You are right. As with all financial decisions, there isn't a single answer other than, "it depends". Where I live, homes are cheap compared to CO or CA. They don't go up a whole lot but the payments aren't very different from renting. So, the payments are flat for the term of the loan, whereas rent always goes up and in inflationary times they go up a whole lot. This is why I called home purchase a hedge against inflation. Looking at the cost of home ownership across the nation, most areas are like mine. Moderately increasing home prices, that keep pace with the cost of the loan. Not a great investment but a good hedge against inflation. If that's what you want.
What you describe is home ownership as an investment. You can win or lose on an investment. Maybe Colorado is a safe bet. It wasn't such a safe bet in portions of CA, where -- in some areas -- home prices still are below that of 2008. So, you make you bet and take your chances. It's the overheated markets where the common man takes the risk of losing their principle and accrued interest payments. I can't comment on whether or not Colorado is an overheated market or not.
Getting back to the original post, most of the country is not in a housing bubble but it sure is in some areas. Most of the country is experiencing low wage growth. As you repeat almost by the hour, wages are not keeping up with the cost of living. Some maybe a lot of people with equity make up the difference by taking accrued equity out of their home in the form of a second mortgage. And so, a debt fueled crash will eventually come.