Sounds like you don't get out much or have any idea of what's going on in this country. Are you kidding me about the value of homes not going up? There is a bidding war going on with houses. It's a seller's market because people are moving out of the cities and into the country. My friend moved down to TN in August and got outbid on 58 houses before he just decided to buy a piece of land.The value of your home does not go up. The value of your money has gone down. Government does not know the value of anything. Your taxes make government what it is.