5 things homeowners can haggle for

"When you're buying a home, you're comparing one home to another," Bailey says. "When you're going in to buy furniture, you can talk to two stores with the same couch and show a third store the cheaper price and see if they can beat it."

One of his strategies is to ask to use the store's computer. You have to get a manager at that point, he says. Show them their competitors' prices on the same merchandise. "Many times they'll beat it on the spot."

Alternatively, you can also use your smartphone or wireless tablet. Or research prices at home and carry printouts to the store.

But you're not finished yet. Get the lower price offer in writing. Then shop that at a couple of other stores, and see if you can do even better, he says.

While two similar houses can be on different streets or have different features, Bailey says, "the great thing about a couch is name brands are name brands."