Would a 50-year mortgage make homeownership more affordable?

The Trump administration is working on a plan for a mortgage term that spans five decades, Federal Housing Finance Agency Director Bill Pulte confirmed this weekend, calling it "a complete game changer" and a "potential weapon in a WIDE arsenal of solutions that we are developing right now."

Details are still sparse, but a 50-year loan could meaningfully reshape a housing market where 30 years is the norm. Experts say homebuyers who opt for the longer loan would see lower monthly payments but a dramatic increase in the total cost of the loan.

"Borrowers might be able to pay less monthly principal and interest, since the loan would be spread out over half a century," said NerdWallet lending expert Kate Wood in an email. "But th

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