Tax Plan Has Majority of Americans `Concerned' About Homebuying

(Bloomberg) -- U.S. taxpayers don’t share Wall Street’s enthusiasm about the tax bill passed yesterday by Congress, at least when it comes to housing.

Of the about 2,300 people polled on behalf of Realtor.com, more than half said they are now either “concerned” or “very concerned” about being a homeowner. About 23 percent of respondents said the tax bill wouldn’t change their plans to purchase, and about 57 percent said it would have no effect on their plans to sell.

The survey was conducted on Dec. 18 and 19, before the Republican-led Congress passed a tax overhaul measure that limits interest deductions to the first $750,000 in new mortgage debt for married taxpayers filing jointly, down from the current cap of $1 million. It also doubles the standard deduction, making it less likely for homeowners to itemize tax returns and deduct mortgage interest.

Realtor.com is owned by News Corp. and operates under a license from the National Association of Realtors, a trade group that has been outspoken in its opposition to the bill.

To contact the reporter on this story: Prashant Gopal in Boston at pgopal2@bloomberg.net.

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Daniel Taub at dtaub@bloomberg.net, Christine Maurus, Kara Wetzel

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