In the area where I am from, the homes ARE taken care of and APPRECIATE in value. 10 years ago, these homes were new and cost $150,000 to $275,000. Now you cannot buy in here for under $350,000 because we all take pride in our homes. Not everybody lives in a stagnantly populated area just as not everyone lives in a well kept area. If I had bought my home in a sewer like some of New Orleans, I would not expect it to appreciate in value. You missed my point completely.
In high demand areas like Southern California and South Florida, people are paying over a million dollars for homes that in my stagnant growth area wouldn't even get $50,000 or might even be condemned as hazards. People will pay a million for those shacks in rapidly growing areas and bulldoze them so they can spend another million building another house. The demand is in those areas and that demand determines price. While that might be cool for people who have owned a house for 20 years, it's poison for people first starting out who can't even afford a starter shack.
As for gasoline, the demand is up globally --- way up! If not for some damn good engineering and technology and a massive investment driven by competition in the oil industry, we would be paying a hell of a lot more for gas than we are now.