7 Ways to Keep a Deal Alive When Rates Are High
When a buyer goes quiet after seeing the monthly payment, the deal isn't dead. You don't need to know every loan. You need to know the options exist and when to call your loan officer.
- 7 client objections, each matched to a play and what to say
- Why a buydown beats a price cut, with the numbers to show your seller
- A cheat sheet for when to call your loan officer, and what to send
Get the free playbook
Fill this out and your playbook is ready to download right away.
Keep the buyer moving while your loan officer runs the numbers
Forecasters don't expect rates to fall much through 2027, so waiting costs your buyer rent and momentum.
Examples assume a $500,000 home, 10% down, 30-year loan. Sources: Redfin, Fannie Mae. Full source list is in the playbook.
From "should we cut the price?" to a full-price offer
Find what your buyer or seller is saying, then turn to the page. Your loan officer runs the numbers. You keep the deal moving.
Match what you hear to the play
A one-page index of 7 objections you hear from buyers and sellers, and the play for each one.
Seller credit vs. price reduction
The same $10,000 from the seller saves the buyer $62 a month as a price cut, or $589 a month in year one as a 2-1 buydown.
Assumables and buying before selling
How to spot an assumable listing worth showing, and how move-up clients can buy before they list.
When to call your loan officer
A cheat sheet of moments to hand off, the 5 things to send, and a handoff text you can copy and paste.
Your job isn't the loan. It's the next step.
Know the options exist
One line for each option tells your client there's a way forward.
Protect the sale price
Show your seller why a buydown credit does more than a price cut.
Hand off at the right time
Know exactly when to call your loan officer and what to send them.
Questions about 7 Ways to Keep a Deal Alive When Rates Are High
What is in the agent playbook?
Seven plays for clients who stall when rates are high: seller credits sized to the payment, buydowns instead of price cuts, ARMs, non-QM loans, assumable listings, buying before selling, and writing concessions that fit the plan. It also includes a cheat sheet for when to call your loan officer.
Do I need to understand mortgage products to use it?
No. Each play explains the option in one line and tells you when to bring in your loan officer, who runs the numbers.
Is a seller credit better than a price reduction?
Often, yes. In the playbook's example on a $500,000 home, a $10,000 price cut saves the buyer about $62 a month. The same $10,000 spent on a 2-1 buydown saves about $589 a month in year one, and the seller keeps the full sale price on record.
Is the playbook free?
Yes. Fill out the short form on this page and the PDF is ready to download right away. We also email you a copy.
