74% of home buyers would consider a 50-year mortgage — experts say making monthly payments would be key

Despite a worsening home affordability crisis in the U.S., Americans still want to own a home. And they aren’t shy about exhausting all potential options to achieve the milestone.

That includes taking on a 50-year mortgage that President Donald Trump proposed (1) in November 2025, according to a new TD Bank survey (2). The study found that 74% of Americans surveyed would consider a 50-year mortgage if the option was made available to them.

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Most mortgages in the U.S. span 30 years and are chosen by a majority of borrowers because it makes monthly payments more affordable. Terms for 10 to 25 year mortgages also exist. Although, they come with higher payments that some families cannot afford as a fixed monthly cost.

At the time of writing, the 50-year mortgage is not an option borrowers can sign up for. But according to an X post by the U.S. Director of Federal Housing Bill Pulte (3), following Trump’s announcement on Truth Social (4), it’s being worked on and is being touted as “a complete game changer.”

Trump’s idea for a 50-year mortgage has drawn criticism from financial experts (5). For one, the interest paid over the loan term would be substantially higher than existing loan terms, even if the monthly mortgage payment decreases (6).

Banks would also be asked to take on greater risk because the span of the loan would be much longer.

On-time payments would take priority with a 50-year mortgage

If the 50-year mortgage becomes a reality, homeowners’ focus wouldn’t be on paying off the loan, experts tell Moneywise. Instead, it would be on making monthly payments in exchange for achieving part of the American Dream.

“Most buyers don’t wake up hoping to finance a home for half a century,” Darren Tooley, senior loan officer at Cornerstone Financial Services, tells Moneywise. “They really seek a payment that they can comfortably afford. Home prices have risen faster than most incomes, and mortgage rates remain elevated, so buyers are looking to alternative options.”

Tooley says it’s also a mistake to fixate on the total interest a borrower would pay over a 50-year period. Though it would be higher than a conventional loan, historically, most homeowners don’t keep the same mortgage for that long — usually five to seven years — before they sell the home or refinance their mortgage for a lower rate.