In 2012, Warren Buffett made headlines with his bold commentary on the housing market during an interview on CNBC's Squawk Box with Becky Quick.
At the time, the U.S. economy was still recovering from the devastating effects of the 2008 financial crisis and the housing market was one of the sectors with the most impact. Yet, Buffett's perspective was unusually optimistic. He famously stated, "If I had a way of buying a couple hundred thousand single-family homes and had a way of managing them ... I would load up on them. I would take mortgages out at very, very low rates." For Buffett, homes were not just shelter but a prime investment opportunity, especially with borrowing costs at rock-bottom lows.
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This insight came when confidence in real estate was shaky at best and many people hesitated to dive back into the market. However, for Buffett, the crisis created a window of opportunity that savvy investors could capitalize on if they had the foresight and patience.
His well-known quote, "Be fearful when others are greedy. Be greedy when others are fearful," perfectly captured the mindset needed to navigate that turbulent time. Investors who followed this advice likely saw significant rewards as the market rebounded.
For example, in 2012, the median price for a single-family home in the U.S. was around $180,000. By 2024, that number reached about $418,000. That's a jump of roughly 132% over 12 years. No one has a crystal ball to predict what the market will do, but real estate has proven to be a steady and stable way of building wealth.
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But what made Buffett's advice stand out wasn't just his bullish outlook on real estate but its simplicity. He recommended buying homes with a 30-year mortgage, arguing that homes would outperform even stocks if purchased at the right price over the long term.
Over the years, the billionaire investor has consistently praised the 30-year mortgage. In a 2017 CNBC interview, he said, "It's a one-way renegotiation. It is an incredibly attractive instrument for the homeowner and you’ve got a one-way bet." If the rates go down, refinance and pay off the home early. If they go up, you're locked in.