The Rise of Portable Mortgages: A Solution Gaining National Attention

Is America Finally Ready for Portable Mortgages? Momentum is Building

The idea of portable mortgages is gaining national attention, and the timing could not be better. With the housing market stuck as homeowners hold on to their historically low interest rates, a real solution has been needed. For nearly two years, I have been working with Buddy Piszel, former CFO at Freddie Mac, along with several respected industry experts, to design a program that could restore mobility and help revive a stalled market.

As support grows and more industry voices join the conversation, the possibility of real change feels closer than ever.

You can read Joe Tirone’s original LinkedIn post here to see his full message to the public.

Why Portable Mortgages Matter Right Now

Millions of homeowners are staying in place because they do not want to give up their low mortgage rate for today’s higher rates. This lock-in effect has reduced inventory, slowed movement, and tightened the entire housing ecosystem.

A portable mortgage would allow a homeowner to transfer their current rate to a new property. This could unlock the market and give families the ability to move without facing a major financial setback.

Two Years of Research, Meetings, and Refinement

Throughout this journey, we met with a long list of influential figures who play critical roles in shaping the future of housing policy and mortgage finance. These included:

• The former head of FHFA
• The incoming Deputy Secretary of the U.S. Treasury
• NAR’s head of research
• The President of the Mortgage Bankers Association
• A major Mortgage REIT investor
• A chief analyst at MSCI
• The President of the National Housing Conference
• The chief economist at the Federal Reserve
• FNMA Chief Counsel’s Office

Each meeting provided valuable insights. With their feedback, we continually refined and strengthened our proposal to ensure it would be viable, scalable, and beneficial to homeowners, lenders, and the broader housing market.

A National Conversation Takes Off

In July 2025, we sent our completed proposal directly to Bill Pulte. This week, Director Pulte sparked a nationwide discussion when he publicly endorsed our idea on X, bringing portable mortgages into the spotlight. Although we have not spoken with him directly yet, his amplification has created the momentum needed to push this conversation forward.

Special thanks goes to Michael Faulkender, Robert Broeksmit, Nadia Evangelou, David Jiawei Zhang, and David Dworkin for their insights and contributions to this effort.

Could Portable Mortgages Change the Housing Landscape?

If implemented, portable mortgages could dramatically reshape how Americans buy and sell homes. Homeowners would no longer be penalized for moving. Buyers would face less rate-related stress. Inventory could increase, and transaction volume could return to healthier levels.

While much work remains, the growing support from policymakers, economists, and industry leaders is a promising sign.

We’re excited, ready, and committed to helping move this forward.

More updates to come.