Mortgage rates are still climbing, and that changes how homes actually sell. Freddie Mac's Primary Mortgage Market Survey put the average 30-year fixed mortgage at 7.28% for the week of October 1, 2026, up from 7.03% a week earlier and 6.34% a year ago. At the same time, Redfin reports that 46.2% of U.S. home sales in May 2026 included a seller concession, the highest May share on record. If you plan to sell your home without an agent this fall, a closing cost credit or rate buydown in the contract is often smarter than cutting your price.
Nearly Half of Sales Now Include a Concession
Seller concessions, closing cost help or a rate buydown paid by the seller, were once a sign of desperation. Now they are routine. Redfin's data shows 46.2% of U.S. sales in May 2026 carried a concession, up from 43.1% a year earlier, and 16% paired a concession with a price drop. The trend ran through 2025: 44.4% of first-quarter sales carried one, versus 39.3% in early 2024. NAR says concessions typically run 3% to 6% of the purchase price, up to 9% under some conventional loan rules. On a $400,000 sale, 3% is $12,000.
Why a Concession Can Be Smarter Than a Price Cut
Both moves spend the same dollars, but they land in different places. A price cut is permanent and public: your sold price becomes tomorrow's comparable. A concession is private: your recorded price stays higher while the buyer's out-of-pocket cost drops at closing.
For the buyer, affordability is the whole game: today's 7.28% is roughly $250 a month more than a year ago on a $400,000 loan. A $12,000 credit aimed at discount points or closing costs attacks that monthly payment directly, and buyers compare net cost, not list price.
The Rules That Trip FSBO Sellers Up
Concessions only pay out if the deal closes, and they cannot fix an overpriced home. Price above recent solds and the appraisal comes in short, the lender caps the seller contribution, and your credit never pays out. Price from comps first, as the pricing your property guide explains, then slot a concession into your negotiation strategy.
The mechanics are also state-specific. Connecticut closings run through attorneys, and Washington, D.C. and Maryland each have their own disclosure and settlement requirements. If you are going for sale by owner in Connecticut, Washington, D.C., or Maryland, read those rules before you promise anyone a credit. Put concession language in your FSBO checklist offer review, and evaluate price, financing, and concessions as one package.
Before You Give Money Away, Make the Home Earn It
A $12,000 credit attached to a home that shows poorly is money wasted; buyers discount what they see on tour and negotiate from there. Spend on presentation first. The Notable Pay at Close program, available through Coldwell Banker Realty, finances staging, painting, and pre-listing repairs with nothing due up front, repaid from your sale proceeds at closing. When the home presents well, the credit you offer can stay small, which is the best of both outcomes.
Use Concessions Deliberately
A concession is a negotiation tool, not an admission of weakness. Use one on purpose, in writing, capped and tied to the buyer's loan terms, and priced from real comps.
If evaluating offers in a 7% market feels like more than you signed up for, a free consultation is the next step. Email Robert Clarke at robert.clarke@cbrealty.com or schedule a call, and explore the FSBO Guide library for the rest of the playbook.