The Stopping Wall Street From Competing With Main Street Homebuyers Act: Explained

Overview: Stopping Wall Street From Competing With Main Street Homebuyers Act

The Stopping Wall Street From Competing With Main Street Homebuyers Act is a bill designed to limit or deter large investors from buying single-family homes, with the goal of leaving more homes available for people who plan to live in the home.

For home buyers, the practical effect is simple: fewer investor offers on starter homes means more opportunities for owner-occupants to compete on price and terms without feeling crowded out.

The bill was introduced on January 22, 2026, in the 119th Congress and is currently referred to the House Committee on Financial Services.

Note that bills often change on their way to becoming law, so this page will update as new details emerge. For real-time updates, subscribe to our newsletter.

What Is The Stopping Wall Street From Competing With Main Street Homebuyers Act?

The Stopping Wall Street From Competing With Main Street Homebuyers Act focuses on a specific housing market dynamic: large, well-capitalized investors buying single-family homes at scale. When investors bid on the same homes as owner-occupants, competition increases for the homes many first-time home buyers shop for, and sellers often choose the offer that feels most certain to close.

This bill responds by setting limits and deterrents aimed at large investor activity in the single-family home market. The goal is not to change what a “single-family home” is or who is allowed to own property in general. The goal is to shift more of the for-sale supply toward buyers who plan to occupy the home.

Put another way, the bill works on the supply-and-competition side of affordability, not by giving buyers money, but by reducing a category of demand that competes directly with everyday home buyers.

Who Benefits From The Stopping Wall Street From Competing With Main Street Homebuyers Act?

You benefit most from the Stopping Wall Street From Competing With Main Street Homebuyers Act when you are trying to buy a single-family home as an owner-occupant, meaning you plan to live in the home as your primary residence.

This includes:

• First-time home buyers shopping for starter homes
• Move-up buyers competing for family-sized homes in the same neighborhoods
• Buyers using mortgage financing and standard closing timelines

The bill also supports sellers who prefer selling to an owner-occupant, because a market with fewer large-investor bids gives sellers more room to choose based on fit and terms, not only on speed and certainty.

How The Stopping Wall Street From Competing With Main Street Homebuyers Act Works

The Stopping Wall Street From Competing With Main Street Homebuyers Act works by limiting or deterring large investors from purchasing single-family homes. When large investors buy fewer homes, more homes stay in the pool for owner-occupant buyers.

Here’s how that matters during a real home search:

1. More listings stay “buyable” for owner-occupants

Today, some neighborhoods see a meaningful share of listings purchased by investors. When that happens, the number of homes available to owner-occupants shrinks quickly, even when plenty of homes “sell” each month.

Under the Stopping Wall Street From Competing With Main Street Homebuyers Act, large investor participation drops, and more of the homes that would have been purchased as rentals remain available for buyers who want to live in them.

2. Competition eases on entry-level homes

Entry-level homes often attract the most competition because they fit smaller budgets and work for a wide range of households. When investors bid in that same price tier, buyers face more multiple-offer situations and faster decision timelines.

By deterring large investors from buying single-family homes, the bill is designed to reduce competition pressure that pushes purchase prices higher than what local owner-occupants are prepared to pay.

3. Your offer quality matters more than investor speed

Investors often win homes by moving quickly. That speed can include fewer contingencies, shorter deadlines, and large cash reserves.

When fewer large investors are in the mix, sellers compare offers from households buying a primary residence more often. That shifts the market toward familiar, mortgage-backed offers and normal purchase timelines.

Example: what changes when investor demand drops

Here’s a simple example of how the bill’s goal plays out at the neighborhood level.

When seven more homes remain available to owner-occupants in a single month, buyers see more options, fewer “best and final” deadlines, and less pressure to stretch the budget to win.

This bill is designed to improve access to homeownership by changing who competes for single-family homes, not by changing your mortgage approval.

Who Sponsors The Stopping Wall Street From Competing With Main Street Homebuyers Act?

The Stopping Wall Street From Competing With Main Street Homebuyers Act is introduced in the House of Representatives and is currently under review in the House Committee on Financial Services.

For the latest legislative updates and cosponsors, see the Bill Tracker above.