Home sellers across the country—and here in Idaho—are offering more concessions than ever to attract buyers. Rising housing costs, higher mortgage rates, and growing economic uncertainty are making buyers extra cautious. Meanwhile, the number of homes for sale has surged to a five-year high, giving buyers more options—and more negotiating power.

In Idaho, we’re feeling it too.

Nationwide, 44.4% of home sales in the first quarter of 2025 included concessions from the seller—up from 39.3% a year earlier, and just shy of the record 45.1% we saw in early 2023.

What are concessions?
Concessions are anything a seller offers to help lower a buyer’s costs—like covering closing costs, paying for repairs, or buying down the buyer’s mortgage rate.
(Note: price reductions are not counted as concessions in these stats.)

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Why Sellers Are Offering More Concessions in Idaho

Several factors are combining to shift the power toward buyers:

• More homes for sale: Idaho inventory is at its highest level in five years.

• Higher mortgage rates: Monthly payments are up, and many buyers are struggling to afford today’s home prices.

• Economic concerns: Talk of a potential recession is making buyers nervous.

• Overpriced listings: Many sellers are still anchored to 2022 peak pricing expectations, even though today’s market is different.

When buyers have more options—and higher costs—they negotiate harder. And if a home is sitting on the market longer than expected, sellers often start offering incentives to move the deal forward.

I’m seeing it firsthand here in Boise, Meridian, Nampa, and Eagle:
Buyers are routinely negotiating closing costs, requesting credits for repairs, and asking for mortgage-rate buydowns.

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 Concessions on the Rise
 Percentage of Home Sales with Seller Concessions (National)

• 2019: 28%

• 2020: 31%

• 2021: 27%

• 2022: 35%

• 2023: 45%

• 2024: 39%

• 2025: 44.4%

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First-Time Buyers Especially Are Asking for Help

Today's buyers, especially first-timers in Idaho, are not just asking for concessions to cover minor repairs—they’re negotiating to afford the home at all.

One strategy I often recommend:
Instead of asking a seller to lower their price, buyers request concessions toward closing costs or mortgage-rate buydowns. This can be a win-win—buyers save real money upfront, and sellers don't have to slash their listing price.

For example, I recently helped a Boise buyer negotiate a seller credit that paid for 2% off their mortgage rate for the first year. It made the monthly payment much more manageable without the seller feeling like they "lost" on the price.

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 What Kinds of Concessions Sellers Offer

• 45%: Closing cost credits

• 30%: Mortgage-rate buydown assistance

• 15%: Repair allowances

• 10%: HOA fees or appliance incentives

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Some Sellers Are Doing Both—Lowering Prices and Offering Concessions

It’s not just about offering credits. Many Idaho sellers are:

• Cutting their asking price and

• Offering concessions to sweeten the deal.

Nationally, about 1 in 5 homes (21.5%) sold in Q1 2025 had both a concession and a final sale price below the list price.

Here in Idaho, if you’re selling, it’s smart to get ahead of the market by either pricing realistically or preparing to offer concessions—or both.

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 How Sellers Are Negotiating

• Only concession: 22%

• Price reduction only: 27%

• Both concession + price cut: 21.5%

• No adjustments needed: 29.5%

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Buyer Jitters Are Leading to More Canceled Deals

Economic uncertainty is also making buyers extra jumpy.

In March, about 13.4% of home-purchase agreements in the U.S. were canceled before closing—a high number by historical standards.

Idaho’s market has been relatively stable compared to major metros like Seattle and Portland, but we’re not immune.
With more inventory and cautious buyers, flexibility—and a great agent—makes all the difference.

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What This Means If You’re Selling in Idaho in 2025:

? Expect negotiation.
? Be prepared to offer concessions or price strategically.
? Remember: A small concession upfront could save you weeks (or months) of sitting on the market.

Need advice on how to price, prepare, or negotiate in today's Idaho market? Let's connect.