It's the most expensive purchase many of us even consider: A place to live.

As we head into 2019, a complicated landscape in real estate has emerged. For a decade in a rebounding U.S. economy amid cheap loans, home prices have marched steadily higher. When the market bottomed in February 2009, the median sale price for a home was $140,000. Last month it was nearly $258,000.

That might sound OK if you're looking to sell a home, but not so fast. Interest rates are creeping higher, reducing how much buyers can borrow. And the number of homes for sale is rising, giving shoppers more homes to choose from. Are we heading into a healthier housing market? Or a more dangerous one?

Joining Jon Fortt to talk real estate: CNBC's Diana Olick, Realtor.com CEO Ryan O'Hara and real estate agent Josh Flagg of Bravo's "Million Dollar Listing Los Angeles." Season 11 kicks off Jan. 3.

Fortt Knox is a weekly podcast from CNBC anchor Jon Fortt. Previous episodes of the program can be found here.