Rate buydown decision cheat sheet. Short ownership with plan to sell: temporary buydown. Strong refi expectations with seller funding it: often still worth accepting, downside is limited. Strong refi expectations with borrower funding it: skip it, preserve liquidity and refinance when rates drop. Long ownership horizon: permanent buydown. High loan amount: permanent buydown becomes more attractive. Weak reserves: preserve liquidity first. Paying PMI: compare against principal reduction carefully. Seller offering concessions: analyze all three uses — price cut, temp buydown, permanent buydown.