Kaufman County homes are sitting longer. Seller credit, buydown or price cut: what actually helps?

Short answer: Homes in Kaufman County are taking longer to sell, and more sellers are cutting prices. If you're buying, that gives you room to ask for help. If you're selling, it means the way you offer that help matters. A price cut, a seller credit and a buydown are three different tools, and they don't do the same job. Here's how I look at each one, as a Realtor and a Loan Officer.

What the October numbers say

Realtor.com's October 2026 data for Kaufman County (published on FRED on Nov 5) shows a slower market:

• Median days on market: 74, up from 69 in September and 59 in June. (FRED, MEDDAYONMAR48257)
• New listings: 276, down from 336 in September. (FRED, NEWLISCOU48257)
• Active listings: 1,202, down from 1,275 in September. (FRED, ACTLISCOU48257)
• Pending listings: 393, down from 429. (FRED, PENLISCOU48257)
• Listings with a price cut during the month: 452. (FRED, PRIREDCOU48257)
• Median list price: $324,900, down from $329,450. (FRED, MEDLISPRI48257)

Quick note: these are listing numbers, not closed sales. Closed sales for October weren't posted yet when I checked.

What it means in plain words: fewer new homes are coming on, fewer homes are sitting in pending status, and the typical listing is staying on the market longer. Buyers have time. Sellers have to give them a reason.

Three ways a seller can "help," and what each one really does

This is where a lot of deals go sideways. A buyer asks for "help," a seller says yes, and nobody stops to ask which kind of help actually fixes the buyer's problem.

1. Price cut

• What it does: Lowers the contract price. That means a smaller loan, and it can matter if the appraisal is a concern.
• Who it helps most: Buyers who are stretched on the loan amount, and sellers whose home is priced above where buyers and appraisers see it.
• The catch: It doesn't put cash toward the buyer's closing costs. And it's public. A price drop shows up on every listing site.

2. Seller credit (seller-paid closing costs)

• What it does: The seller pays some of the buyer's closing costs and prepaids instead of lowering the price.
• Who it helps most: Buyers who can handle the home but are short on cash to close.
• The catch: A credit can only cover real costs. If the credit is bigger than the buyer's allowed costs, the extra doesn't turn into cash for the buyer. Every loan type also has its own limit (more on VA below).

3. Buydown

• What it does: The seller pays money to lower the buyer's interest rate. A temporary buydown lowers it for the early part of the loan. A permanent buydown (discount points) lowers it for the life of the loan.
• Who it helps most: Buyers whose budget is tight on the monthly side, or who want breathing room in the first years.
• The catch: It's the most complicated of the three. You need to know exactly how much the seller is paying, how long the benefit lasts and how the loan is qualified. I'll run the real numbers with you on a Loan Estimate, not in a blog post.

Which one is "best"?

Honestly, it depends on the buyer's actual problem:

• Short on cash to close? A seller credit usually fixes that most directly.
• Monthly budget is the worry? A buydown is worth pricing out.
• House is priced above the market? That's a price problem. A credit or buydown can cover it up for a while, but the appraisal and the buyer pool will still notice.

The same dollar amount can do very different things depending on which tool you use. That's why I like to compare them side by side on a real Loan Estimate before anyone signs.

VA buyers: the 4% seller concession rule

If you're using a VA loan, there's a specific rule to know.

VA caps seller concessions at 4% of the home's reasonable value (the value from the VA appraisal), not the contract price. Anything over 4% is considered excessive and unacceptable for a VA-guaranteed loan. (VA Lenders Handbook, M26-7, Chapter 8, Topic 5)

What counts toward the 4% (VA's list, which isn't all-inclusive):

• Paying the buyer's VA funding fee
• Prepaying the buyer's property taxes and insurance
• Gifts, like a TV or a microwave
• Extra points for a permanent rate buydown
• Escrowed funds for a temporary buydown
• Paying off the buyer's credit balances or judgments

What does NOT count toward the 4%:

• The buyer's normal closing costs
• Discount points that are normal for the market
• Buyer-broker charges paid by the seller (VA Lender Training, Borrower Fees and Charges; VA Circular 26-24-14)

Example (illustration only): If a home appraises for $324,900 (the October median list price in Kaufman County), 4% of that value is $12,996. That's the ceiling for things like a funding fee, prepaids or a buydown. Normal closing costs paid by the seller sit outside that number.

Two things that trip people up:

• The cap follows the appraisal. If the appraisal comes in lower than the contract price, the 4% limit shrinks with it.
• Asking for "4%" isn't automatic. It has to be the right mix of items. Get your Loan Officer involved before you write the offer, not after.

Want more on what sellers are actually giving right now? Read Are Kaufman County sellers really helping with buyer costs?

Sellers: a note on repricing a stale listing

If your home has been sitting, you're not alone. 452 Kaufman County listings took a price cut in October alone. (FRED, PRIREDCOU48257)

Here's my take (opinion, not data):

• Figure out why it's sitting first. Not enough showings usually points to price or photos. Lots of showings and no offers usually points to condition or price versus the homes buyers are touring.
• One clear move beats a bunch of tiny ones. Small cuts every couple of weeks can make buyers wait for the next one.
• Price it where buyers search. Buyers filter by price ranges online. Landing just inside a common search range can put your home in front of more people.
• Think about offering help instead of only cutting. A credit toward closing costs or a buydown can bring in buyers who are cash- or budget-tight, and it doesn't change your list price on every site.
• Run your net both ways. A price cut and a credit of the same size can land close on your bottom line, but they're not always identical, and they attract different buyers. I'll run a seller net sheet for each option so you can see it.

Quick checklist

Buyers: 1. Figure out your real problem: cash to close, monthly budget or price. 2. Pick the tool that fixes that problem. 3. VA buyer? Keep concessions inside 4% of the appraised value. 4. Compare options on a Loan Estimate before you sign.

Sellers: 1. Find out why the home is sitting. 2. Make one clear pricing move, or offer targeted help. 3. Run a net sheet for each option.

FAQ

Is a seller credit better than a price cut? It depends on the buyer. A credit helps with cash to close. A price cut lowers the loan amount. Neither is always better.

Does a VA seller concession include closing costs? No. VA says the buyer's normal closing costs and market-normal discount points don't count toward the 4% limit. (M26-7, Chapter 8, Topic 5)

Is the VA 4% based on the sales price? No. It's based on the reasonable value from the VA appraisal. (Same source.)

How long are Kaufman County homes sitting? Realtor.com's October 2026 median was 74 days on market for Kaufman County listings. (FRED)

Want to see the options side by side?

Buying or selling in Kaufman County, Forney or Royse City? Call or text me at 972-951-6987. I'll lay out a price cut, a seller credit and a buydown on your actual numbers, in plain words.

Sources

• Realtor.com Housing Inventory Core Metrics, Kaufman County, TX, via FRED (October 2026, updated Nov 5, 2026): days on market, new listings, active listings, pending listings, price reduced, median list price
• VA Lenders Handbook (VA Pamphlet 26-7), Chapter 8, Topic 5, Seller Concessions: https://www.knowva.ebenefits.va.gov/system/templates/selfservice/va_ssnew/help/customer/locale/en-US/portal/554400000001018/content/554400000314677
• VA Lender Training Series, Borrower Fees and Charges and the VA Funding Fee: https://www.benefits.va.gov/HOMELOANS/training/lender-webinar/documents/lesson3-borrower-fees-and-charges.pdf
• VA Circular 26-24-14: https://www.benefits.va.gov/HOMELOANS/documents/circulars/26-24-14.pdf

Serving Rockwall County, Kaufman County, and the greater DFW area.

Dylan Hernandez, Loan Officer, NMLS #2681224 | One Real Mortgage Corp., NMLS #198414 | Equal Housing Opportunity

Real Broker, LLC, TREC #9003138 | Dylan Hernandez, TREC #0787987 | DH Real Estate Group

Not affiliated with or endorsed by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs or any government agency.

This is general information, not a commitment to lend or legal or tax advice. Loan programs, terms and qualification depend on your full application. Not all applicants will qualify.