Before You De-List, Read This

Sellers are always looking for answers to how to sell their house faster in a buyer’s market, and a common one is through a price reduction. But what if we told you there’s another way? It can possibly be more attractive to buyers than a lower price and, better yet, will cost you less. We’re talking about an interest rate buydown. 

In a Standstill Market  

The market doesn’t always definitively belong to buyers or sellers. In fact, as of late 2025, there seems to be a buyer-seller faceoff. Rates have finally come back down to nearer 6%, but buyers are no longer willing to jump in at post-pandemic prices. However, sellers are holding out for the same experience their neighbors had in recent years, such as over-asking offers, bidding wars, and high prices.

The result? Homes are sitting on the market longer, and a huge wave of sellers is choosing to delist. If you’re preparing to sell your home or thinking about delisting, consider how you can sell your house faster without a price reduction. 

Offering a 2/1 Buydown

If you’re unfamiliar, a 2/1 Buydown is a seller-paid program that lowers the buyer’s interest rate by 2% for the first year of their mortgage and by 1% the second year. Now, let’s take a look at the numbers: 

If you are offering a home at $440k and trying to sell it faster via price reduction, you’d likely be looking at a reduction of at least $15k to catch the attention of buyers. So, that’s $15k out of your pocket, but for the buyer, the monthly payment on their 30-year mortgage would only be reduced by less than $100. 

Alternatively, you can offer buyers a monthly payment that is reduced by nearly $500 for the first year, at only a $9k out-of-pocket cost to you. That’s how to sell a house faster via a win-win! 

(*Example assumes a 10% down payment from the buyer and a note rate of 6.24%. Actual buydown cost to seller: $8,895.50 | Actual 1st-year monthly savings for buyer: $489.91)  

Selling Your Home? 

Both price cuts and 2/1 Buydowns make for happy buyers, but a buydown makes for a happier seller. If you’d like to talk more about how a buydown works and run the numbers for your current listing, we’re here to help!