Cash attracts buyers better than price drop

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If you find yourself with a house on the market that's just not moving, several strategies can be put in place to speed the sale.

Psychologically, the seller first has to prepare himself for selling the house -- not for marketing it, not for holding out for a higher price, not for defending the price, not for blaming the agent for not doing enough, but for selling it.

Granted, marketing and pricing are important, and you do want a professional agent with a viable marketing plan to draw as many buyers as possible.

Yet, as with any other commodity, marketing that brings a lot of buyers is good. More buyers means more potential offers. The seller needs to hire an agent and company that will create such an environment.

Let's say you have done that. You even have fixed up the house better than anyone else on the block, but it's just not moving.

You must switch from selling the product to selling the deal.

We see this strategy in plenty of other sales. The auto industry is famous for it -- 0 percent financing, $500 above invoice, employee discount price. None of these strategies has anything to do with the product. They all entice potential buyers with the deal.

The deal for real estate has everything to do with the buyer. Forget that you may still be in a seller's market and that you are, therefore, in the driver's seat. If your house is sitting on the market and you have to move in 45 days, you're not in the driver's seat so much anymore. Get off your haunches and get the job done.

You could drop the price. In reality, though, this doesn't help the buyer as much as cash back at the settlement table.

For every $10,000 you drop on a loan at 6 percent, the buyers save just $60 per month in a mortgage payment. Is that enticing enough?