08/05/2026
Most buyers walk into a negotiation asking for a lower price. That is NOT the strongest card on the table right now, and almost nobody tells them that.
Rates are sitting near their highest point since last August, right around 6.7 percent. That means your monthly payment is the thing actually keeping you up at night, not the sale price on paper. So instead of asking for a price cut, ask for a rate buydown 🙌
Here is exactly how it works and why it is worth more than it sounds.
A seller paying for a 2 to 1 buydown might spend around $8,000 to $12,000. In exchange, your rate drops for the first two years of the loan, which can save you $400 to $600 a month while you are adjusting to a new mortgage payment. Over those two years, that can add up to $14,000 or more in real savings, all while the sale price on paper stays exactly where the seller wanted it to be.
Here is why this works better for both sides of the table.
1. Sellers protect their number for the comps in the neighborhood. A price cut becomes public record and drags down every home nearby. A buydown does not show up the same way.
2. Buyers get real, immediate monthly relief instead of a few thousand dollars off a price that barely moves the actual payment.
3. It is easier to get a seller to say yes to a temporary buydown than a permanent price reduction, because the seller knows it is a one time cost, not a forever discount off their bottom line.
4. If rates drop next year like some are predicting, you refinance and keep the savings you already banked in year one and two.
Most agents lead with price because it is the easiest number to talk about. I would rather negotiate the deal that actually lowers your payment starting on day one❤
Jami Maxey 402-841-7868
eXp Realty
