The DIY Guy: 10 Home-Selling Strategies

You're anxious, worried and feeling as if you've lost all control. Your stomach is in knots and you have no appetite. You sit by the phone nervously, waiting for it to ring. These are the unmistakable symptoms of someone who has either: 1) fallen in love for the first time, or 2) put a house up for sale.

If you happen to be lovesick, you're on your own. But, if you're selling your house, there are steps you can take to ready the property--and yourself--for the sale.

First, you need to prepare psychologically. Once your home is on the market, learn to think of it as a commodity of certain value. Your job is to organize and present that commodity so it's attractive to potential buyers.

Unfortunately, letting go of a home can be an excruciating experience. "The sellers' motivation plays a key role in their emotional attachment to the house," explains Bonnie Garguilo, a Realtor for Sotheby's International Realty in Washington Depot, Conn. "If they're selling a house they love because of a job transfer, or leaving a family home after many years, the emotional ties can be extremely difficult to break."

Keeping sentiments in check is advisable because it allows you to make smart, clearheaded decisions. Buying and selling a home are easily the largest, most nerve-wracking transactions you'll ever complete. So, in order to sell your home quickly and at the highest price, keep your emotions under control and work closely with an experienced real estate agent.