May 5, 2021 Continue Reading The current housing market continues to spiral with few homes for sale and hungry buyers, pushing home prices up and buyer hopes down, but one economist believes capital tax reform could bring relief. Ralph McLaughlin, chief economist and senior vice president for real estate finance company Haus, says reforming the capital gains tax could lure more sellers into listing and directly benefit first-time buyers. With his suggestion, the capital gains tax would be exempt for property sellers if their home is sold to a first-time buyer, says MarketWatch. It could be most attractive to investors who may have purchased homes to convert into rental units as some rental markets across the country have struggled amid the pandemic.