Nail that sale: Joe and Jeannie Leocha

In a tough market, you need all the help you can get. Since the Leochas aren't working with a realtor, they have to be especially assertive about bringing their property to the attention of buyers.

Toward that end, they paid $900 to list the house on ForSaleByOwner.com and put it on the multiple-listing service so realtors representing buyers see it.

But, says David Lawrence, author of For Sale by Owner, "they have to be a lot more aggressive than that." He suggests they advertise in the local newspaper (cost: less than $250 for an eight-line weekend ad), distribute fliers at local realtors' offices and hold an open house for buyer's agents.

They should also add a virtual tour to their Web listing and update their MLS description or add new photos every 30 days, since realtors sometimes sign up their clients for automatic e-mails of new and updated MLS listings.