I’ve had a few buyers with lower scores get sellers to pitch in on closing costs, but it really depends on the market. When inventory sits, sellers are more open to negotiating. In a hot market, though, it’s tough—most sellers just won’t go for it. Has anyone tried offering a slightly higher purchase price to offset those costs? Sometimes that works if the appraisal comes in strong.
I actually tried the “raise the price, cover the costs” thing last year when I bought with a 585 score. The lender was fine with it, but the seller’s agent pushed back hard. They were worried the appraisal might not come in high enough, and honestly, it made the seller nervous. Ended up just negotiating a small credit instead, which helped but didn’t cover everything.
I get why it’s an option—on paper it makes sense, especially if you’re tight on cash up front. But I think it really comes down to how desperate the seller is and how much risk everyone’s willing to take. In my case, I almost lost the house because the seller got spooked about messing with the price. Maybe it works better in a slow market, but in my area (suburbs, not exactly a hot spot), even then people get weird about it.
Sometimes I wonder if it’s just easier to ask for a straight-up credit and hope for the best, rather than trying to play games with the price. Just my two cents...
I totally get where you’re coming from. That “raise the price, cover the costs” strategy sounds good until you’re actually in the thick of it. Like you said,
I’ve seen sellers back away for less, honestly. In my experience, asking for a straight-up credit is just more straightforward—less chance for things to get complicated with appraisals or nervous sellers. If you’re tight on cash, maybe focus on negotiating closing costs or even seeing if your lender has down payment assistance. Sometimes the simplest route really is the least stressful.“the seller got spooked about messing with the price.”
Honestly, you nailed it—asking for a credit at closing is usually way less messy than trying to inflate the price and roll in costs. Sellers can get jittery fast, especially if they think it’ll mess with the appraisal or drag out the process. I’ve seen deals fall apart over way smaller things. If you’re working with a 580 score, keeping things simple and direct really does help. And yeah, down payment assistance programs can be a lifesaver if cash is tight... just make sure you check all the fine print so there aren’t any surprises later.
Yeah, I’ve seen folks try to get creative with rolling in costs or bumping up the price, and it almost always backfires—especially with a lower credit score. Had a deal last year where the buyer wanted to tack on repairs to the price, but the appraisal came in short and the whole thing unraveled. Credits at closing are just cleaner, less drama for everyone. Down payment assistance is great, but you’re right, some of those programs have strings attached that catch people off guard. Always worth double-checking the details before you get too far down the road.
