73% of Americans Blame Real Estate Investors for High Home Prices as Trump Plans New Restrictions 

73% of Americans say real estate investors are responsible for the lack of affordable housing in the United States, according to a new report from Clever Offers, a platform owned by Clever Real Estate that allows home sellers on tight timelines to explore their selling options. 

Amid reports that President Trump intends to ban institutional investments in single-family homes, nearly two-thirds (62%) of investors admit they’ve contributed to higher home prices. 

When asked what they’d most like to change, 1 in 8 Americans (12%) would implement stricter regulations on investors and corporations — the third most common response, behind lowering home prices (35%) and lowering mortgage rates (25%). 

With 62% of investors reporting that they primarily target starter homes, it’s no surprise that more than 1 in 10 Gen Z buyers (11%) believe investors are most responsible for the affordable housing crisis. 

Nearly half of home sellers (44%) would not knowingly sell to a real estate investor — up from 38% in 2024 — and roughly one-third (32%) consider investors untrustworthy. 

Skepticism extends beyond traditional real estate investors, with the majority of Americans also viewing cash-buying companies (60%) and iBuyers (51%) as untrustworthy. 

Nearly two-thirds of Americans (59%) go so far as to call cash-buying companies scams, while 38% say they are the worst way to sell a home. 

Meanwhile, about a quarter of sellers who sold to a cash buyer (27%) or iBuyer (25%) say they regret their decision.