Five years ago, when a business executive in his 50s was hired as the CEO of a suburban hospital, his salary soared. To keep his commute short, he opted to live near his work, in a neighborhood of modestly priced homes. There, he and his wife found a vacant lot where they built the most opulent house for miles around.

The couple so relished the property that they continually expanded and improved it. They added several additions and ordered multiple upgrades. They also brought in expert landscapers.

But last year, after the husband's hospital was taken over by a larger one in a nearby city, he was given a new position at the acquiring hospital. Suddenly, his commute became exhausting, and the couple decided to move. So they called in a real estate agent to list their home, insisting -- against her advice -- that their house be priced high enough to let them recoup every dime they'd poured into it.

The property has had numerous showings, and buyers are impressed. But all have recoiled at the price tag. As a result, the couple's moving plans have stalled. At this point, they're frustrated, angry and uncertain what to do next.

This true story illustrates the difficulties faced by folks seeking to sell a swank property located in a community of mid-level homes, says Sid Davis, a real estate broker and author of "A Survival Guide to Selling a Home."

"Unless you bite the bullet and price it right, a house that's over-improved for the neighborhood ... can languish on the market for many months or even years," Davis says.

"Sure, people will come through your open houses because they're curious to see that big castle on the hill. But unless you price fairly, they'll soon disappear, never to be heard from again," Davis says.

The reason owners of over-improved houses can't recoup their investment is that location -- not size or features -- is the primary determinant of a home's value, says Fred Meyer, a veteran real estate broker and appraiser.

"The principle is that in a strong neighborhood the big houses will pull up the value of a small house. But if the neighborhood isn't strong, the small houses will pull down the big house," Meyer says.

Why do some homeowners spend more to expand and upgrade their property than is warranted by neighborhood standards? Davis says the most common explanation is that they anticipate living in the property indefinitely. But life, as we've seen, often turns out differently.

Do you intend to sell a home that has topped out neighborhood standards? If so, these few pointers could prove useful:

-- Avoid a "test the market" approach to pricing.

"Folks figure that if they start high, they can always come down later. Yet by the time they've cut to a fair price, their house is so stigmatized they can't even get market value. So they're punished in the end," Davis says

To avoid this outcome, he urges sellers to "bite the bullet from the beginning" with a price that reflects market realities and keeps their property from growing stale in the eyes of prospects.

-- Consider seeking the counsel of a professional appraiser.

If your house is the fanciest in the neighborhood, it may be tough to calculate its realistic market value. That's because selling prices are typically based off recent sales involving similar properties in the same community. And your place could be in a class of its own.

To get a grip on value, Davis recommends you hire a professional appraiser. In order to peg the price of an over-improved property, appraisers often visit similar neighborhoods nearby, searching for information on what other over-improved homes have fetched in recent transactions.

-- Seek to remove neighborhood eyesores.

Although it wouldn't help all owners of a high-end house in a modest community, Meyer says some sellers can benefit by assisting neighbors to improve a rundown property that's near their place.

Suppose, for example, that the home of your nearby neighbors is badly in need of a paint job or its driveway is filled with decrepit cars. In such cases, that property's shortcomings could be one factor holding down its value, and they should be addressed.

"It sounds like a bizarre solution, but it might make sense to pay your neighbors to fix up their home or to do the work for them. Explain to them how this could be a win-win solution for both of you," Meyer says.

-- Highlight features that make your over-improved house a good deal.

As Davis says, many houses that have been upgraded over neighborhood standards feature sizable additions that greatly increase living space.

"Lots of times, the owners have bumped out the back of their place to double the size of both their kitchen and family room. Also, they often expand the master suite, putting in a super bathroom with all the bells and whistles," Davis says.

He says that such enhancements deserve to be highlighted in the marketing materials prepared by your listing agent. Also, assuming your over-improved place is priced realistically, it's wise to point out that your price per square foot is less than that for smaller homes that have sold recently in your neighborhood.

"Good marketing won't make up for an overly high price. But there's no harm in touting the positives. Go ahead and tell buyers about the top-of-the-line appliances in your kitchen, your fancy granite countertops and that gorgeous family room with that zebrawood mantel imported from Africa," Davis says.

(To contact Ellen James Martin, email her at ellenjamesmartin@gmail.com.)

Record numbers of Americans now run small businesses from home. And many more companies let employees work part- or full-time from their residences. As a result, more people than ever maintain home offices -- and enjoy the convenience.

But what if you want to sell your property? Professional organizers say the untidy appearance of a typical home office makes a place unappealing to potential buyers.

"People can't picture themselves living in your house if it's filled with clutter," says Susan Pinsky, a veteran organizer and author of books on the topic.

Despite the importance of clearing out a home office prior to putting a property on the market, she says many people consider the task a daunting chore.

"It can feel overwhelming," says Pinsky, author of "The Fast and Furious 5 Step Organizing Solution."

Why is it so difficult to keep a home office looking neat?

Pinksy, who works with both business and residential clients, points to a paradox. At a time when vast quantities of information are available instantly on the Internet, many peoples still save many more papers, magazines and books than they need. They also hang on to lots of old technology.

Pierrette Ashcroft, who launched her own home-based organizing company in 2005, says that sifting through paper and book clutter can be the most laborious and time-consuming chore that confronts many home sellers. In fact, she recently struggled with this task herself after deciding to sell her colonial-style house and move to a condo apartment.

Are you a prospective seller who works from home? If so, these pointers could prove helpful:

-- Be ruthless when sifting through papers.

Many people who have home offices are plagued with boxes and bags filled with unsorted papers. These include business reports, computer printouts, junk mail, utility bills, credit card statements and clippings from magazines and newspapers.

Ironically, very few of the papers that people keep have value to their business ventures or careers, according to Ashcroft, whose clients include scientists, doctors and accountants.

"More than 80 percent of the papers that people save are never referred to again," she says.

Moreover, the room designated as a "home office" is often not the only space where business and professional papers mount up.

One of her clients -- a real estate developer -- even had stacks of business documents in the bathrooms of his house.

"Less is always more when it comes to selling your home," says Mark Nash, a real estate broker and author of "1001 Tips for Buying & Selling a Home."

Unfortunately, it can take more time and energy to go through papers than just about any other kind of clutter, he says.

One tactic that can make decision-making faster is to give yourself guidelines as to which items you'll save and which you'll toss. For example, small-business owners might choose to keep all their receipts for tax-deductible expenses -- such as office equipment and supplies -- but throw out those for clothing and food purchases.

-- Scan rather than file many papers.

Many people who work from home struggle to stay organized through the use of extensive filing systems. But Ashcroft says filing all but the most important papers is usually a waste of time and energy.

She urges those who are trying to de-clutter a home office to try to scan many of their documents into their computer rather than trying to store them in filing cabinets.

"I'm practically paper-free in my own home office. I use a rapid scanner and can scan up to 200 papers in two minutes," Ashcroft says.

-- Handle your book collections rationally.

Many people from all types of professional backgrounds maintain bigger libraries that they ever need or use for reference, Ashcroft says.

"People have an emotional attachment to books," she says, noting that bulging bookshelves are often found throughout a home, not only in the home office.

She cites the story of one client, a doctor, who left the medical profession to pursue her passion to become a potter. Even though she never intended to return to medicine, she kept a huge collection of medical books that she never opened.

The problem for bibliophiles preparing to sell their home is that shelves crammed with books make a property seem less appealing to buyers. What's more, it can be costly to pay a moving company to transport your books --especially if you're making a long distance move.

Ashcroft says home sellers with substantial book collections are wise to go through them before their property goes on the market -- dispensing with any tomes they no longer use or treasure. Remember, too, that many books can now be quickly and easily downloaded onto an e-reader.

-- Resolve to avoid taking your bad habits with you to your next home.

Ashcroft has worked with a number of clients who failed to complete the hard work of going through papers and files before selling a home. Instead, they simply packed them in boxes and stashed them in their garage.

It's better to box up and remove superfluous belongings than to leave them in the main living area of a property. But failing to cull through them in advance merely postpones the problem rather than resolving it, Ashcroft says.

Assuming time allows, Ashcroft recommends that home sellers weed through all their paper and technology accumulations in advance of a move, thereby giving them a fresh start.

"It's so much easier to pare down your clutter before changing houses. And you'll probably have a more successful sale," she says.

(To contact Ellen James Martin, email her at ellenjamesmartin@gmail.com.)

These days it's not an uncommon conundrum: A woman who owns a home of her own becomes engaged to a man who also possesses a property. Once wed, they suddenly face perplexing questions -- Should they sell one house and move to the other? Or should they sell both and move to a third?

To those struggling to buy a first home, this situation sounds like an embarrassment of riches. Yet those in the throes of it often feel differently.

"In reality, this can be a very tough problem because there are so many financial and emotional factors to consider," says Kevin O'Reilly, a certified financial planner affiliated with the Garrett Planning Network (www.garrettplanningnetwork.com).

O'Reilly says it can be especially hard for couples to resolve the two-house challenge if one of the partners was married previously and still lives in a home once shared with an ex-spouse.

"It can cast a massive shadow around a new marriage," he says.

O'Reilly tells the true story of a couple of clients who searched for a resolution for nearly two years after they wed.

This 30-something couple, both professionals, came to the marriage with two mid-sized suburban houses. The husband, whose two teenagers from his former marriage lived with him, argued for his place because it was located near his kids' high school. But the wife resisted the idea of moving to a home where the ex-wife had lived.

It took five sessions with their financial planner before the couple decided to rent out the wife's property and live in the man's house -- though only until his kids complete high school. After that, they expect to sell both houses and buy a brand-new place.

Such complicated problems are becoming increasingly common due to later-in-life marriages and the reality that more young adults now spend years pursuing their education and careers before tying the knot, marriage expert Elizabeth Marquardt says.

Here are pointers for two-house couples who are newly married:

-- Share your thoughts on housing with your new spouse.

These days, an increasing number of people who marry have had years of independent living. Because of that, it's all the more important that they listen to each other when making joint decisions.

Before making any major housing decisions, O'Reilly recommends that couples write out a list of their personal priorities. For instance, the husband might place a premium on a two-car garage and a short commute. But the wife might value living in a large suburban property.

"It's always better to write down your thoughts rather than just tossing ideas in the air. Writing things out forces you to think things through," O'Reilly says.

If a deadlock develops, the couple might consider consulting a financial planner or an accountant for some third-party objectivity. An adviser may be able to help spur the conversation to a breakthrough that works for both husband and wife.

-- Open your mind to other housing alternatives.

Those remarrying after their children are grown typically have more housing alternatives than do those still raising young children. They don't need to worry about access to quality schools or nearby athletic fields.

"Once your children are grown, your needs change. One person might want to move to the country and raise horses. The other might want to live in a condo in the city," says Dorcas Helfant, former president of the National Association of Realtors (www.realtor.org.)

One way to address the subject of where to live, Helfant says, is to visualize your ideal free time. For example, on a Saturday would you rather tend roses or attend a jazz festival?

By listing your preferred activities, you'll bring into focus the kind of location and property that would best suit you and your spouse in coming years.

-- Factor financial realities into your planning.

In the wake of the economic downturn, many residential properties are "underwater," meaning more is owed on the mortgage than the home is worth. Although property values are again rising in many parts of the country, a large number of homeowners have yet to regain the ground they lost.

Should a two-home couple hang onto an underwater property and rent it out in hopes it will soon recover value? Or should they let it go now? According to O'Reilly, that depends on several key variables.

"The main factors to consider are how underwater your home is and the economics of renting in your area. Remember there's always an element of risk in renting -- if your tenants don't pay in a timely way or if they damage the house," he says.

-- Consider selling both of your homes and buying a new place together.

For many people launching into a new relationship, the idea of selling both their homes and starting fresh with a different place has tremendous appeal, according to O'Reilly.

"Financial factors aren't everything for couples. There's also a strong emotional dimension to any housing decision. So buying a place where neither of you have lived before might be your best possible choice," he says.

(To contact Ellen James Martin, email her at ellenjamesmartin@gmail.com.)