In the articles I've read he doesn't tell people to buy or not buy houses - he just says that historically they usually keep pace with inflation so they may not be the great investment many think they are.
http://finance.yahoo.com/news/we-re...ng-slump--ever--robert-shiller-174038372.html
"There is an argument for helping low-income people get a house,” says Shiller. “I think it makes them feel better about their attachment to this country and themselves.” But he doesn’t believe there’s any reason to advise people towards owning a house instead of starting a business or paying for an education.
Owning a home appeals to certain people, according to Shiller, people who are upwardly mobile with young children. But, he warns, owning a home is an incredible nuisance that can trap people and end up costing a lot in upkeep. “I’m a homeowner but there’s a lot of stuff that goes wrong, we had our heat go out the other day,” he jokes."