Focus on the BIG picture.
Friday, Jan 23, 2026
Outside the box.
White House Unveils New Measures to Address Housing Affordability and Expand Homeownership
Trump administration outlines multifaceted effort to make homes more affordable by curbing investor purchases, lowering financing costs and boosting buyer access
The White House has intensified its focus on housing affordability and widening access to homeownership, unveiling a suite of policies aimed at tackling one of the most pressing economic challenges facing American families.
President Donald Trump framed the issue as central to economic stability and the American dream, announcing measures intended to lower borrowing costs, restrict large corporate purchases of single-family homes and enhance opportunities for prospective buyers.
At the World Economic Forum in Davos, the president outlined several elements of the housing agenda, emphasising that high mortgage interest rates, rising home prices and limited supply have priced many Americans out of the housing market.
In a high-profile move, Mr Trump signed an executive order directing federal agencies to explore ways to limit purchases of single-family homes by large institutional investors, arguing that such acquisitions have crowded out individual and family buyers and hindered affordability.
The order also instructs the Treasury and Federal Trade Commission to assess whether investor practices are anti-competitive and to propose steps to prioritise sales to individual purchasers.
In addition to curbing investor influence, the administration is pursuing measures to lower borrowing costs for homebuyers.
The president has called for federal interventions aimed at reducing mortgage interest rates — including a plan to direct government-backed entities to purchase mortgage bonds — and has advocated for lower credit card rates to bolster consumer savings and down-payment capacity.
Mr Trump’s broader strategy also contemplates legislative proposals to cap certain borrowing costs and expand financial flexibility for potential homeowners.
The housing strategy comes amid widespread concern over affordability, with data showing that many households struggle with high home prices relative to income and mortgage rates that have climbed from pandemic-era lows, suppressing buyers’ ability to enter the market.
The president’s remarks in Davos and accompanying directives signal a clear executive branch priority to address these economic pressures, though the effectiveness of the proposed measures will depend on detailed implementation and cooperation with Congress and financial regulators.
President Donald Trump framed the issue as central to economic stability and the American dream, announcing measures intended to lower borrowing costs, restrict large corporate purchases of single-family homes and enhance opportunities for prospective buyers.
At the World Economic Forum in Davos, the president outlined several elements of the housing agenda, emphasising that high mortgage interest rates, rising home prices and limited supply have priced many Americans out of the housing market.
In a high-profile move, Mr Trump signed an executive order directing federal agencies to explore ways to limit purchases of single-family homes by large institutional investors, arguing that such acquisitions have crowded out individual and family buyers and hindered affordability.
The order also instructs the Treasury and Federal Trade Commission to assess whether investor practices are anti-competitive and to propose steps to prioritise sales to individual purchasers.
In addition to curbing investor influence, the administration is pursuing measures to lower borrowing costs for homebuyers.
The president has called for federal interventions aimed at reducing mortgage interest rates — including a plan to direct government-backed entities to purchase mortgage bonds — and has advocated for lower credit card rates to bolster consumer savings and down-payment capacity.
Mr Trump’s broader strategy also contemplates legislative proposals to cap certain borrowing costs and expand financial flexibility for potential homeowners.
The housing strategy comes amid widespread concern over affordability, with data showing that many households struggle with high home prices relative to income and mortgage rates that have climbed from pandemic-era lows, suppressing buyers’ ability to enter the market.
The president’s remarks in Davos and accompanying directives signal a clear executive branch priority to address these economic pressures, though the effectiveness of the proposed measures will depend on detailed implementation and cooperation with Congress and financial regulators.
