As housing affordability concerns continue to grow nationwide, President Donald Trump has said his goal is to boost housing prices rather than reduce them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Speaking during a Cabinet meeting on Jan. 29, Trump said he wants to make it easier for Americans to buy homes\u2014but not by lowering home values. Instead, he pointed to lower interest rates, which he expects to result from his forthcoming pick to lead the Federal Reserve, as the key mechanism that would expand access to homeownership even as prices rise.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI don\u2019t want to drive housing prices down. I want to drive housing prices up for people that own their homes,\u201d Trump said. \u201cAnd they can be assured that\u2019s what\u2019s going to happen.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The remarks come as the administration rolls out policies aimed at addressing housing and broader cost-of-living pressures. These include a Jan. 20 executive order barring institutional investors from purchasing single-family homes, a move intended to expand individual homeownership. The administration has also taken steps to purchase mortgage-backed securities in an effort to push mortgage rates lower.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
However, Trump emphasized that expanding access to homeownership should not come at the expense of current homeowners\u2019 wealth, even as many Americans cite high home prices as a major financial strain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cExisting housing, people that own their homes, we\u2019re going to keep them wealthy,\u201d Trump said. \u201cWe\u2019re going to keep those prices up. We\u2019re not going to destroy the value of their homes so that somebody who didn\u2019t work very hard can buy a home.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He added that while his administration plans to make homebuying easier by reducing interest rates, protecting homeowners\u2019 equity remains a priority. \u201cI want to protect the people who, for the first time in their lives, feel good about themselves. They feel like they\u2019re wealthy people,\u201d Trump said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Housing prices continue to climb. According to the Federal Housing Finance Agency, prices rose 0.6% in November compared with the previous month. Redfin reported that the national median home price reached a record $433,000 in November 2025, while Zillow forecasts prices will rise another 1.9% in 2026.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Despite the gains, home prices remain high relative to income growth after inflation, placing homeownership out of reach for many Americans. The housing market remains sluggish amid a nationwide shortage, particularly in the lower-priced segment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Trump also reiterated his opposition to a proposal backed by his White House economic team that would allow Americans to tap their 401(k) retirement savings for home down payments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
During the Cabinet meeting, Trump said he plans to announce his nominee for Federal Reserve chair next week. He has repeatedly criticized current Chair Jerome Powell for not cutting interest rates more aggressively. Powell\u2019s term as Fed chair is set to expire in May.<\/p>\n\n\n\n