06/15/2026
💰 Buyers — did you know that in 2025, nearly 2 out of 3 sellers helped cover their buyer's closing costs?
According to Zillow, 67% of sellers paid some or all of their buyer's closing costs last year. And that trend is continuing right into 2026.
This is one of the most important — and most underused — pieces of leverage available to buyers in the Greater Cincinnati market right now. And yet most buyers have no idea they can even ask for it.
So what exactly are closing costs — and how much are we talking?
Closing costs typically run between 2–5% of the purchase price. On a $400,000 home in West Chester, Fairfield, or Mason, that's $8,000 to $20,000 in fees that cover things like:
🏦 Loan origination fees
🔍 Appraisal and inspection costs
📋 Title insurance and settlement fees
📝 Prepaid taxes and homeowner's insurance
💼 Attorney and processing fees
That's real money — and when a seller covers some or all of it, it changes the entire financial picture for a buyer at the closing table.
Here's how smart buyers are using this right now:
✅ Keeping more cash in their pocket at closing
Instead of draining savings to cover closing costs on top of a down payment, buyers who negotiate seller concessions walk away from closing day with their financial cushion intact.
✅ Using seller credits toward a rate buydown
This is one of our favorite strategies right now. A seller credit can be used to permanently or temporarily buy down your mortgage interest rate — lowering your monthly payment from day one. On a $400,000 loan, even a 0.5% rate reduction can save you hundreds of dollars every single month.
✅ Making their offer more competitive without raising the price
Structuring an offer to request closing cost assistance — rather than simply lowballing the price — keeps sellers more engaged and often gets better results in negotiation.
The critical thing most buyers don't realize:
Asking for closing cost assistance is completely normal and widely expected in today's Cincinnati market. It's not aggressive. It's not insulting. It's smart — and 67% of the sellers who sold homes last year agreed to it.
But here's the key: HOW you ask matters enormously. An experienced buyer's agent knows how to structure the request in a way that keeps the seller at the table and maximizes what you receive. That negotiation skill is one of the most valuable things the Lowry Team brings to every single transaction we're part of. 🙌
If closing costs have been one of the things holding you back from moving forward on a home purchase in West Chester, Mason, Fairfield, or Liberty Township — this stat should change your perspective completely. The help is out there. You just need to know how to ask for it.
👉 Ready to put this strategy to work for you? Visit LowryTeam.com or send us a message today — let's talk about how to structure your next offer to get every dollar you deserve.
💬 Buyers — did you receive closing cost help on your home purchase? And if you didn't, do you wish you'd asked? Drop your experience below! 👇