How the OBBB Tax Bill Impacts Real Estate

What Is the One Big Beautiful Bill Act?

The One Big Beautiful Bill Act is a comprehensive tax overhaul designed to extend and enhance provisions from the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act while introducing new economic incentives. First, here’s a quick One Big Beautiful Bill Act summary: The legislation emerged from President Trump’s desire for “one big, beautiful bill” to address multiple policy priorities simultaneously, using the budget reconciliation process to bypass traditional Senate filibuster rules.

The One Big Beautiful Bill Act has a dual focus on individual tax relief and business growth incentives. The bill makes permanent many individual tax cuts that were set to expire at the end of 2025, while introducing new deductions for tips and overtime income. For real estate specifically, the legislation recognizes housing as a cornerstone of wealth building and economic stability.

The OBBB is fundamentally designed to stimulate economic growth through targeted tax incentives, with real estate playing a central role. By reducing tax burdens on property ownership, investment, and development, the bill aims to increase housing supply, improve affordability, and strengthen the overall housing market.

Key Tax Provisions That Impact Real Estate

The OBBB real estate changes introduce several important tax provisions for real estate investors and homeowners:

• Mortgage interest deduction cap: The bill makes permanent the mortgage interest deduction cap at $750,000 of acquisition debt, providing certainty for homeowners and buyers.
• 100% bonus depreciation: The return of full bonus depreciation allows investors to immediately deduct the entire cost of qualifying property improvements and equipment in the year of purchase.
• Section 1031 like-kind exchanges: These exchanges remain unchanged, so investors can defer capital gains taxes when selling real estate and reinvest the money earned in similar assets. With this capital gains tax calculator, you can determine the potential tax savings and plan more effective exchange strategies to maximize your investment returns.
• 20% qualified business income deduction: The legislation maintains this deduction for rental real estate activities permanently, applying to net rental income and effectively reducing the tax burden on real estate investment income while improving investment yields.

How the OBBB Could Shift the Housing Market

The OBBB housing market effects are expected to be substantial, particularly in high-tax states where the expanded SALT deduction creates new incentives for homeownership. The legislation raises the state and local tax deduction cap from $10,000 to $40,000 per household from 2025 to 2029, making homeownership more attractive for upper-middle-income borrowers in states like New York, New Jersey, and California.

This change could drive increased demand in high-cost areas, potentially pushing home values higher as more buyers seek to maximize their tax benefits. The expanded deduction makes previously expensive markets more affordable on an after-tax basis, which could intensify competition for property in these regions.

The bill’s impact on housing supply is equally important. The law increases funding for affordable housing development programs and makes it easier for developers to qualify for tax credits when building low-income housing. This change should stimulate affordable housing development, helping address supply shortages that have contributed to rising home prices.

Regional variations will be significant, with high-tax states seeing the most dramatic benefits from SALT deductions. Meanwhile, areas with lower property taxes may see less direct impact from these provisions, though they’ll still benefit from enhanced mortgage insurance deductibility and other homeowner incentives.

Impact on Real Estate Investors

Real estate investors will benefit from the OBBB’s investor-friendly provisions. The permanent extension of the 20% qualified business income deduction under Section 199A provides ongoing tax benefits for rental property income, effectively reducing the tax rate on investment returns.

The preservation of business interest deductions for real property trades ensures that investors using leverage can continue to deduct mortgage interest on investment properties. This is valuable for commercial real estate investors and those using debt service coverage ratio (DSCR) loans to finance their portfolios.

Opportunity Zone incentives receive strengthened support under the OBBB, renewing targeted benefits for investments in designated economically distressed areas. These enhanced incentives could drive increased capital flows into underserved communities while providing attractive tax benefits for patient investors.

The legislation also maintains flexibility for sophisticated investment strategies. With 1031 exchanges preserved and adjusted basis calculations unchanged, investors can continue to defer taxes while building real estate portfolios through acquisitions and dispositions.

Home Buyers and Homeowners: What to Expect

Current homeowners and prospective buyers will see several immediate benefits from the OBBB. The permanent deductibility of mortgage insurance premiums (PMI, FHA MIP, VA funding fees, and USDA guarantee fees) reduces the effective cost of low-down-payment loans.

This change benefits first-time buyers who often rely on FHA loans or conventional loans with less than 20% down payments. The ability to deduct these premiums permanently makes homeownership more affordable and predictable for budget-conscious buyers.

The expanded SALT deduction creates opportunities for homeowners in high-tax areas to reduce their overall tax burden significantly. However, the benefit phases out for higher-income earners, with households earning over $500,000 seeing reduced benefits.

For families, the increased Child Tax Credit of $2,200, indexed to inflation, helps ease housing costs for families, indirectly supporting housing affordability by freeing up income for mortgage payments.

Financing and Mortgage Considerations Under OBBB

The OBBB’s tax changes create new considerations for mortgage financing and lending standards. Enhanced tax benefits for homeowners and investors could increase demand for real estate financing, potentially affecting interest rates and lending practices.

Lenders may need to adjust their debt-to-income calculations to account for the permanent mortgage insurance premium deductions and expanded SALT benefits. These changes effectively reduce borrowers’ net housing costs, potentially qualifying more buyers for larger loan amounts.

The bill’s emphasis on business income deductions and investment incentives could also drive demand for investment property financing. Lenders specializing in rental property loans and commercial real estate may see increased activity as investors seek to capitalize on enhanced tax benefits.

For those looking to navigate these changing conditions, using tools like the Griffin Gold app can help track market conditions and identify optimal financing opportunities as the OBBB’s effects unfold.

Criticisms and Support of the OBBB Tax Bill

Supporters of the OBBB real estate changes argue that the legislation provides crucial economic stimulus through targeted tax relief. The National Association of Realtors praised the bill’s passage, with NAR’s executive vice president noting that the provisions “form the backbone of the real estate economy — from supporting first-time and first-generation buyers to strengthening investment in housing supply and protecting existing homeowners.”

Proponents emphasize that the bill’s real estate provisions will increase housing production, improve affordability through permanent tax benefits, and provide certainty for long-term investment planning. The permanent nature of many provisions removes uncertainty that has historically hampered investment decisions.

Critics, however, raise concerns about the bill’s fiscal impact and distributional effects. The Congressional Budget Office estimates that the bill will add $3.4 trillion to federal deficits over the next 10 years, raising questions about long-term fiscal sustainability.

Some analysts worry that enhanced tax benefits for higher-income homeowners and investors could exacerbate wealth inequality, particularly given that many benefits are concentrated in high-cost, high-income areas. There are also concerns that increased demand driven by tax incentives could push home prices higher, potentially offsetting affordability gains for some buyers.

Navigate the Market With Mortgage Experts

The OBBB real estate changes create opportunities and complexities. Whether you’re a first-time homebuyer looking to maximize mortgage interest deductions, an investor seeking to leverage enhanced depreciation benefits, or a current homeowner considering refinancing strategies, professional mortgage expertise is essential.

At Griffin Funding, our experienced loan officers understand how the OBBB’s provisions affect different borrower situations and can help you structure financing to maximize your tax benefits.

The changing regulatory environment and enhanced tax incentives create new opportunities for strategic real estate investment and homeownership. Contact Griffin Funding today to learn about our comprehensive range of home loans or get started online to find the right mortgage product for you.

Bill Lyons is the Founder, CEO & President of Griffin Funding. Founded in 2013, Griffin Funding is a national boutique mortgage lender focusing on delivering 5-star service to its clients. Mr. Lyons has 24 years of experience in the mortgage business. Lyons is seen as an industry leader and expert in real estate finance. Lyons has been featured in Forbes, Inc., Wall Street Journal, HousingWire, and more. As a member of the Mortgage Bankers Association, Lyons is able to keep up with important changes in the industry to deliver the most value to Griffin's clients. Under Lyons' leadership, Griffin Funding has made the Inc. 5000 fastest-growing companies list five times in its 12 years in business.