What truly controls the rise and fall of real estate prices?

Supply and Demand, inflation, interest rate and location

Supply and demand, plus location

Main Factors:

1. Supply and Demand for similar real estate asset

2. Fundamentals of the real estate asset (Asset quality)

3. Macro economic factors (Interest rate etc..)

I believe that depends on mainly people culture for such industry even in recessions they are buying homes as a secured instrument to protect thier money values and aslo financial education, as much as they have exposure to get facilities to own thier homes this will impact real estate prices accordingly.   

Fundamentally it is demand

1. demand and supply

2.location and area

3.growth of surronding

Location

access roads

area development

demand

Demand And Supply dictiates 

1- Supply and demand in the Market.

2- Recession or economic recovery.

3 - Location and Area. 

4 - Rumors in the market as well. 

5 - Sometime mood of the owner ( Saudi ) 

Demand and Supply in the market.

1.demand and supply

2.stability in government.

3.growth of surrounding.

4.job stability in all sector.