The process of "making a home" is a lost art. Wife and I have been trying to figure it out the last few years

100%

You can see it when you go to their house (not home) too. There's no personality to it.

Been saying this for years. Terms like "own a home", $home ownership", they're defining "home" as a commodity. The idea that "home ownership" is someone's biggest asset, where most peoples investment is, a dwelling built as cheaply as possible that is decaying from day 1 that is expected to appreciate as an asset, that is "home" now. It's complete and utter nonsense, it is propaganda designed to turn you into a commodity as well.