What you said reminds me of what the piano guy told us when we asked him to bid out my wife's childhood piano for a full restoration. "If Pianos weren't sentimental, I'd be out of business." We could buy a decent babygrand or a really nice upright for the same price. But there's just something about having a home with furniture from your past in it.

When I sell my house, it'll be 100% with a realtor. Is it expensive? Yes. But my home is quite sentimental to me. I don't know enough to break down that barrier. I'd rather pay someone else to do it for me. I look at comparable homes in my area and I think, "my house is $50k better than that." But I honestly don't know. :)