: You can ask the home seller or builder to pay for your points as a closing incentive, effectively buying down your rate at no upfront cost to you.

: Once chosen, the point fees are paid alongside your down payment and other closing costs. Permanent vs. Temporary Buydowns What are mortgage points and how do they work? - U.S. Bank

: Divide the upfront cost of the points by your monthly savings to see how many months it will take to recoup the investment.

Example: A 6.5% rate could be lowered to 6.25% by buying one point.

: Each point generally reduces your interest rate by 0.25% .