Q:  If I know that I’m likely to get a low offer on my house, why wouldn’t I price it a little high to leave some room for negotiation?
 
A:  In a buyer’s market, the asking price for your house should be based on the value a prospective purchaser can get for the money compared to the competition.  When a buyer surveys the marketplace, he is going to take a closer look at properties that seem to offer the most value while weeding out houses that appear overpriced.  Even though you may be willing to take significantly less than your asking price, a buyer looking at it on the MLS or the Internet has no idea that might be the case.  When the competition is this fierce, it’s much better to have a low offer to work on than no offer at all.  There’s nothing to negotiate if you don’t have an offer.  If you price your house high in an effort to leave wiggle room, you risk the market rejecting your home before anyone even gets a chance to look at it.