Topline
The Trump administration is floating the idea of introducing 50-year mortgages as a way to address the ongoing affordable housing crisis and drive up first-time home buying—but it’s unclear if such a mortgage would actually save home buyers much money in the long run.
The proposal for longer-term mortgages was met with a mixed reception from critics.
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Key Facts
In a post on Truth Social on Saturday, Trump shared an image comparing himself to former President Franklin D. Roosevelt, who introduced the 30-year mortgage.
Bill Pulte, the director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency and chair of both Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, then confirmed the agency was “working” on offering 50-year mortgages.
Pulte’s comments were met with mixed reception from critics, including many conservatives, and the FHFA director quickly said the plan was “simply a potential weapon in a WIDE arsenal of solutions that we are developing right now.”
How Expensive Are Houses In 2025?
The median home sale price was $410,800, according to data from the St. Louis Fed most recently updated in July for the second quarter of 2025. The average down payment on a home in 2025 was 19%, according to a report released by the National Association of Realtors in November, although this average was considerably lower at 10% for first-time home buyers. The median age of first-time home buyers also rose to 40 years old, according to the group.