Start detaching yourself emotionally from the property. A real estate pro looks at a house as structure, property and location without any thought to the clubhouse your kids built in the backyard, and that's how you've got to think when marketing your home.

Items to consider include:

Research -- What are similar homes going for in the neighborhood? Do some online research about what homes have sold for in the past couple of years and perhaps more importantly, when they've sold. You may find that your neighborhood has a flurry of sales activity in spring or summer, which could affect your decision of when to hang up the "For Sale" sign. Get more tips on researching comps.

Get Help -- Depending on where you are, you'll want to talk to a title company or real estate attorney about handling the closing. Ask to see the paperwork involved to familiarize yourself with it. "The attorney or title company is really a good partner for you in the process," says Eric Mangan of ForSaleByOwner.com in New York City. "They handle the complicated disclosures during the closing so you don't have to."

Pricing -- If a similar home on your street just sold for $500,000, by selling yourself you have the luxury of offering yours at the bargain price of $485,000. You could get a quicker sale and come out of it with more money than your neighbor who had to pay real estate commissions to the selling and buying agents. Get more tips on pricing your home.

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