It’s pretty easy to forecast 2012: seven years up, seven years down.
But as also pointed out, there is a top, then a couple of years of steep decline, then gentle leveling out. That is assuming it is a normal shakeout like early 90’s.
If banks get serious about unloading foreclosures – that is, get desperate to shore up balance sheets, and sell before further declines – the decline could be really steep.