Can the seller help pay my closing costs?
Often yes — it's called a seller concession, where the seller credits money toward your closing costs. It's negotiated in your offer and limited by your loan type, but it can dramatically reduce your cash to close.
Yes, this is a common and powerful tool. A 'seller concession' is when the seller agrees to credit money toward your closing costs at closing — reducing the cash you need to bring.
It's negotiated as part of your offer, and each loan program caps how much a seller can contribute. It tends to be easiest to ask for when a home has been sitting or in a balanced market. I use this strategy regularly to help buyers keep more cash in their pocket — it's one of the ways a good agent earns their keep.
This answer is general education, not legal, tax, or financial advice. Your situation is unique — let's talk through the specifics together.