Shop your competition. Whether you are using an agent or not, learn the offering and selling prices of similar properties. Find out how long each took to sell. To be comparable, a house that sold has to be close to yours in age, style, size, condition and location. You should also know the terms under which a house was sold.
Timing is all-important, too.
If you are offering your home when sales are brisk and demand is high, you should be able to add something to the price. Try to find at least three comparables no more than six months old. Sales prices of homes are published in local or regional sections of newspapers. Information on home sales is available at the courthouse or city real estate tax office. You won't learn anything at the tax office about the terms of the sale, the style of the house or how long it was on the market.