Why did it take this “important national magazine” so long to see (or publish) the obvious?

Prediction:

Lots of front pages with cute or scary housing bust graphics, coming soon to a newsstand near you.

Here is how it works: Someone brave has to go first, then the journalists at the other ragamags has something to point to when arguing with their overly risk-averse and conservative editors. The sheep will follow. It always works the same way,
and there are some notable examples the last 6 years.