Whatever it takes to Sell my House! / Susan Brown, Your Texas Connection, Keller Williams Realty NE

The first statement sellers seem to make is, "I will do whatever it takes to sell my house."  And although I'd like to take that statement at face value, it doesn't always translate to reality.  After I've toured the home, gotten my value together & sit down for the listing conversation, it goes something like this:

    Me:  Here is the value of your home based on sales comparisons in your community.  
Seller:  I know what you're saying but my home is the best home in the community, so its value is way more than everyone else.  Plus I need the money.
    Me:  Although you may need a certain amount of money out of your house, the selling price doesn't take that into consideration.  The price is based on what the market is telling us.
Seller:  I know that too.  But even if we list my home for a higher amount, we'll just negotiate when that offer comes in lower.  
    Me:  Actually, when buyers are searching for homes, they look in a specific price range for themselves.  They don't ordinarily look at a significantly higher home hoping to put in a low offer.  This is why pricing is so important.
Seller:  But my house would make the buyers do that.  It stands out from the rest.  
    Me:  Let me give you an idea of what the homes offer in the higher price range in comparison to yours.  Those homes have granite in their kitchens, usually upgraded carpet or hardwood floors & neutral paint colors.  Your home has laminate counters in the kitchen, the carpeting is stained in the bedrooms, the paint in the study is maroon, the master bedroom is blue and the kitchen is wallpapered.  
Seller:  Well, I thought the buyer wouldn't like it if I chose a granite.  If that is something they are looking for, it would make more sense if they did that themselves.  And the carpeting in the rest of the house looks great.  As far as the paint colors go, that is a cheap fix.  It wouldn't cost the buyer much at all.  And I know they'd love the wallpaper.  I've enjoyed it so much for 10 years.  It is timeless.
   
At this point - does anyone have suggestions?  I've tried telling the seller that if we list higher and there aren't any showings in the first week, then we need to reduce the price.  And sometimes this is when the "won't you take a lower commission" scenario comes into play.  I'm toying with the idea of a longer listing period if the seller doesn't do anything suggested.  It is very frustrating to market a home to your utmost, then the seller decides to do it on their own and they reduce the price.  I'd love to hear some creative ways to handle this situation!  Thanks in advance to my Active Rain friends.