Is it better to do a rate buydown, or put more money toward the down payment instead?

Dollar for dollar, a buydown moves the payment more than extra down payment does. That said, our lean is against paying points at all. The down-payment side surprises people. As a rough illustration at an elevated rate, each extra $1,000 down changes the payment by about $6 or $7 a month. Going from 10% down to 5% frees up real cash and might change the payment by only a little over $100. On the buydown side, we stay cautious: - A permanent buydown only pays off if you keep the loan past the break-even point, and nobody can promise where rates go. If a refinance opportunity shows up first, the points you paid are gone. - If you do buy down, a temporary buydown is usually our preference, because unused buydown funds benefit you if you refinance during the period. Buydown math is something some people want to see, and we will run that comparison for you on your own figures in a free Roadmap conversation. Whichever lever you consider, the deciding question is how long you will actually keep the loan.