Our 1,400 square foot house is cluttered. The girl and boy are now sharing a room and the baby's closet is filled with my winter clothes and old photo books.

The dog is always underfoot. And even though I know I have pretty much zero storage space, what with the half finished basement, I can't help but buy dozens of cereal boxes when the price is right.

We've been talking about moving. And like the months long back and forth about whether to buy the flat-screen TV and the even longer back and forth about whether to have a third kid, I'm sure that we'll eventually tire of the debate about whether to stay or go and will sell the house.

The house is in good condition. But there are walls to touch up and closets to clean. With three kids, a hairy dog and two full-time jobs in our household, we are planning to buy first, sell later.

Yes, this is risky. I've known people who've had their house on the market for months paying two mortgages. You can try to talk me out of it. But I don't think you can.

The good researcher and reporter in me has had her eye on the real estate market in her neighborhood for months. And when a realtor who lists a lot in our 'hood stopped by to evaluate the house, even she said "I'm not telling you anything you don't already know, am I?" I know what we have to do to stage and sell the property. And she quoted an estimated list price that was about $5,000 from what I thought our house would sell for.

So why is it in my best interest to pay a realtor 6 percent? In this day and age, with homehunters like me obsessively searching online to buy a house, wouldn't I do just as well to hire a good photographer, pay an MLS listing fee, buy a lockbox, get a prepaid cell phone to set up listings and ask a lawyer I know to review the paperwork?

I want to hear from those of you that have sold your home on your own. And from professionals who think I am underestimating the value of having a pro list my house.