Builder incentives compared: rate buydowns, closing costs, design credits
What Triangle builders are advertising right now to make homes more affordable, collected from builder promo pages and fine print (and, where marked, local agent reports quoting them). For context: Freddie Mac's 30-year fixed average was 7.40% the week of Oct 15, 2026 source.
Incentives change often and come with conditions. Most require the builder's affiliated lender, apply only to select homes, expire within weeks, and cannot be combined with each other or with price negotiation. A 2/1 buydown returns to the full note rate in year 3, and an ARM can adjust after its fixed period. Blank cells mean the offer did not state that item. Always get the current offer sheet in writing and compare a Loan Estimate from an outside lender.
| Builder / where | Lowest advertised rate | Rate type / loans | Closing cost $ | Design credit $ | Lender required | Expires | Price cuts / fine print | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| D.R. Horton Eagle Creek, Fuquay-Varina (select homes) | 2.99% | 2/1 temporary buydown (2.99% yr1, 3.99% yr2, 4.99% yrs 3-30) FHA | $7,258 $7,258.44 incentive funds: buyer picks buydown OR closing costs | Yes DHI Mortgage | Contract on/after 9/25/26; close by 11/30/26 | Listed price cuts e.g. $514,495 -> $435,590 (164 Gilmer St) Requires 0.375% discount point; not combinable with other D.R. Horton offers | source third-party report (realtor blog quoting builder page); seen mid-Oct 2026 | |
| Ashton Woods Crescent Mills, Middleton Farms, Preserve & Palisade at The Point (select QMIs) | 2.99% | 2/1 temporary buydown (2.99% / 3.99% / 4.99%), APR 5.275% FHA, VA | $5,000 Up to $5,000 closing costs | Yes Velocio Mortgage (affiliated) | Fine print says contracts 2/26/26-3/31/26, close by 5/31/26 - confirm if still offered | 8.125% points paid by seller; 640 min FICO; not with any other promotion or negotiation | source builder page (fine print dates look stale); seen 2026-10-28 | |
| Dream Finders Homes Raleigh quick move-ins | 2.99% | Not stated (5.959% APR implies temporary/ARM) | Save up to $58,000 (e.g. Forestville Towns $359,900 tagged $58K) Limited time; terms not shown on page | source builder page; seen 2026-10-28 | ||||
| D.R. Horton Kalas Falls, Wake Forest | 3.875% | 5/1 ARM (fixed 5 yrs; caps 1%/1%/5%; max 8.875%) FHA, VA | Yes DHI Mortgage | Contract on/after 9/25/26; close by 12/31/26 | Markdowns e.g. $646,305 -> $618,740 | source third-party report (realtor blog quoting builder page); seen mid-Oct 2026 | ||
| Mattamy Homes Select Raleigh homes | 3.99% | 2/1 temporary buydown (3.99% / 4.99% / 5.99% fixed) Conventional (6.327% APR), FHA (6.784% APR), VA (6.371% APR) | Seller pays about $9,419 toward the buydown (conventional example on a $472K home) | Yes Mattamy Home Funding (affiliated); seller-selected closing agent | Contract 10/2/26-10/31/26; close by 11/30/26 | Must pre-apply with affiliated lender before offer; owner-occupied; pool of funds | source builder page; seen 2026-10-28 | |
| Stanley Martin Homes Select Raleigh homes | 3.99% | 2/1 temporary buydown (3.99% / 4.99% / 5.99%), 6.794% APR FHA (example) | Yes First Heritage Mortgage (affiliated) | Rate as of 10/8/26; no end date stated | Non-contingent new sales only; not combinable; not all neighborhoods | source builder page; seen 2026-10-28 | ||
| Pulte Homes Select quick move-in homes, Raleigh area | 4.25% | 7/6 ARM (fixed 7 yrs), 5.544% APR Conventional (20% down, 780 FICO example) | Yes Pulte Mortgage | Contract after 8/21/26; locked and closed by 10/31/26 | All incentives applied to closing costs incl. discount points; first come first served | source builder flyer; seen 2026-10-28 | ||
| Taylor Morrison Select Raleigh quick move-ins | 4.25% | 7/6 ARM | $5,000 Up to $5,000 toward closing costs/points/buydown | Yes Taylor Morrison Home Funding; seller-selected closing agent | Contracts 10/19/26-11/1/26; close by 12/31/26 | source search snippet (page timed out); seen 2026-10-28 | ||
| M/I Homes Triangle (qualifying new contracts) | 4.875% | 7/6 ARM, 5.749% APR Conventional, 20% down, 720 FICO | Up to 2% allowable closing costs | Yes M/I Financial | Close by 12/18/26 | Apply within 48 hours of contract | source search snippet (page now 404); seen 2026-10-28 | |
| D.R. Horton Select NC communities (Eagle Creek, Kalas Falls) | 4.99% | Fixed (special rate); conventional 5.50% (5.939% APR) FHA 4.99% (5.697% APR, 3.5% down); conventional 5.50% (5% down) | Yes DHI Mortgage | Contract on/after 10/5/26; close by 12/31/26 | May require borrower-paid points; pool-funded, ends when funds depleted | source third-party report (realtor blog quoting builder page); seen mid-Oct 2026 | ||
| Smith Douglas Homes Raleigh Division (select inventory and pre-sale) | 4.99% | 5/1 ARM | $10,000 Up to $10,000 closing cost assistance | 50% off non-structural design options (combined cap $10,000 with closing costs) | Yes Ridgeland Mortgage (preferred) + builder title/closing attorney | Contracts by 11/16/26 | Up to $10,000 total discount; design deposit still required | source builder page; seen 2026-10-28 |
| Eastwood Homes Raleigh division (select completed homes) | 4.99% | 'As low as' fixed; some rates use 2/1 temporary buydown FHA/VA (680 FICO), conventional (740) | Yes Sabal Mortgage | Loan closes by 12/1/26 | Full list price only; must qualify at full note rate | source third-party report; seen mid-Oct 2026 | ||
| Davidson Homes Sage on North Main, Rockport | 4.99% | 'As low as' (6.278% APR) | Plus 'Flex Cash' (amount not stated) | source third-party report; seen mid-Oct 2026 | ||||
| Homes by Dickerson Lowery Estates, Thompson Mill Road | 5.8% | Fixed | Yes Twin State Lending + preferred closing attorney | Contract within 30 days, close within 60 days | source third-party report (no date on builder page); seen mid-Oct 2026 | |||
| Pulte Homes Everton, Durham (QMI) | $15,000 Up to $15,000 'to use as you choose' | Plus $2,000 Hometown Heroes incentive (teachers, nurses, EMS, police, fire, military) | source builder page; seen 2026-10-28 | |||||
| Ashton Woods Rowland's Grant, Fuquay-Varina | $40,000 Up to $40,000 'use as you choose' (price, closing, buydown, design) | Yes Trailblazer Mortgage (per report) | EXPIRED: contracts 9/29/26-10/7/26, close by 11/1/26 | Select QMIs; not combinable with negotiation | source third-party report; seen mid-Oct 2026 | |||
| Tri Pointe Homes Pines Collection at Altis at Serenity, Fuquay-Varina (55+) | $10,000 Up to $10,000 non-recurring closing costs | $25,000 $25,000 off design studio when you spend at least $50,000 | Yes Tri Pointe Connect (affiliated) | Contracts 10/1/26-12/31/26 at list price | Under-construction homes; 25% deposit on options; unused credit forfeited | source builder page; seen 2026-10-28 | ||
| Tri Pointe Homes Raleigh promotions (varies by community) | $10,000 Up to $10,000 builder-paid closing costs; up to $30,000 total savings in some communities | Design studio credit in some communities; special-rate offer at Mews at Holding Village | source search snippet; seen 2026-10-28 | |||||
| David Weekley Homes Serenity, Fuquay-Varina (to-be-built) | $15,000 50% off Design Center selections, up to $15,000 (Village/Park), $10,000 (Cottage) | Purchases 9/1/26-10/31/26 | Not valid with other offers; no cash in lieu | source builder page; seen 2026-10-28 | ||||
| Lennar Raleigh (select homes) | Rate buydowns and closing cost assistance on select homes (amounts not stated) | Yes Lennar Mortgage (for buydown/closing-cost incentives) | Fall Super Sale: e.g. Montage West Townes $334,990 tagged $48.4K savings Lennar Mortgage optional to buy, required for incentives | source builder page; seen 2026-10-28 | ||||
| Toll Brothers Raleigh communities | National Sales Event ended 10/18/26 | Incentives varied by community; none stated | source search snippet; seen 2026-10-28 |
Click a column to sort (blanks always sort last). "Lowest advertised rate" is the year-1 rate for temporary buydowns and the initial rate for ARMs, so it is not comparable to a 30-year fixed rate on its own. Look at the rate type.
No current advertised incentive found
28 builders: Adams Homes, America's Home Place, Beazer Homes, Beechwood Homes, Caruso Homes, Caviness & Cates Communities, Centex, Century Complete (Century Communities), Chesapeake Homes, DRB Homes (Dan Ryan Builders), Del Webb, Drees Homes, Garman Homes, HHHunt Homes, JSJ Builders, KB Home, LGI Homes, McKee Homes, Meritage Homes, Mungo Homes, National Home Corporation, New Home Inc., Robuck Homes, Ryan Homes, Starlight Homes, True Homes, Upright Builders, Wagoner Homes. That only means we did not find a published offer. Many builders negotiate privately, so ask.