You can rationalize it however you want, you can find data to support any position....but you will one day be sixty seven and you better have a plan.

In any case, I bought in 2010 (not my first home) and so far the assessed value has doubled. Even if there is a housing "crash", I will probably lose only about 25% off that. By 2030, recessions or not, it will have probably gone up 4x. I'm not trying to rub it in your face, I'm merely suggesting this is still a great way to retire and you probably don't have a better plan.

Levi Strauss built an empire selling clothes to gold miners, most of whom would end up in ruin. Many many people in SV have made fortunes housing the equivalent of today's gold miners.