Washington, January 21, 2026 (Agencies): President Donald J. Trump has signed an executive order aimed at limiting large institutional firms from purchasing single-family homes, a move the administration says is intended to protect homeownership opportunities for American families and address rising housing affordability concerns.
The executive order directs federal agencies to take steps preventing major institutional investors, such as large asset managers, from buying single-family homes when those properties would otherwise be available to individual buyers. The White House said the action will involve reviewing and adjusting federal programs that currently facilitate or support home purchases by institutional buyers, and will prioritize policies to give individual homebuyers greater access to available properties.
Under the directive, the Treasury Department has been asked to examine existing rules governing institutional acquisitions of residential properties, while the Department of Housing and Urban Development is to increase transparency around ownership of single-family rental homes. The Justice Department and the Federal Trade Commission are also tasked with reviewing large institutional purchases for potential anticompetitive practices, the administration stated.
The order further encourages policies that give prospective individual buyers priority over corporate investors in purchasing certain properties, particularly foreclosed or surplus homes. Agencies have been given a set timeline to issue guidance and implement the restrictions, and the administration indicated it plans to propose legislative measures to enshrine the policy into law.
Administration officials framed the executive order as a response to concerns that large investment firms have increasingly competed with individual buyers in the housing market, contributing to higher prices and reduced access for first-time and middle-income homebuyers. The move has drawn varied reactions from real estate and financial industry observers, with some analysts questioning how the restrictions will be applied and whether they will withstand legal challenges.
The signing of the executive order marks a significant federal intervention in the residential property market and signals continued focus by the Trump administration on housing affordability and ownership access as key policy priorities.