I don’t think property is for most people. I personally believe it's the second-best wealth creation tool behind owning your own business. The downside
is the amount of effort, energy and knowledge required to participate efficiently. A lot of investors are in it for a comfortable retirement, which is fair. If 1 - 5 million at retirement is the goal, I would go the barefoot investor route and invest in shares. ETF's are a truly passive path, you can regularly invest small amounts, it's liquid, there's less significant sacrifices needed to research strategies, areas, tax implications, properties, extreme savings for deposits.
If it's possible without all the headache and stress that comes with property, why not do that? For those who have larger and more dramatic ambitions I believe property is better suited to taking big leaps forward. The two advantages of property are the power of leverage and the ability to add value. You can gain high exposure to the market for a relatively small investment, and you can force its value up through renovation or development. There are still restrictions and limitations when it comes to property, namely lending restrictions. The other reason to do property, regardless of goals, is if you enjoy it.
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