经济发展最简单的指标是什么呢？那就是House prices（房价）了。经济向上发展的时候，房价逐渐走高；经济不好的时候，房价也会降低；当房价出现剧烈波动时，经济也会产生强烈的反应。

我们来看2个例句：

When U. S. house prices were rising and interest rates were low, even the poor got a chance to get a mortgage and a home.

当美国房价飞升而利率却较低，即使是穷光蛋都有机会获得抵押贷款和房子。

I was one of those journalists who tried to point out over the past decade that house prices and stock values were getting out of control.

过去10年间，曾经有一些记者（我也是其中一员）试图指出，住房和股票价格已逐渐失控。