The obstacles to buying a home in today’s market are well documented. A perfect storm of higher costs and a lack of starter homes is prohibiting millions of families from achieving the American dream. We closed out 2025 with the share of first-time homeowners among all homebuyers at a record low of 21%, according to the National Association of Realtors, and we continue to feel the effects as we enter the second quarter of 2026.
In recent months, Washington has renewed its focus on expanding housing supply through pending landmark legislation, the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act. The bill is the product of intense negotiations between the House and the Senate. Most notably, it includes a sweeping ban on institutional investors, reflecting t...



