Got enough for the down payment but nervous about what's left? Say so. That's exactly when a seller credit is worth talking about, and we'd rather know before we write the offer.
Start with what you can actually use. Loan programs limit seller contributions, and your eligible costs may limit it further. An ordinary closing-cost credit can't turn into down payment money or cash back after closing, no matter how nicely everyone asks.
A credit and a lower price solve different problems. A credit mostly helps with the cash you need at closing. A lower price mostly helps the payment you'll make every month. We'll put both side by side for your home. If a temporary buydown is on the table, we also look at the full payment after the subsidy ends, and make sure it still works if refinancing never makes sense.
If you're selling, we compare what you'd walk away with after the credit. A higher price paired with a credit still has to work with the appraisal. Sometimes the stronger offer is the one whose financing fits its terms with the fewest open questions.
If a credit turns out too big to use, we sort that out with the financing and escrow early. Nobody should find out at the signing table that the help doesn't do what they thought it did.
Related real-estate guide: Credits, Buydowns and Where the Money Really Goes.