I'm no economist ... I think houses were appreciating while people were upwardly mobile in the economy. So not just more people, but more people with the means

I'm no economist ... I think houses were appreciating while people were upwardly mobile in the economy. So not just more people, but more people with the means to buy a house (or borrow money for same). Now we're stagnant, and people are talking about the disappearing middle class, and housing prices are flat.