Housing prices always reverts back to CPI over multiple decades, i.e they offer no real capital gain. Robert Shiller wrote a lot about this.
Also I don't understand how a growing population leads to increasing prices, while there's so damn much unused land? Either there is enough new land, then people eventually spread out (and prices revert to the CPI, to the cost of construction), or there isn't enough land and homelessness increases as more and more people are completely priced out. Right now nearly every country is in the first situation.
> Either there is enough new land, then people eventually spread out (and prices revert to the CPI, to the cost of construction), or there isn't enough land and homelessness increases as more and more people are completely priced out.
It's not binary. People like to live near other people in cities. Demand to live close to one's job, friends, activities, and loved ones drives up prices in dense areas even with unlimited room to expand elsewhere.
Desirable locations are desirable even on an infinitely-sized map.
Also I don't understand how a growing population leads to increasing prices, while there's so damn much unused land? Either there is enough new land, then people eventually spread out (and prices revert to the CPI, to the cost of construction), or there isn't enough land and homelessness increases as more and more people are completely priced out. Right now nearly every country is in the first situation.
I'm sorry, but HELOC is really just dumb.