Because almost nobody knows what a point is, and "buy down your rate" sells better. A point is 1 percent of the loan amount, paid up front to lower your rate. In our experience only a small fraction of borrowers walk in knowing that, let alone what half-points or eighths mean. "Buy your rate down for $4,000" paints a picture; "pay 1.25 discount points" draws a blank stare. Lenders and builders lean on the friendlier framing because it markets better. The mechanism underneath is identical under either label: money up front in exchange for a lower rate, judged by the same three numbers. What it costs, how much rate it buys, and how long you must keep the loan for the cost to pay off. For the record, we lean against paying points, and a zero-point quote is the honest baseline to compare from. When the topic comes up, we show the dollar cost and the break-even side by side, so the friendly name never hides the math.