Report suggests capital gains tax is discouraging older homeowners from downsizing

Didier Malagies • January 8, 2025


While recent housing market reports and trends have shown that older homeowners are unwilling to sell their homes for a variety of reasons, one of them may be the expected requirement to pay capital gains taxes stemming from the post-pandemic explosion of home-price appreciation, according to a report from Business Insider.


While some homeowners are looking to cash in on the equity they’ve built up since the pandemic, these same increases in property values are driving up the number of home sales that the capital gains tax would be applied to.


The capital gains tax is a federal tax that is applied when the sale of a particular asset — including a home, personal items, or stocks and bonds held as investments — is sold “for more than [a seller’s] adjusted basis,” referring to the initial cost of the item being sold, according to the IRS.


Capital gains have applied to home sales with profits of more than $250,000 since 1997, when the median price of a U.S. single-family home was $124,800, according to data from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The initial idea was for the targeted capital gains tax to apply to the most affluent homeowners.


But according to data released by the U.S. Census Bureau late last month, that same median price now sits at $402,600. And considering the run-up in home prices in the early 2020s, these thresholds are likely to many home sellers, not just affluent ones, particularly since the tax is not indexed to inflation.


“The share of home sales subject to the tax has more than doubled in the past few years. In 2023, 8% of US sellers made more than $500,000 in profit on the sale of their homes, the property data


firm CoreLogic found,” Business Insider reported based on April 2024 data. “That’s up from 1.3% in 2003 and 3% in 2019. If the threshold had been adjusted for inflation, the $250,000 cutoff for individual home sellers in 1997 dollars would be about twice as high — $496,000 — in 2024 dollars.”


Considering that the home is a central pillar of wealth for many Americans, including older homeowners, the concept of the tax biting into their finances is actively warding off some people from selling, according to CoreLogic chief economist Selma Hepp.


“What we know, anecdotally, is that people are feeling locked in,” Hepp told Business Insider. “There are a good share of people for whom this is the only source of wealth savings.”


Some homeowners are also in a challenging position because of high home prices in general. One 71-year old homeowner described the challenges of entering the market now, since the capital gains tax would lower his sale proceeds enough that it would be a challenge to find a new home.


“If we sell our house, pay the capital gains tax, with what we’re left over with we can’t find anything to buy that’s anywhere as nice as the home we’re in,” said David Levin, a resident of Manhattan Beach, California.

But many older homeowners have also given other reasons they’ve elected not to sell. 

In

September, Clever Real Estate released survey data showing that more than half (54%) of baby boomers have no intention of ever selling their homes. Having a home that fits their lifestyle needs, and a desire to age in place, led the reasons cited.




Have A Question?

Use the form below and we will give your our expert answers!

Reverse Mortgage Ask A Question


Start Your Loan with DDA today
Your local Mortgage Broker

Mortgage Broker Largo
See our Reviews

Looking for more details? Listen to our extended podcast! 

Check out our other helpful videos to learn more about credit and residential mortgages.

By Didier Malagies September 17, 2025
A new survey from Clever Real Estate shows that 61% of baby boomer homeowners say they “never” plan to sell their homes, a jump of 7 percentage points from 2024. The main reason? More than half want to age in place. That’s a big shift. Baby boomers now make up the largest share of U.S. homeowners, and if more than 6 in 10 say they’ll “never” sell, that has ripple effects: Inventory squeeze : With fewer boomers putting homes on the market, younger buyers have less supply to choose from, which can keep prices elevated. Aging in place trend : The desire to stay put often means investing in accessibility upgrades—things like stair lifts, walk-in showers, and smart home tech for safety. Generational divide : Millennials and Gen Z face higher borrowing costs and limited starter-home availability, while boomers are holding onto larger family homes longer. Long-term planning : Some experts note that many of these homes will eventually transfer through inheritance rather than sales, changing how housing stock re-enters the market. Didier Malagies nmls212566 DDA Mortgage nmls324329
By Didier Malagies September 10, 2025
Excited to share a major update that will make the homebuying process more secure and less stressful. President Donald Trump recently signed the Homebuyers Privacy Protection Act of 2025 into law. This bill is a significant victory for the real estate industry, as it directly addresses the problem of unwanted calls, texts, and emails that often flood clients upon mortgage application. What's Changing? For years, many borrowers have experienced a barrage of unsolicited contact from different lenders immediately after their mortgage application. This happens because of "trigger leads"—a process where credit reporting agencies sell information to other companies once a credit inquiry is made. Effective March 5, 2026, this new law will put a stop to this practice. It will severely limit who can receive client contact information, ensuring client privacy is protected. A credit reporting agency will only be able to share trigger lead information with a third party if: • Clients explicitly consent to the solicitations. • The third party has an existing business relationship. This change means a more efficient, respectful, and responsible homebuying journey. We are committed to a seamless process and will keep you informed of any further developments as the effective date approaches. In the meantime, you can use the information below to inform clients how to proactively protect themselves from unwanted solicitations.  Opting Out: • OptOutPrescreen.com: You can opt out of trigger leads through the official opt-out service, OptOutPrescreen.com. • Do Not Call Registry: You can also register your phone number with the National Do Not Call Registry to reduce unsolicited calls. • DMA.choice.org: For mail solicitations, you can register with DMA.choice.org to reduce promotional mail. tune in and learn https://www.ddamortgage.com/blog didier malagies nmls#212566 dda mortgage nmls#324329
By Didier Malagies September 10, 2025
We're excited to share a major update that will make the homebuying process more secure and less stressful. President Donald Trump recently signed the Homebuyers Privacy Protection Act of 2025 into law. This bill is a significant victory for the real estate industry, as it directly addresses the problem of unwanted calls, texts, and emails that often flood clients upon mortgage application. What's Changing? For years, many borrowers have experienced a barrage of unsolicited contact from different lenders immediately after their mortgage application. This happens because of "trigger leads"—a process where credit reporting agencies sell information to other companies once a credit inquiry is made. Effective March 5, 2026, this new law will put a stop to this practice. It will severely limit who can receive client contact information, ensuring client privacy is protected. A credit reporting agency will only be able to share trigger lead information with a third party if: • Clients explicitly consent to the solicitations. • The third party has an existing business relationship. This change means a more efficient, respectful, and responsible homebuying journey. We are committed to a seamless process and will keep you informed of any further developments as the effective date approaches. In the meantime, you can use the information below to inform clients how to proactively protect themselves from unwanted solicitations. Opting Out: • OptOutPrescreen.com: You can opt out of trigger leads through the official opt-out service, OptOutPrescreen.com. • Do Not Call Registry: You can also register your phone number with the National Do Not Call Registry to reduce unsolicited calls. • DMA.choice.org: For mail solicitations, you can register with DMA.choice.org to reduce promotional mail. Didier Malagies nmls212566 DDA Mortgage nmls324329 
Show More