Price Reduction vs. Seller Credit | Listing Agent Tool from Kimberly Campista, Canopy Mortgage
For listing agents

Same incentive. Different impact.

Before your seller drops the price, show them what that same money does as a closing cost credit or a rate buydown. Compare the buyer's payment and cash to close while keeping the seller's proceeds in view.

Kimberly Campista
Kimberly CampistaBranch Manager / Loan Officer, Canopy Mortgage
NMLS #957611 · Hillsboro, Oregon

Why this beats a price cut conversation

  • A $10,000 price reduction usually moves the buyer's payment by less than $70 a month. The same $10,000 toward rate can move it by hundreds.
  • Credits keep the list price intact, which protects comps and the seller's appraisal story.
  • Buyers who are short on cash feel a closing cost credit immediately. A price cut barely touches their cash to close.
  • Every option is shown with the seller's proceeds, so there are no surprises at the net sheet.
Price reduction vs. seller credit

What does each option accomplish?

Enter the listing and the dollar amount your seller is willing to give up. The tool shows the same amount three ways.

Your listing

$
$
Use the same dollar amount for both options so the comparison is apples to apples.
%
Update this to the rate Kimberly quotes for the buyer's loan program.
%
$
Excludes the down payment and any buydown cost. Held constant across options.

Seller credit: permanent buydown + closing costs

A lender quote is needed for this price, down payment and loan. A point does not buy a fixed rate reduction, so enter the quoted rate and its quoted cost.

%
$
Any amount beyond the seller credit is paid by the buyer.

The same dollars, side by side

Enter the listing price and incentive to compare.

Payments are principal and interest only. Taxes, insurance, mortgage insurance and HOA dues are excluded. Seller proceeds are before mortgage payoff, commissions, taxes and other selling costs. Estimates for discussion only, not a rate quote or loan approval.

How to use this comparison

Read it like your seller will.

What the three options mean

Keep the price is the starting point: the listing as is, with no incentive. Price reduction lowers the purchase price by the amount entered, which shrinks the buyer's loan a little and the seller's proceeds a lot. Seller credit keeps the price and instead pays the buyer's eligible closing costs and the cost of a permanent rate buydown, up to the amount entered.

How the credit is applied
  • The credit is capped at the eligible costs entered, which are the closing costs and prepaids plus the quoted buydown cost.
  • Any unused credit is shown separately. It is not treated as cash back or as a down payment contribution.
  • The permanent buydown uses the quoted rate and quoted dollar cost exactly as entered. No rate improvement is assumed from the size of the credit.
  • Loan programs limit how much a seller can contribute. Confirm the cap with Kimberly before you present.
How the numbers are calculated
  • Down payment percentage stays constant across options, so a lower price also means a slightly smaller down payment.
  • Monthly payment is principal and interest over the full term: P × r / (1 − (1 + r)−n), where r is the annual rate divided by 1,200 and n is the term in months.
  • Buyer cash to close is the down payment plus the entered closing costs and quoted buydown cost, less the credit actually used. Earnest money and other adjustments are excluded.
  • Seller proceeds are the purchase price less the credit actually used, before payoff, commissions, taxes and other selling costs.
  • The optional 2-1 buydown cost is the sum of the first 24 months of payment differences. Its credit is applied the same way as the permanent option.
  • Calculations keep full precision and are rounded only for display.
Privacy

Everything you enter is processed in your browser and is not saved or sent anywhere. The "Copy link" button simply puts your inputs in the page address so you can share the exact scenario with a seller or colleague.

At the listing table

Three steps to a smarter price conversation.

1

Send Kimberly the listing

Share the price, the likely buyer profile and the incentive your seller is considering. She returns a real quote for the permanent rate and its cost, usually the same day.

2

Run the comparison

Drop the quote into the tool above and print it. Your seller sees the payment, cash to close and proceeds for every option on one page.

3

Market the option, not the cut

Advertise "seller will contribute toward rate buydown or closing costs" and let Kimberly pre-qualify the buyers who respond.

Kimberly Campista
Your lending partner
About Kimberly

Kimberly Campista, Branch Manager and Loan Officer at Canopy Mortgage

Based in Hillsboro, Oregon, Kimberly works alongside listing agents to keep deals together: seller-paid buydowns, closing cost credits and clear numbers the seller can act on. Send her a listing and she will return a quote you can put in front of your client.

Kimberly Campista NMLS #957611 · Canopy Mortgage, LLC · [email protected] · Hillsboro, OR

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State Licenses

VT #MLO-957611, PA #117735, CT #LO-957611

WV #LO-957611, OR #957611, WA #MLO-957611

CA #CA-DBO957611, AZ #1022279, WY #102289

ID #MLO-2080957611, MT #957611, TX #957611

NM #957611, FL #LO97993, CO #100524425

AK #AK957611, NE #957611, SD #957611.MLO

IA #47896, OH #957611, KS #LO.0048947

MO #957611, TN #957611, MA #MLO957611

DE #MLO-957611, LA #957611, AR #127368

GA #957611, OK #MLO28333, MN #957611

MI #957611, NC #I-209002, WI #957611

MS #957611, VA #MLO-61992VA, IL #031.0075566

IN #57936, ND #NDMLO957611, SC #MLO - 957611

KY #MC778382, AL #957611, NJ #957611

ME #957611, NV #72933, NH #957611

MD #957611, DC #957611

Contact Us

(503) 407-3764

9620 NE Tanasbourne Dr. Suite 300 Office 37, Hillsboro, OR, 97124

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