Here's a number most buyers don't know:

about 44% of sellers recently gave buyers a concession — close to the highest share on record. 💰 A concession is money the seller credits toward your closing costs instead of cutting the price, which lowers the cash you bring on closing day.

 

There's another lever too: a rate buydown, where the seller pays to lower your mortgage rate. Take $10,000 off the price and your payment barely moves — put that same $10,000 toward your rate and you feel it every month. Same money out of the seller's pocket. A much bigger result in yours.