The sub-prime and adjustable rate market has created a domino effect within the housing industry. More homes are being flooded into the pool of available housing inventory with declining values. This gives any prospective home buyer more options to pick and choose what they will buy and more negotiation power to deal with sellers who may not be in the best position to hold out for the price wanted for the house due to an inability to continue to make payments that have adjusted too high or they are in the midst of a foreclosure.

It's a buyer's market and any seller wanting to quickly sell a home cannot just rely on the old traditional methods of listing a home for sale and having an open house and buyers then line up to purchase.

So what can a seller do to ensure the best and quickest chance to sell a home and get the best price? Below are some untraditional methods that should be considered and that have been bringing quick results. Note the emphasis is on non-traditional methods of sale. Sellers must get outside the box and do things differently if they want better results. Remember Albert Einstein's definition of insanity "doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result".

1. Stage the property. When a home looks like it is occupied and set up with appropriate furniture and etc., it makes the home much more appealing and motivates the prospective buyer to envision how the home would look if they lived there. This makes the setting seem as if they are already in the home. It also encourages an offer. If you can't stage it yourself there are professional stagers that are readily available and can help you get the most out of the staging experience. The writer of this article has used stagers to assist in selling homes he purchased and sold. The most recent home stager helped him realize a profit of $61,000. Stagers in your area can be found by going to www.stagedhomes.com.

2. Offer real estate sales agents a commission of 7% if they bring a qualified buyer ready and able to purchase the property at the asking price within a 30 day period. Seven percent may sound like a lot but, if your home moves within 30 days, the commission is more than worth it in this market. The intent is to create motivation for buyer traffic. If an offer comes in less than the asking price you can always negotiate the price as well as the commission since your terms were not met initially. The point is to get offers moving on your property.

3. Offer seller financing. If your property has substantial equity and you can afford to carry a mortgage on a portion of the property, then assist the buyer to buy the home with seller financing. This can be especially beneficial if, as the seller, you don't need all the money right now. In addition, it can help with any taxes that would have been paid had you received the money in a lump sum. This can also create an income stream for the in the future. By offering seller financing it expands the buying pool of possible buyers and can move the house much quicker. Of course, one must take precautions to ensure that the buyer is qualified and will be able to make the monthly payments as they come due.

4. Use government money to sell your home. There is an abundance of free money available for first time home buyers through several federal, state and local government entities for down payment assistance. Check with your city's local housing administration office. They often have a list or know of a list of buyers who have already been provided with down payment assistance certificates with values up to $50,000 or more. These are used in conjunction with local lenders who provide loans to these home buyers. If you are willing work with the agencies they can provide you with a quick method of possibly selling your home.

Down payment assistance programs can be the only medium needed to sell a home quickly if the seller is willing to cooperate with the government agency or non-profit program providing service.