W
arren Buffett, the investing legend, has long been a proponent of real estate as a wealth-building asset. However, he and his late business partner Charlie Munger would choose stocks over property any day. According to Buffett, there's more opportunity in the security market than in real estate, particularly in the US.

    Buffett attributes this preference to the complexity and sluggishness of real estate deals compared to stock transactions. "In respect to real estate, it's so much harder than stocks in terms of negotiation of deals, time spent, the involvement of multiple parties," he said. He noted that when real estate gets into trouble, you often find more than just an equity holder involved.

    While Munger enjoyed real estate and did a fair number of deals in his final years, Buffett believes his true allegiance was always to stocks. "I think if you'd asked him to make a choice at 21, he would have chosen stocks exclusively," Buffett said. He values the simplicity of stock investing, citing the ease with which one can conduct billions of dollars worth of business anonymously on the New York Stock Exchange within five minutes.

    In contrast, real estate is a slow grind, with negotiations taking forever to conclude. At his age, Buffett finds it unappealing to get involved in something that could take years to resolve. Under his leadership, Berkshire Hathaway has delivered enormous returns to shareholders over the decades, solidifying his legacy as a master of seizing opportunities in the stock market.