funds/index-funds-vs-mutual-funds/
- https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/is-the-sp-500-all-you-need-to-retire-a-millionaire-12
- https://www.quora.com/How-much-can-I-earn-money-by-investing-5-000-rupees-per-month-through-SIP-for-15-years
- https://www.quora.com/Is-it-worth-investing-100-dollars-monthly-in-S-P-500-ETF-for-a-long-term-investment
- https://www.fool.com/investing/2023/06/25/if-you-invested-10000-in-the-sp-500-20-years-ago/
- https://tradethatswing.com/average-historical-stock-market-returns-for-sp-500-5-year-up-to-150-year-averages/