In your example you cite when you get to retirement and have 'nothing', what you should have is a diversified portfolio of investments that would have given you

In your example you cite when you get to retirement and have 'nothing', what you should have is a diversified portfolio of investments that would have given you a less risky place to put the money that you haven't put into property. The best argument I've heard is that one thing owning property does do is focus you on saving towards something in a way that saving towards 'the future' doesn't.