Real estate has long been a driver of domestic politics. The fact that only some people have housing wealth and can afford to live in strong job markets fuels inequality, the rural-urban and generational divides. House prices also feed anxiety over immigration (which raises competition for homes) and reduce fertility (because young people can’t afford enough space to have children). Much of this argument is outlined in the essay “The Housing Theory of Everything” by John Myers, Sam Bowman and Ben Southwood. But real estate’s merging with international relations is more recent.