If you buy a home, the odds are high that, someday, you will sell it - people who live their entire lives in their first home are rare. Selling a home generally can be less complicated than buying one; but that doesn't mean that people sell their homes properly. Here are a few interesting tips to keep in mind.

Your most important house-selling decision is whether or not to sell. Take the time to research your options and the personal financial ramifications of each option before you sell.

The expenses of selling your current house and buying another will gobble a large chunk of your house's equity (that is, the market value of your property less the outstanding mortgage balance). Before you sell your house, weigh the expected benefits of buying a new home against these transactions costs. Be sure to estimate your proceeds of sale and relocation costs before selling.

Before you commit to selling your house, review the mortgage options for your next purchase, especially if you're trading up to a more costly property. Remember, mortgage lenders and real estate agents can't tell you how much you can afford to borrow; they can only tell you the maximum amount that you're eligible to borrow. To determine the price you can afford to pay for your next home, you must also consider your financial goals and objectives.

This week's tip is an excerpt from "House Selling For Dummies" by Eric Tyson & Ray Brown. This week's Weekly Tip is part two of a two part series. Be sure to read next week for additional house selling tips.