Everyone knows the stock market always gets 8% and always goes up ;-}Actually, some very smart people are expecting a 40% correction in the stock market.

I've invested in stocks for almost 30 years now.

It took us about 3 years, but we were heavily invested in the stock market these last 5+ years when they've been on such a tear. 

You should have some of your portfolio in the public stock market, because it is a solid wealth builder over long periods of time.

As compared to stock investing, there are many more variables that you are able to control.

But for budget friendly options look at Lowes in stock replacement windows.

I would only recommend this strategy to capitalize a business with more than $100K of retirement funds.The operating business must be a C CorpThe corporation sponsors a 401k retirement planYou can rollover funds from an existing tax-deferred IRA or 401k into the new 401kThe 401(k) then uses an Employee Stock Option Purchase to purchase shares of the parent C corporation.  

Money Mustache and the recession for getting us started on our real estate journey, and our gainful employment for saving up a bunch and the stock market (betterment account) for giving us an extra $10k or so for free.

If you went to Boggleheads or some other stock market forum, they would tell you to go all in the stock market. 

Of course, there are a variety of ways to invest in real estate, either direct ownership of the property, holding mortgages secured by real property, etc.While certainly not as common as stock market investing, this is very commonly done and has been for decades.