i am no landlord but RE certainly has advantages.... bottomline is, in an open market, (both stocks and RE are), the intrinsic advantage of one over another, is by definition, canceled by the competition entering the market.
that's why every business is equally cut-throat, there is no easier ones or harder ones... because if there were, the easier ones will attract more participants to make it harder.
so the only question is which one is more suitable for the individual.