Trump Signs Order Curbing Wall Street Firms From Buying Single-Family Homes, Says It's To Protect The 'American Dream' - BlackRock (NYSE:BLK)
BlackRockBlackRock(US:BLK) Benzinga·2026-01-21 01:39

Core Points - President Trump signed an executive order to limit institutional buyers from acquiring single-family homes to enhance housing affordability for first-time buyers and young families [1][5] - The order aims to prevent large investment firms from utilizing federal housing programs to expand their rental portfolios, ensuring homes are directed towards families instead [2][5] Group 1: Executive Order Details - The executive order directs federal agencies to stop approving, insuring, guaranteeing, securitizing, or facilitating sales of single-family homes to institutional investors [3] - It mandates the promotion of "first-look policies," which prioritize individual buyers for foreclosed properties before large investors can bid [3] Group 2: Government Actions - Trump instructed the Treasury Department to review rules regarding institutional ownership of homes and requested the Justice Department and Federal Trade Commission to investigate potential anti-competitive practices by major landlords [4] - Housing officials are required to demand greater disclosure from companies and institutions involved in federal assistance programs [4] Group 3: Market Context - A 2024 report indicated that institutional investors owned 450,000 homes, representing 3% of all single-family rental homes, with the five largest investors owning 300,000 homes [6] - BlackRock Inc. stated it does not own any single-family homes, although it has other real estate exposure [7]