A New Idea: 50-Year Mortgages
According to a recent Forbes report, the Trump administration says it’s exploring the possibility of 50-year mortgages as part of a plan to make monthly housing payments more affordable.
It’s an eye-catching headline — a mortgage that could stretch across half a century. But before anyone gets too excited, it’s important to understand what this actually means, how it could affect homebuyers, and what the trade-offs might look like.
Why a 50-Year Mortgage Is Being Considered
The motivation is simple: affordability.
Home prices have continued to rise, and even with lower interest rates in recent months, many buyers are still priced out of the market. A 50-year mortgage would reduce monthly payments by spreading the loan balance over two decades longer than today’s standard 30-year loan.
For example, if you borrowed $400,000 at 6.5% interest:
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On a 30-year loan, your monthly principal and interest would be about $2,528.
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On a 50-year loan, it would drop closer to $2,200 — a savings of around $328 per month.
That’s the appeal: lower monthly payments that make it easier to qualify.
But There’s a Catch
While a longer loan term lowers your monthly payment, it also means:
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You’ll pay much more in total interest over time.
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It takes longer to build home equity.
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You could end up owing close to what you borrowed for many years.
In the same $400,000 example above:
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The 30-year loan costs about $510,000 in interest over the life of the loan.
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The 50-year loan would cost roughly $770,000 in interest — more than the price of the home itself.
So while it helps short-term affordability, it comes at a long-term cost.
Would It Really Happen?
At this stage, the 50-year mortgage is still a proposal, not an approved policy or lending option. The idea would require input from multiple agencies, lenders, and regulators before becoming reality — if it does at all.
Currently, the longest conventional fixed-rate loans offered by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are 30 years. Some private lenders offer 40-year terms, usually tied to non-qualified mortgages (non-QMs) or interest-only periods, which come with stricter requirements and limited availability.
Expanding to 50 years would represent a major change to mortgage standards — and one that might only apply to certain types of loans or borrowers.
What Buyers Should Focus On Now
Even if 50-year mortgages never hit the mainstream, the discussion highlights a key point:
Monthly affordability matters most when buying a home.
Here’s what you can do right now:
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Talk to your lender about options. Ask about rate buydowns, ARM programs, or down payment assistance that can lower payments today.
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Focus on total cost, not just the rate. A lower monthly payment is helpful, but the long-term math still matters.
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Stay informed. If longer-term loans become available, your loan officer can explain how they compare to current 30-year or 40-year options.
The Bottom Line
A 50-year mortgage could make buying a home feel more affordable on paper — but at the cost of paying far more in interest and building equity much slower.
For now, it’s an idea on the table, not a reality. Still, it shows how creative the market and policymakers are becoming as they search for solutions to America’s ongoing housing affordability challenge.
Have questions or want to explore lower-payment options now?
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Source: Forbes