Would you invest in 401k instead of invest in real estate?

[Roy C.]

Assuming you have a corporate job with employer matching 401k, would you save money for down payment for real estate investment or would you invest in 401k?

I understand this question can be answered differently depending on the situation. If a person wants to have a stable steady long term retirement plan for 30-40 yrs down the road, maybe maxing out 401k is a better choice. But if a person seeks early retirement and financial freedom, maybe saving up for down payment for REI might be a better decision.

The latter choice is probably appealing to most of you, since after all this is REI forum, but I would like to hear your input given the situation.