>Monopoly is a child's game that has no connection with how markets actually work.
Those aren't mutually exclusive. As far as I understand, the idea of Monopoly isn't to show how markets work. Its to show how finite resources such as land interact on a semi-free market. Which is exactly why lots of countries are now having problems with investors, foreign or not, buying up everything and driving up prices.
Most countries hurt because investors avoid them.
> buying up
Meaning tons of money and investment is flowing into the country.
No limit has been found, and certainly there's none in sight. Previous things running out:
1. rand out of wood for fuel. Now we use other fuels.
2. ran out of whales for whale oil. Now using other fuels.
3. Germany ran out of oil in WW2. They switched to alcohol and were developing other synthetic fuels.
4. The US ran out of rubber in WW2, developed synthetic rubber.
5. Ran out of farmland. Now use much more productive farming techniques. Vertical hydroponic farms are an emerging technology.
And so on. Interestingly, the countries that fail to adapt to change are socialist ones. The free market countries adapt.
The sky is the limit. Or is it? When prices rise high enough everything gets possible.
Are you seriously concerned about running out of places to put a 10 story building? People will just start making 20 story buildings.