Uploaded March 2026 | Updated September 2026, 1 day ago
President Trump just signed two executive orders that are going to be important in addressing the housing affordability crisis. Together, when they’re implemented, they’ll address both sides of the problem — they’ll make it easier to build homes, leading to more supply, and they’ll reduce consumer costs and uncertainty in accessing mortgage credit by addressing issues in the housing finance system.
These EOs advise regulators and federal housing agencies to take steps in three categories:
• First, they aim to bring new housing supply online faster - which should lower the cost of housing. They’ll do this by reducing red tape to make it easier to build new houses.
• Second, they plan to make a roadmap of target improvements to federal housing finance laws. This is to address burdensome, redundant and paper-based elements that can add costs and delays for homebuyers, or even act as a barrier to buying a home.
• Third, they’ll modernize housing finance and align standards by expanding the use of appraisal valuation alternatives and increasing acceptance of electronic signatures, e-notes, and remote online notarization.
We know that lack of supply drives costs up for consumers. Even when they’re able to make the leap, they can quickly become overwhelmed by how hard it is to finance and close - half of people actually cry during the process of buying a home. The changes included in these EOs will help.
Zillow has been advocating for these reforms for years. We’ll continue to push for a better consumer experience, like ensuring access to a streamlined home-finance process regardless of which lender type they choose in today’s diverse mortgage market.
We’re excited to see continued progress for American renters and homebuyers, and for the marketplace serving consumers’ home-financing needs.
President Trump just signed two executive orders that are going to be important in addressing the housing affordability crisis. Together, when they’re implemented, they’ll address both sides of the problem — they’ll make it easier to build homes, leading to more supply, and they’ll reduce consumer costs and uncertainty in accessing mortgage credit by addressing issues in the housing finance system.
These EOs advise regulators and federal housing agencies to take steps in three categories:
• First, they aim to bring new housing supply online faster - which should lower the cost of housing. They’ll do this by reducing red tape to make it easier to build new houses.
• Second, they plan to make a roadmap of target improvements to federal housing finance laws. This is to address burdensome, redundant and paper-based elements that can add costs and delays for homebuyers, or even act as a barrier to buying a home.
• Third, they’ll modernize housing finance and align standards by expanding the use of appraisal valuation alternatives and increasing acceptance of electronic signatures, e-notes, and remote online notarization.
We know that lack of supply drives costs up for consumers. Even when they’re able to make the leap, they can quickly become overwhelmed by how hard it is to finance and close - half of people actually cry during the process of buying a home. The changes included in these EOs will help.
Zillow has been advocating for these reforms for years. We’ll continue to push for a better consumer experience, like ensuring access to a streamlined home-finance process regardless of which lender type they choose in today’s diverse mortgage market.
We’re excited to see continued progress for American renters and homebuyers, and for the marketplace serving consumers’ home-financing needs.
