Buyers can be provided incentives, and if this is done even if the market is in a decline you will be able to sell your house.
The first thing to do before putting the house on the market for sale is to complete all the basic repairs which the house requires. If this is not done the buyer will lose interest in the house and will most probably go away.
The seller should fix screens which are torn, replace all the hardware which is missing, and ensure that there are no loose railings and other things. This is not a big deal for the seller since all these are minor repairs and are not expensive. When a prospective buyer sees a house in disrepair regarding the minor things, he will also think that the major things are in disrepair as well. A house can be sold if the buyer is shown that everything is in perfect shape for him.