The value of your 4 bedroom house is tied to the selling price of other 4 bedroom homes in your neighborhood. This is true no matter how much you invested in your garden or in kitchen cabinets.

The trick is to balance the cash you want with the actual value of the property.

• Estimate your home's true market value. Find the selling price of similar homes in your neighborhood. Internet databases and other services make this task easier than it might seem. More on this topic...
• Consider closing fees, other selling costs, and the amount of cash you want after the sale.  Do NOT start with the amount of cash you need and work backwards to a price.  Set your price based on how your home compares to similar size homes in the same neighborhood, then visit this page for help on estimating how much cash you will have after the sale. Look at financial terms that support a higher price for your home. A Buyer might be willing to pay more for your house if he or she can assume your current mortgage, or if you are prepared to provide Seller financing.
• Don't forget: Home prices are higher in Spring & Summer. Except in Florida, Hawaii, and a few other sunny spots, most Buyers look for homes in the Spring and Summer, making it harder to get high prices in Winter when few Buyers are looking for homes.

  When in doubt hire a real estate appraiser to put a value on your home. Find a local appraiser on the Appraisal Network .