Housing prices on a national scale are historically stable and dominated by annual seasonality.  The following chart is provided for context.  It represents the Case-Shiller 10-City Index for the five-year period preceding the Housing Price Bubble spanning 1992 through 1996. 



The following includes a series of five-year periods which illustrate the distinct phases of the Housing Bubble.  I believe it provides useful perspective.  Putting the data from the chart above into context is also interesting.