There’s a powerful alternative to cutting home prices that many sellers and agents overlook. It’s called a permanent mortgage buydown . Here’s how it works: Instead of reducing the home’s price by, say, $10,000 or $15,000, that same amount can be used to lower the buyer’s interest rate permanently. This means their mortgage payment stays lower for the entire life of the loan. At a time when affordability is top of mind, this strategy can make a home far more attractive to buy