So what’s happening with the U.S. housing market right now is hot topic of debate – No housing bubble? temporary blip before prices go back up? Soft landing? Or, as the Economist was saying all the way back in 2005, the biggest housing bubble of all time – which is now going to blow up real good? While everyone seems to have an opinion, this is one of the coolest things I’ve seen on the topic.

Now admittedly the maker of this clever little video is probably a bit biased – the website it comes from is called “speculative bubble” after all – but the story they visually represent isn’t. What this person did was take the historical prices of U.S. houses, adjusted for inflation, since 1890, and mashed it up with Atari RollerCoaster Tycoon(R) 3. Yes, I find this kind of thing cool.

Ok, fine – for full disclosure, I sit pretty firmly in the speculative bubble camp myself, and I’ve talked an ear or two off on the subject over the last few years. But sometimes, seeing is believing. 

So strap yourself in, and go through the wild century+ ride that is U.S. housing prices adjusted for inflation. After all the ups and downs, you’ll notice a very, very long climb that eventually ends in 2005. Then after a quick turn in 2006, the video maker lets you look back on the exact course you have just traversed… which a few people might find a little scary.