Trump Signs Executive Order on Housing Market

President Donald Trump has enacted an executive order aimed at restricting Wall Street firms from purchasing single-family homes, a move he believes will help individual buyers secure their dream homes.

“To preserve the supply of single-family homes for American families and increase the paths to homeownership, it is the policy of my Administration that large institutional investors should not buy single-family homes that could otherwise be purchased by families,” Trump stated in the order signed on Tuesday.

In his remarks, Trump pointed fingers at the previous administration for rising inflation and interest rates, claiming these factors have made homeownership increasingly unattainable for many—especially first-time buyers.

The order, titled “Stopping Wall Street from Competing with Main Street Homebuyers,” tasks Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent with establishing definitions for “large institutional investor” and “single-family home” within 30 days, to be used by other executive departments for enforcement.

Within 60 days, several key officials—including the Secretaries of Agriculture, Housing and Urban Development, and Veterans Affairs—are expected to implement measures to prevent government-sponsored enterprises from facilitating purchases of homes by large investors, which would otherwise be available to individual homebuyers.

These officials are also directed to encourage sales directed towards individual owners and occupants. Furthermore, Attorney General Pam Bondi and Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Chairman Andrew Ferguson are instructed to prioritize enforcement of antitrust laws against potential collusions by large institutional investors regarding vacancy and pricing.

Additionally, Trump has requested Deputy Chief of Staff James Blair to draft legislative recommendations aimed at solidifying this policy into law.

Earlier this month, Trump hinted at addressing issues within the housing market in a post on Truth Social, emphasizing the enduring significance of homeownership in the American Dream. He mentioned that he would expand on this topic during his upcoming speech at the World Economic Forum.

🏠@POTUS said it best: homes are built for people, NOT for corporations! That’s why President Trump signed an EO to protect the American Dream by making sure that large institutional investors do not buy single-family homes that could otherwise be purchased by families. pic.twitter.com/ZKkmuEPMwC