I agree. I used to like gold. I still like it but I don't own it because there was too much BS associated with liquidating it.
. I have sold 6 or 7 houses, some of them without a broker. It is a hassle no matter what.
I sold two of them in 2018. It nearly killed me but that's why I had the money to buy 10-15 shares of Amazon stock at a time in 2020.
I guess it's like the advice in that "Rich Dad, poor Dad" book. Investments are just vehicles to get you from one place to another financially. Different people need different vehicles because they're trying to get to different places.
as far as land goes though, I think it's more than keeping up with inflation and probably outpacing the stock market. Around Ohio anyways for some inexplicable reason.
Ohio is a high quality state. I am not surprised. My 27 y.o. daughter bought a 2000 SF old house in Seattle for 3/4 of Mil. Kills me to see how expensive houses are in many places.