A 50-year mortgage could leave home buyers in Utah paying hundreds of thousands more in interest

SALT LAKE CITY — The Trump administration has an idea it says will make homes more affordable: 50-year mortgages. But some personal finance experts warn that stretching a loan from 30 years to 50 will do the opposite and make homes less affordable.

In the Wasatch Front and in St. George, the median sales price of homes has shot way above the $500,000 mark. Now, to lower monthly payments and to bring more buyers into the market, the president is suggesting 50-year mortgages. His administration calls it a “game changer.”

Personal financial advisor Shane Stewart of Deseret Mutual Benefits Administrators believes it will change the game. But not in a good way.

“This proposal is really a short-term fix that can create long-term problems, especially for the individual,” Stewart said.

He