Leveraging List & Lock™: A Smart Move for Buyers and Sellers

Blog posted On February 21, 2025

Been struggling with seller negotiations? Or are you stuck with a listing that just won’t sell? Don’t drop the price just yet — we may have the solution for you. List & Lock™ can help eliminate one of the biggest hurdles a buyer struggles with: the rate! Through this program, sellers can advertise discounted rates without lowering the listing price, a win-win for agents, buyers, and sellers alike.* Let’s tackle some of the benefits below.

How List & Lock Works

1. The seller determines the concessions they wish to contribute toward a lower rate
2. A discounted rate is secured (and transferrable to the buyer!)
   1. Lock now for $999 – A refundable 60-day rate lock, this is a good choice for markets when rates are expected to rise
   2. Lock later for just $49 – Another refundable option for stable markets, when rates are expected to drop
3. The property is marketed with a discounted rate, which can help the seller:
   1. Attract more buyers
   2. And sell faster!

If you want to incentivize sellers more, there are extra advantages if they decide to utilize List & Lock. They’ll also receive customized marketing materials, an extra 1% lender contribution, AND a credit up to $5,000 for their next purchase if they use us as their lender.**

Benefits for Buyers

• Gain peace of mind in a competitive market
• Receive a discounted rate
• Boosted seller negotiations
• Affordable access to the American Dream of homeownership

We’ve sweetened the deal for sellers so that homeownership could be more accessible for your home buyers. Advertising discounted rates helps out both buyers and sellers, allowing potential homeowners to gain a leg up.

If you want to learn more about how List & Lock can eliminate your clients’ biggest hurdle, we’re happy to discuss their options and how best to leverage this exclusive advantage for both flagging listings and seller negotiations.

Source: Zillow, List & Lock

*This lock cannot be transferred to another property address. While List & Lock™ can help buyers significantly, it is not a guarantee to lend. If a buyer is interested in purchasing the listed home at the advertised rate, they must still qualify for the loan. The benefit is that they won’t have to qualify for the loan based on the higher market rates; instead, they will be qualifying on the List & Lock™ rate. They will have several loan options to choose from through List & Lock™ -- Conventional, FHA, VA, and select adjustable-rate mortgages (ARMs). The same type of credit and discount can be applied to other loan programs, but rate adjustments could occur. If you’re concerned your closing could extend beyond the 60-day period, contact your loan officer to discuss extension possibilities.
**Home Seller has 1 year to execute the List & Lock™ & Save. The 1-year countdown starts either from date the loan funds on the List & Lock™ property or the lock expiration date (whichever is sooner). Only one List & Lock™ & Save transaction per List & Lock™ use. Not available on the All In One Loan™, HELOCs, Bond/HFA loans, Brokered loans, Regional investor loans, Construction loans, or 2nd liens. Cannot be combined with a lender credit or other credit program.