Lawmakers say investors that scooped up hundreds of thousands of houses to rent out are driving up home prices

Wall Street went on a home-buying spree. Now, more lawmakers want to stop it from ever happening again.

Democrats in the U.S. Senate and House have sponsored legislation that would force large owners of single-family homes to sell houses to family buyers. A Republican’s bill in the Ohio state legislature aims to drive out institutional owners through heavy taxation.

Lawmakers in Nebraska, California, New York, Minnesota and North Carolina are among those proposing similar laws.

While homeowner associations for years have sought to stop investors from buying and renting out houses in their neighborhoods, the legislative proposals represent a new effort by elected officials to regulate Wall Street’s appetite for single-family homes.

These lawmakers say that investors that have scooped up hundreds of thousands of houses to rent out are contributing to the dearth of homes for sale and driving up home prices. They argue that investor buying has made it harder for first-time buyers to compete with Wall Street-backed investment firms and their all-cash offers.

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  • themeatbridge
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    8 months ago

    No, but they’re still conservatives, which means they will only act in their own self-interest.

    • bluGill
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      18 months ago

      All humans act in what they think is there self-interest. Nothing to do with any political leaning.

      • themeatbridge
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        58 months ago

        That’s bullshit. As a wise man once said, “look for the helpers.”

        • bluGill
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          08 months ago

          As much as the claim all conservetives only act in their best interest.

          • themeatbridge
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            38 months ago

            No, that’s the defining feature of conservativism, and the only consistent value among all conservatives throughout the history of conservativism. Define the self, benefit the self, blame the scapegoat.

        • bluGill
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          -18 months ago

          If I’m the only conservetive you know then your circle has a serious lack of diversity.