Less than half (48%) of wealthy Americans believe real estate values will increase within the next year, down from 72% a year ago, according to the 2006 U.S. Trust Survey of Affluent Americans. The poll noted that one out of three expect real estate market value to fall within the year, compared with 14% in the 2005 survey. In other results, the survey found that 90% of respondents expect their portfolios to gain this year, with 63% optimistic about their U.S. stock market investments (up from 48% last year) and that their stock holdings will rise an average of 8%. The poll of Americans with at least an adjusted gross income of $300,000, or net worth more than $5.9 million, reveals that 83% were most concerned about the economic future of the next generation of Americans. Less than 5% of respondents had investments in venture capital, private equity and hedge funds.
