REAL ESTATE: Finding A House That Won’t Destroy You. As you shop, bear in mind the possibility of eliminating or capping the mortgage interest deduction. But, hey, if you’re thinking of the mortgage interest deduction, you’re probably already well off: “The authors took a detailed look at the distribution of existing tax benefits for home ownership and found that the benefits do more to help wealthier Americans purchase larger homes than they do to encourage lower-income Americans who otherwise would be renting to purchase homes in the first place.”