Kevin O’Leary has been pretty blunt about what’s going on in the US housing market right now. Even though interest rates have come down slightly, they have not made much difference for people hoping to buy a home. For many families, the numbers still do not work.
How Kevin O’Leary Sees the Current Housing Market
The issue, as Kevin O’Leary sees it, is that mortgage rates do not really follow short-term cuts. They are shaped by longer-term rates, and they have stayed high. Inflation sitting near 3 percent adds to the problem.
Banks remain careful because prices are not fully under control, and that caution shows up in stricter lending and higher borrowing costs.
For buyers, this creates a frustrating gap. Wages have not kept pace, monthly payments feel heavy, and qualifying for a loan is harder than expected. O’Leary’s message is simple. Until inflation cools further and longer-term rates ease, owning a home will continue to feel like a distant goal for a large part of the country.
Kevin O’Leary on X
The Shark Tank investor, Kevin O’Leary, took to X on Tuesday, December 23.
He wrote, “The American dream of buying a home is getting crushed, and it’s not because people aren’t trying. Two 25-basis-point rate cuts haven’t done a thing because mortgages are tied to longer-term rates, and inflation is still hovering around 3%. That keeps lenders tight and affordability out of reach. This isn’t a demand problem; it’s structural.”
“Housing is local, and the regulation is killing supply. Look at California, rebuilding is painfully slow because the regulatory burden is brutal. Add a 25% hit to softwood lumber costs with no trade deal in place with Canada, and prices stay elevated. If you want housing to work again, fix the regulation, cut a fair lumber deal, and increase supply. Without that, nothing changes.”
While not all analysts agree with O’Leary’s assessment, his comments highlight growing frustration around housing affordability.
Why Mr. Wonderful Keeps Coming Back to Financial Literacy
For Kevin, housing affordability is just one example of why financial literacy matters more than ever.
O’Leary’s concerns about housing affordability fit naturally with the way he talks about money skills more broadly. He often comes back to the idea that people need a stronger understanding of finances, especially when big decisions are involved.
Mr. Wonderful believes private investment has a real role to play in improving financial education, not just government programs.
You can hear the same tone in his recent comments on crypto. He has described the altcoin market as flat and lacking momentum.
That feeling of caution shows up in housing, too, where lenders seem hesitant and slow to take risks. It is less about excitement and more about protecting capital.
Kevin O’Leary on Caution Across Markets
When you step back, his views line up across the board. From real estate to digital assets, O’Leary sees markets moving carefully and without much confidence. That is why he keeps pushing the idea that people need to be informed, patient, and realistic about risk right now.
