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Housing affordability has become one of the defining economic challenges of our time. Home prices remain elevated, inventory is tight in many markets, and higher mortgage rates have pushed monthly payments well beyond what many households can reasonably afford. Recently, two housing-related policy ideas associated with Donald Trump have entered the national conversation: A proposal for the government to purchase $200 billion in mortgage-backed securities to help push mortgage rates lower A proposal to block large institutional investors from purchasing single-family homes Both are framed as solutions to housing affordability. One of them—restricting institutional investors—is, in my view, a good policy direction. But neither proposal, on its own, addresses the core structural issues that have made homeownership increasingly unattainable, especially for first-time buyers. To understand why, we need to look beyond headlines and into the realities of the housing market.

Lately there’s been growing talk about introducing a 50-year mortgage as a way to make homeownership more “affordable.” On the surface, it sounds like a lifeline for first-time buyers priced out of the market, lower monthly payments, easier qualification, and longer repayment periods.But when you look at the numbers, it becomes clear that the goal isn’t purely consumer relief, it’s also about stabilizing a housing market facing ongoing pressure.Let’s unpack how a 50-year mortgage compares to the traditional 30-year loan, and what it really means for affordability in America.