The Trump administration’s return-to-office mandate and layoffs are disrupting housing markets, as employees struggle with job insecurity and commute times. If federal employees choose to stay remote, they will be dismissed.
Redfin agents have reported a surge in clients selling their homes due to anticipated return-to-office orders. One client planned to upgrade to a larger home but canceled those plans because he was worried about losing his job. Another couple, who worked with Redfin three years ago to buy their dream home, are now considering putting their home up for sale as they seek closer public transportation.
The federal government has already laid off over 1,000 employees, and other agencies have sent termination emails. Corporate giants like Amazon, Microsoft, JPMorgan, and Dell are also bringing back employees to the office, sparking widespread pushback from workers.
The chaos caused by return-to-work mandates adds to the strain in the US housing market, which has already been frozen due to high mortgage rates and home prices. New listings have increased by 7.4% since last year, but pending sales are down 6%. The typical home took 57 days to go under contract, the longest span since March 2020.
However, some Redfin agents believe demand could pick up soon as house hunters become more active. With five months of supply on the market, the market is showing signs of recovery, but it remains uncertain due to ongoing economic and political uncertainty.
Source: https://fortune.com/2025/02/15/housing-markets-return-to-office-rto-layoffs-remote-work-trump-doge-elon-musk