Q: You showed my house several times while it was on the market and when my agent called you for feedback, you kept saying

the same thing; that it was overpriced. I'd like to hear directly from you about what you think is wrong with my house. It was on the market for months and no one even brought me an offer. I want to put it back on the market next spring, and I want to know what I can do to make it sell next time.

A: What I suggested to your agent and I'll suggest to you is that you take a look at all of the houses currently for sale in the same price range. Even more valuable, take a look at those homes in that price range that sold over the last six months. It may be helpful for you to see what you were competing against.

There's nothing you need to do with your house. It's tidy, clean, well-maintained, and in a reasonably good location. Unfortunately, it is really priced much higher than anything comparable. It has no specific features that would make it worth a great deal more to a buyer working in that price range.

We all think our house is fantastic when it comes time to sell. Nothing helps to put it into perspective like taking a look at the competition. I recently did this for a client who is thinking about selling her home and moving to something smaller. She started out with the figure she said she "needed to get" for her house. I reminded her that the market will set the price.

The value of any house is the price that a ready, willing, and able buyer will pay for it. It's best to price your property properly to begin with and then you don't have to worry about it sitting on the market for a long time. Work with your listing agent to set the best price. If it's the nicest house among several in that price range, you won't have to sit waiting for an offer.