> Am I missing something about modern economics? yes you have. The home took someone money to build, the land cost money to buy (from the previous owners) - t

> Am I missing something about modern economics? yes you have. The home took someone money to build, the land cost money to buy (from the previous owners) - thru the long chain of title ownership that would stem from the conquerors of this land (who ultimately took the land from either natives, or whoever that previously owned it by force). The previous owners who now got paid by you will use this money for other investments. It is not slept on. Your house is also providing utility (of being a shelter). You just stopped thinking about the money as soon as it left your bank when you buy the house, and thus you feel that the value of the house is merely being "slept on", when in actual fact, this transaction that is your house is a small cog in a very large system.