"Depleted, stretched, and disheartened. That's how a lot of home shoppers, who've lost home bid after bid over the past year, are feeling these days. When it comes to timing, they've certainly gotten the short end of the stick. Over the past 12 months, U.S. home prices are up 18.8%—an uptick larger than any 12-month period leading up to the 2008 housing crash."