I think home ownership is a core American value. The government supports this by subsidizing housing via tax writeoffs and low mortgage interest rates. It’s also reinforced by TV shows, advertising, etc.

Our country had so much open space that it was relatively easy to build houses further and further out from established cities. Until our domestic oilfields hit peak oil about 30 years ago, we had plenty of cheap oil to allow us to use our cars to cover the vast distances that our suburban lifestyle forced us to traverse every day.

Much of this has changed and I think the suburban way of life is really starting to break down, but it’s hard to go against your core values. Most people still say rent is “throwing money away”. It is, but buying is throwing away two or three times that amount. Nothing is free.

I also think that people view their house (rather than their community) as the center of their lives. Maybe that’s a symptom of our communities breaking down (in some places).