The fact is prices will slow to the rate of inflation at most sometime in next 16 months.
The property market turned lower quite quickly in 2001 even before 9/11 (allowing for time lag in ESRI data). I see things moving in a very similar pattern this year, when the data catches up over the next month or two, we'll see a rapid change. Not prices falling through the floor but definitely drops showing up in the ESRI/PTSB index before the end of this year.
Some people think it takes a long time for a property market to stall and turn but it can happen quite quickly as the following data from 2001 shows:
ESRI/PTSB National House Prices
Dec-00 174,071
Jan-01 175,939
Feb-01 176,717
Mar-01 178,974
Apr-01 181,075
May-01 181,853
Jun-01 182,475
Jul-01 184,265
Aug-01 185,899
Sep-01 185,562 (turning point)
Oct-01 184,032
Nov-01 183,253
Dec-01 181,697
Jan-02 180,141
Feb-02 181,386