Your listing, financed. Your buyer, closed.

The seller credits money at closing that is used to lower the buyer's interest rate for the first years of the loan. A 3/2/1 lowers the rate by 3 percent in year one, 2 percent in year two, and 1 percent in year three, then the note rate applies from year four on. The buyer keeps the note rate on the loan the whole time, the credit simply covers the difference in payment.

The cost is the sum of the monthly payment savings across the buydown years. On most listings a 3/2/1 lands near 3 percent of the loan amount and a 2/1 lands near half of that. The Listing Buydown Sheet on this page prints the exact dollar figure for your price and the rate your buyer was quoted.

A price cut of the same dollar amount usually moves the payment far less than a buydown does in year one, because the price cut only shaves a small slice off the loan while the buydown attacks the rate directly. The sheet prints both numbers side by side so your seller can see the comparison.

Seller concession caps depend on the program and the down payment. At 5 percent down on a conventional purchase the cap is 3 percent of price, which is why the 2/1 is usually the strongest option at that tier. Send me the scenario and I will confirm the cap before you write the offer.

The property address, the down payment percentage, and that the borrower is well qualified. No loan amount, no income, no credit score, nothing that weakens your buyer at the negotiating table. Listing agents get the confidence they need without the figures your buyer would rather keep private.