Just scenario I found my self in: I bought (took a loan) a house in a desirable location during the “financial crisis” sold it 7 years later, constructed a new house of much higher quality, caveat, it is much smaller, on a large plot of land, no loan. And if you know anything about construction it is way more to build a house than to buy one.

I am not richer but I am better off in a trade off kind of way.