For Buyers – Which is better: a price reduction or a rate reduction?

When I speak with agents, I’m told the price is what begins the conversation and gets buyers to call. Without the right price, the phone does not ring. Agents know.

This does make sense today, but the question for smart buyers is:
Do I want to profit NOW or when I sell this home in X years?

This question is as much of buyer psychology as math.

In this case, let’s say you love the house, and the seller has accepted your offer which is $19,650.00 below her asking price.  You are happy. The sales price reduction will save $82.00 per month in monthly mortgage payment.

Then you read this article, and wonder, “what if I kept the original sales price and used the $19,650.00 to buy the mortgage interest rate lower permanently?”

For those who rather read: The $19,650.00 applied to financing gives the net monthly payment effect of having the sales price reduced $73,494.00. Plus, the mortgage payment is reduced $307.00 per month.

That’s a 3:1 leverage of the sellers funds.
Same dollars, different impact -> now or later?

Which would you rather have?
Buyers, let me know your opinion.

Thanks to Masha Halpern of Keller Williams Realty who allowed me to use her listing for this example.