A house should be used as a home by its builder and owner, and houses do degrade and physically depreciate. There is something pathological about an economy that promotes disproportionate inflation of real property prices without real and substantial improvements. It’s only another fraud for getting money without doing real work.
Live within ones means, control as much of your environment as possible, harden your assets, be self sufficient, have reserves and alternatives and the ability to barter for basic needs of food, water, shelter, health, security and transportation. Preclude, foresee and mitigate the damage from as many natural, federal, commercial, public and private threats possible your life ......
Liberty has a price. The cost is up to the individual .
Stay Safe !