For years, investors have been buying real estate to make money and build wealth. Today however, the media would have you believe that the real estate bubble has burst and that you can no longer make money buying real estate. Newspapers and television reports love attention-grabbing headlines. But, are headlines based on facts or designed to get you to tune in?

Take a look at how the headlines could read.

Housing Prices Plummet or Housing Prices Decline Slightly

In 2006, median home price across the country dropped only 1.7 percent. That figure certainly doesn't indicate a bust in the real estate market. The way property values increased over the past decade, that decline is more of a bump in the road than a major disaster. Because most investors buy low and sell high, a 1.7 percent drop in prices wouldn't mean that investors can't make money buying houses.

America's Housing Market Crashes or America Still Needs Housing

According to media reports, the turn to a buyer's market indicates that too many houses languish on the market. However, the number of new households being formed and an increasing population keeps pressure on the real estate market. America's expanding colleges and universities continue to turn out qualified graduates who need housing.