President Joe Biden has unveiled a series of initiatives aimed at tackling the nation’s affordable housing challenges, proposing new tax breaks targeted at first-time homebuyers and sellers of “starter homes.” However, opinions among experts remain divided regarding the effectiveness of these proposals.
During his recent State of the Union address, President Biden stressed the importance of housing affordability, acknowledging the pressing concerns surrounding the issue. Despite optimism regarding potential decreases in inflation and subsequent mortgage rates, Biden asserted his administration’s proactive approach to address housing challenges without delay.
Under Biden’s plan, a “mortgage relief credit” of $5,000 per year for two years is proposed for middle-class first-time homebuyers. This credit is projected to equate to a reduction of 1.5 percentage points in mortgage interest rates for a median-priced home over the same period. Additionally, the administration aims to introduce a one-year credit of up to $10,000 for middle-class families selling their “starter homes” to other owner-occupants. Starter homes are defined as properties priced below the median value for the seller’s county.
Despite the benefits outlined by the White House, the feasibility of Biden’s proposals remains uncertain, particularly in light of an upcoming presidential election year and a divided Congress, according to experts.
The housing market continues to face challenges, with soaring home prices and interest rates. In 2023, homebuyers earning the median U.S. income would have spent 41.4% of their earnings on purchasing a median-priced home, marking the least affordable year in over a decade. Although interest rates have eased slightly from their 2023 peaks, the average rate for 30-year fixed-rate mortgages remains around 7%.
Keith Gumbinger, vice president of mortgage website HSH, highlighted concerns about the proposed tax credits, suggesting that without qualifying as income, they may not greatly aid homebuyers in qualifying for mortgages. Furthermore, experts underscored the pressing issue of housing supply, noting a crisis exacerbated since the Great Recession. Janneke Ratcliffe, vice president for housing finance policy at the Urban Institute, emphasized the urgent need to address supply shortages alongside demand-side interventions.
Despite challenges, Ratcliffe welcomed the attention given to housing affordability in the State of the Union address, regarding it as a positive starting point for addressing the multifaceted issues plaguing the housing market.