in effect
Executive Order 14376, signed January 20, 2026, directs federal agencies to limit large institutional investors from buying single-family homes through federal programs or government property sales. It also orders reviews of tax rules, antitrust enforcement, and disclosure requirements related to institutional ownership of single-family rentals.
Within 30 days, the Treasury Secretary must define “large institutional investor” and “single-family home” for use across agencies. Within 60 days, the Agriculture, HUD, VA, GSA, and Federal Housing Finance Agency must issue guidance blocking federal programs from insuring, guaranteeing, or facilitating institutional investor purchases of single-family homes that owner-occupants could buy — and must stop transferring federal-owned homes to those investors. Agencies must also add first-look policies and disclosure requirements to favor individual buyers. The Justice Department and FTC are directed to review large-scale acquisitions for antitrust violations, including coordinated vacancy and pricing strategies in rental markets. A legislative proposal to make these restrictions permanent law is also required.
Large institutional investors — firms that purchase single-family homes in bulk — face new restrictions on using federally backed financing, insurance, or government property sales to acquire homes. Individual homebuyers, particularly first-time and owner-occupant buyers, are the intended beneficiaries, as the order prioritizes their access to homes sold through federal channels. Landlords participating in federal housing assistance programs who are tied to large investors face new ownership-disclosure requirements to HUD.