Helen,
You are not alone in your predictament, that is for sure.
Unfortunately, an appraisal from a year ago, as you now have experienced, simply does not reflect the current value or that price which a buyer is willing to pay.
At this juncture, it seems you need to determine at what price you are willing to sell your current home, i.e. the very bottom line, and then have a trusted local real estate professional provide you with "now" numbers. If the bottom line can be met, then go for it. You'll probably make up the difference on the purchase anyhow. Otherwise, you should probably hold off selling until the market will bare your pricing needs or the pain of staying in your current home becomes too great. - Wed Nov 7 2007, 16:25