2/27/2022

When you're a hammer, everything looks like a nail. That's my suggestion for a grain of salt upon reading the following words.

I'm a title searcher and hoping to invest in real estate to secure a future, if there is a future, for myself and anyone else who is part of my life. Title searching involves researching properties to ensure the deed is clear of encumberances like liens, tax sale certificates, etc. for prospective home owners.

During February, I don't recall because I was beyond giving a shit about inkubo.org, I had a notion. "What if America is the wealthiest country in the world because of real estate?"

Real estate, judging by its growth, is always growing and in demand. Demand drives prices. When the first Europeans arrived, its riches did not lay in mysterious cities of gold nor untapped mineral wealth but in the 6.1 million square miles of real estate primed for exploitation. As America grows, so does the price of real estate across the country. We're not about to run out of real estate in the next century, not by a long shot, but the available real estate will require TLC by the way of infrastructure and homes.

While America has been an industrial powerhouse and innovator for more than a century, exploiting the land's resources alone (according to me, ersatz laity) wouldn't be enough to fund that growth and expansion.

One thing the United States of America discovered in the past century is war generates revenue. The Great War and World War II were watersheds financially and technologically, driving innovation and growth for decades 'til we ran out of steam. In the interim, we've been selling our military to the highest bidder to keep peace and ensure democracy around the globe. Except there is a problem.

The Roman Empire existed for about 1,000 years. Romans expanded their empire, indoctrinated and absorbed neighboring states and tribes, ensuring growth and an opportunity for barbarians to experience the Roman dream. That growth increased Rome's real estate, brought in more revenue from taxes, and served as collatoral for debt. On the other hand, the United States of America isn't annexing other countries and increasing their real estate portfolio. This may be prudent in the long run since it avoids major warfare on a regular basis, mitigating it to little brushfire conflicts which aren't easily stamped out in hopes of being "kinder" and "gentler".