For people who played when wards were first introduced, how much were houses then?

I started this game in Jan 2017. After I did the home is where the heart is I made it my singular goal was to get a house, at the expense of story and main class progression. My first house was 3.1 million in the Mist.

I've always thought everything about the housing prices went against every principle of supply and demand. Based on the supply I would think small houses would be like 15-25 million based on location, mediums 40-60 million and larges around 100 million.

So I was just wondering were prices always like this, because the affordability is part of the issue with the system.

I do think houses should be more like trophy items. I had a house before I finished the ARR storyline or left the novice network, which I think is too easy. If I were SE I would have made Wards with high priced houses and then instanced apartments small and large at affordable prices with a community stable and garden.