The Brief
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President Donald Trump said he wants to ban large, institutional investors from buying single-family homes, arguing corporations are pricing everyday buyers out of the housing market and forcing more families into renting.
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In recent years, large institutional investors have purchased scores of single-family homes nationwide, including thousands across the Tampa Bay area, to rent them out.
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Some believe Trump’s proposal could help individuals and families regain access to homes, but it would almost certainly face legal challenges.
TAMPA, Fla. – President Donald Trump said he wants to ban large, institutional investors from buying single-family homes, arguing corporations are pricing everyday buyers out of the housing market and forcing more families into renting.
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In a post on Truth Social, Trump said he plans to ask Congress to ban Wall Street firms from purchasing single-family homes and to codify the policy, writing: “People live in homes… not corporations.”
READ: Movers and realtors say Florida ranked second in growth in 2025
Dig deeper
In recent years, large institutional investors have purchased scores of single-family homes nationwide, including thousands across the Tampa Bay area, to rent them out. Real estate experts said the trend has made it harder for first-time buyers and families to compete, especially in already tight housing markets.
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“I think that’s been a big part of the affordability issue throughout Tampa Bay and the state of Florida statewide, these institutional investors buying up the properties,” said Stefan Alvarez of South Cedar Real Estate.
Realtors and real estate attorneys said they’ve seen a surge in investor purchases of homes that were once typically owned by individuals. Companies such as Invitation Homes, Blackstone and JPMorgan Chase have all invested heavily in single-family rentals.
MORE:Longtime realtor expecting Tampa Bay area’s housing market to stabilize in 2026
In Tampa, FOX 13 found an entire stretch of homes along Spring Snowflake Avenue owned by a single corporation.
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“One of the unintended consequences of that activity has been artificially increasing home prices and really pricing families out of what used to be the American Dream — owning their own home,” Alvarez said.
What they’re saying
Real estate attorney Charles Gallagher said corporate landlords don’t always make good neighbors.
“For them, it’s a numbers game, very much a fast-food property-management style,” Gallagher said. “No one is making sure lawns are maintained or properties are kept in good shape, and that can devalue surrounding homes.”
READ: Could a 50-year mortgage make homeownership more affordable?
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Gallagher said neglected properties can drag down the value of entire streets, even for homeowners who keep up their houses. Gallagher said the issue has reached a point where both political parties see the need for action to support affordable housing and first-time homebuyers.
What’s next
“If Wall Street firms are told they can’t buy houses, I doubt they’ll take that lying down,” Gallagher said. “They’ll likely challenge it in court.”
He believes Trump’s proposal could help individuals and families regain access to homes but warns it would almost certainly face legal challenges. At the state level, State Rep. Berny Jacques has filed a bill aimed at restricting corporate landlords from buying single-family homes through zoning changes.
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Lawmakers said the proposal targets the same concern: Keeping neighborhood homes accessible to families — not corporations.
FOX 13 will continue tracking the progress of both the federal proposal and the state legislation.
The Source
The information in this story was gathered during interviews with a real estate agent and an attorney. It also includes details from a Truth Social post by President Donald Trump and the bill filed by State Rep. Berny Jacques.