The example you gave about you buying a home in 2016 and the value today is just that.
Save the inspirational speak for someone else. When the crap hits the fan its going to be ugly. 2008 was a great preview, except the US is in much more debt now, be it government debt, student debt, credit card debt, auto loans, you name it.
But yeah sure, nothing to see here. Pick up some of those gold bricks the roads are paved in... LOL