That's a Wrap

I did know about wrapping a house but not exactly why. So I looked it up. House wrap is usually made from a synthetic material that has the function of keeping outside moisture from getting into the building. On the flip side, it allows water vapor to get out. Water (allowed in or not allowed out) can cause rot or mold to set in. Which of course got me to thinking about houses inundated by floods, hurricanes, etc. That got me to wondering, again, why people like to live near water. It's a question that has niggled at me for awhile. I've done a little research and asked people but haven't come up w/ anything definitive. Sure, in the past living near water meant fairly flat fertile land, easy means of transportation, drinking, washing, and food resources. In this day and age, I'm not convinced those are still the imperative reasons people prefer shore lands.