Jan 15, 2026
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U.S. mortgage rates have fallen sharply following President Donald Trump’s order to purchase $200 billion in mortgage bonds — a sweeping intervention aimed at lowering borrowing costs and easing the affordability crunch.
With housing costs getting top billing, Trump said he’s “giving special attention” to the market (1).
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“I am instructing my Representatives to BUY $200 BILLION DOLLARS IN MORTGAGE BONDS. This will drive Mortgage Rates DOWN, monthly payments DOWN and make the cost of owning a home more affordable,” he wrote in a Truth Social post on Jan. 8, calling it one of “many steps” he plans to take to restore affordability across the country.
Later that day, Federal Housing Finance Agency director Bill Pulte confirmed on X that “Fannie [Mae] and Freddie [Mac] are the entities that will do the purchases (2).”
The plan moved immediately. On Friday, Pulte told reporters at the White House, “We put in a $3 billion buy already.”
And markets reacted. The average interest rate for a 30-year fixed mortgage slid to 5.99% the morning of Jan. 9, down from 6.21% the day before — a striking 22-basis-point drop, according to Mortgage News Daily (3).
That marks the lowest level for the 30-year average rate since February 2023.
Bond prices and yields move in opposite directions. As Pulte explained, “What will happen is, as mortgage bond prices go up, interest rates theoretically go down. It’s a very, very big opportunity for the housing market and for all Americans aspiring to get that American dream (4).”
Lower rates typically translate into lower monthly payments — improving affordability for homebuyers.
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It’s important to note that whether rates are rising or falling, shopping around is still one of the easiest ways to save. Freddie Mac recommends obtaining quotes from three to five lenders to secure the best possible mortgage rate possible. Even a small rate reduction can translate into significant savings over the life of a loan.
To make this process easier, places like the Mortgage Research Center (MRC) can help you quickly compare rates and estimated monthly payments from multiple vetted lenders. By entering basic details — such as your zip code, property type, price range and annual income — you can view mortgage offers tailored to your needs and shop with confidence.
Keeping the ‘American Dream’ alive
The $200 billion mortgage-bond order is only part of Trump’s affordability push. It arrived just one day after he said he would ban large institutional investors from buying single-family homes — arguing the American Dream of homeownership is “increasingly out of reach for far too many people.”
But not everyone believes these measures will meaningfully shift the fundamentals.
“Similar to our view on President Trump’s post regarding a ban on institutional investors buying homes, we do not believe this initiative will have any significant impact on the housing market,” JPMorgan Chase homebuilding analysts wrote in a note responding to the bond-buying plan (5).
Their reasoning is simple: “$200 billion of mortgages accounts for only roughly 1.4% of the approximately $14.5 trillion mortgage market.”
And the affordability gap remains wide. Realtor.com estimates that a typical U.S. household would need to earn about $118,530 annually to afford a median-priced home of $402,500 — more than 50% above today’s median household income of roughly $77,700 (6).
The good news? You don’t need to buy a home outright — or wait for Washington’s next move — to start gaining exposure to the housing market.
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Become a real estate mogul — starting with $100
Crowdfunding platforms like Arrived have made it easier than ever for everyday investors to gain exposure to America’s real estate market.
Backed by world class investors like Jeff Bezos, Arrived allows you to invest in shares of rental homes with as little as $100, all without the hassle of mowing lawns, fixing leaky faucets or handling difficult tenants.
The process is simple: Browse a curated selection of homes that have been vetted for their appreciation and income potential. Once you find a property you like, select the number of shares you’d like to purchase and then sit back as you start receiving any positive rental income distributions from your investment.
Invest alongside a $12B AUM real estate owner
Owning a rental property sounds great — until something goes wrong. One bounced check and your rental income disappears.
But institutional investors don’t face that problem. Their portfolios are diversified across hundreds — sometimes thousands — of units.
Now, accredited investors can tap into that same approach through platforms such as Lightstone DIRECT, giving you access to institutional-quality multifamily and industrial real estate — with a minimum investment of $100,000.
Founded in 1986 by David Lichtenstein, Lightstone Group is one of the largest privately held real estate investment firms in the U.S., with more than $12 billion in assets under management.
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Over nearly-four decades, their team has delivered strong, risk-adjusted performance across multiple market cycles — including a 27.5% historical net IRR and a 2.49x historical net equity multiple on realized investments since 2004.
With Lightstone DIRECT, you gain access to that proprietary deal flow.
Here’s the kicker: Lightstone invests at least 20% of its own capital in every deal — roughly four times the industry average. With skin in the game, the firm ensures its interests are directly aligned with those of its investors.
Read More: Dave Ramsey says this 7-step plan ‘works every single time’ to kill debt, get rich in America — and that ‘anyone’ can do it
Invest in blue-chip rentals
Another option is mogul, a real estate investment platform offering fractional ownership in blue-chip rental properties, which gives investors monthly rental income, real-time appreciation and tax benefits — without the need for a hefty down payment or 3 a.m. tenant calls.
Founded by former Goldman Sachs real estate investors, the team hand-picks the top 1% of single-family rental homes nationwide for you. In other words, you gain access to institutional-quality offerings for a fraction of the usual cost.
Each property undergoes a rigorous vetting process, requiring a minimum 12% return even in downside scenarios. Across the board, the platform features an average annual IRR of 18.8%. Offerings often sell out in under three hours, with investments typically ranging between $15,000 and $40,000 per property.
You can sign up for an account and then browse available properties here.
Article sources
We rely only on vetted sources and credible third-party reporting. For details, see our editorial ethics and guidelines.
@realDonaldTrump (1); @pulte (2); @ForbesBreakingNews (3); Politico (4); NBC News (5); Realtor.com (6)
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Jing is an investment reporter for MoneyWise. He is an avid advocate of investing for passive income. Despite the ups and downs he’s been through with the markets, Jing believes that you can generate a steadily increasing income stream by investing in high quality companies.
