11/09/2026
Higher mortgage rates come with a perk most buyers miss: negotiating power.
Back in 2022, after two years of rates near 3%, 95 of the top 100 metros favored sellers, according to Realtor.com. Bidding wars and offers over asking were everywhere.
Now rates are above 7%, and the picture has flipped. Today, 66 of those 100 metros lean toward buyers.
And sellers are making deals to prove it. Redfin reports nearly half of buyers now get a concession from the seller, like help with closing costs, money for repairs, or even paying to buy down the mortgage rate.
That’s the trade-off: buyers rarely get low rates and leverage at the same time. If rates dropped in a big way, more buyers would jump back in, and that leverage would likely shrink.
That doesn’t mean you have to move right now. The right time to buy is when the numbers work for you. But if you’re ready to move, today’s leverage could help make the math more doable than you think.
Just remember, every local market is different.
Want to see how much negotiating power you’d have in this area? Let’s look at homes where sellers may be open to a rate buydown or closing cost help.
