09/07/2026
Reverse Mortgages: Should Retirees Consider One?
In my three decades helping clients navigate their home financing options, I’ve seen how alternative arrangements like land contracts can become a fallback when traditional mortgages are tough to secure. Last year, 715,000 land contracts were recorded nationwide—most often for lower-cost, manufactured, rural, or older homes where buyers struggled to qualify for regular loans. The data is clear: when access to mortgages improves, buyers are less likely to rely on these riskier, less-protected seller-financing options. Expanding small-mortgage programs, updating the way we title manufactured homes, and making renovation lending more accessible could open safer paths to homeownership for more families. And since land contracts will continue to play a role, it’s important we push for stronger protections and clearer standards for buyers. My focus remains making sure folks in our community have access to the best, safest financing available.
