A retired social worker in her early 70s owns a stately English Tudor in the Chicago suburb of Winnetka, near the North Shore of Lake Michigan. The property has been the woman’s crown jewel for more than 30 years and the mortgage was paid off two decades ago. Still, she is determined to sell.

“I never married, and I have no children. So my plan is to move to the same retirement community where my sister lives in Iowa. Regrettably I can’t seem to get it together to make my sale happen,” the woman says.

What’s holding her back? She’s accumulated a vast array of possessions, ranging from antique heirlooms to a huge stock of disposable items that include mountains of paper products. And her dressers are crammed with excess clothing.

“I’m a bargain shopper and a one-click happy Amazon shopper,” she says.

Every day in America, around 11,000 residents turn 65. The overwhelming majority of seniors ardently aspire to remain at home and age in place. But there are others, like the social worker, who wish to reinvent themselves in another locale. That typically involves cashing out of a property in which their wealth is tied up.

Some potential sellers are apprehensive about whether market conditions could worsen after what housing analyst Keith Gumbinger calls “a soggy summer” for home sales. That’s why they’re anxious to move forward quickly with presale improvements, says Gumbinger, a vice president at HSH Associates, which tracks mortgage markets across the country.

“Existing home prices may be poised to have somewhat larger and more widespread seasonal price declines this year,” he says.

One of the biggest barriers to a successful housing sale often involves the clearing of excess clutter, says Vicki Norris, author of “Reclaim Your Life ... and Get Organized for Good.”

Norris, who was a real estate agent before starting her own organizing firm, says the ease of buying online has exacerbated the problem, particularly for retirement-age people.

Ownership of too many belongings isn’t only an emotional burden; it’s also a problem for those who need to make their place appealing to buyers to achieve a successful sale, says Dorcas Helfant, a real estate broker and co-owner of several Coldwell Banker realty offices.

“Nowadays, buyers want to start fresh in a house that’s free and clear. They can’t picture themselves living in a place jammed with other people’s stuff,” says Helfant, a past president of the National Association of Realtors.

Before embarking on the huge task of getting their property ready for market, she urges sellers to create a timeline and a checklist.

“There’s a lot of emotional turmoil with any move. But you’ll be much better off if you take a strategic, step-by-step approach rather than a disorganized one,” Helfant says.

Here are a few pointers for sellers:

-- Outfit yourself with the right gear for the work.

Norris says an efficient decluttering and packing program shouldn’t require a lot of expensive equipment.

“Never buy a bunch of those big plastic bins unless you’re absolutely sure you’ll really use them in your new place,” she says.

In most cases, cardboard boxes should suffice for your move. Ideally, these should be boxes of uniform size, like the bankers boxes sold at office supply stores, that will stack neatly.

After prepacking the items you’re determined to take to your next property, place these in your garage or a guest bedroom not currently in use. If possible, Norris urges you to avoid renting a paid storage unit, which can gradually become very expensive.

-- Take a room-by-room approach.

Norris says it’s unnerving to approach a decluttering project in an unfocused way, working on several fronts simultaneously. Instead, she advises you to tackle just one room at a time, beginning in the areas of the house that will receive the most scrutiny from prospective buyers. These include your entryway, living room, dining room, family room and kitchen.

“Going from room to room without a disciplined approach can make you feel frantic and will accomplish little,” she says.

-- Allocate extra time to clear through your kitchen.

As real estate agents observe, most home shoppers won’t routinely look inside a chest of drawers and examine your clothes. But many will open kitchen cabinets and are very critical of countertop clutter.

“Give the kitchen top priority. Remove all that surface clutter from your countertops. No one wants to see that toaster or blender on your counter space,” Norris says.

You won’t want to remove basic kitchen items -- plates, pots, pans and utensils -- until right before you move. But much earlier, you can pack away seasonal and special-use items such as turkey pans.

-- Recognize that purging can prove liberating once it’s done.

Few enjoy the arduous chore of sifting through years’ worth of accumulations. This project can be especially unpleasant if you must move against your will for whatever reason.

But Norris says many who complete the process discover, much to their surprise, that they feel happier when they’re less encumbered with excess belongings.

“It’s an unexpected chance to lighten up and start over,” she says.

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

A 42-year-old flight attendant has loved living in San Antonio since she bought a house and moved there in 2021. She relishes the city’s renowned River Walk, its lush gardens and its open-air markets. But she’s changing airlines and must move to accommodate her new position.

Unfortunately, the Spanish-style house she bought during the pandemic has slipped in value, and she’s baffled about how to adapt to the changing market without selling at a loss.

“This house has been my baby for several years. I redid the kitchen with quartz countertops, porcelain flooring and all-new appliances. I leveled my lot to create classier gardens. But nothing has worked to move my property, not even the $7,000 incentive I’m offering to help a buyer with closing costs,” she says.

So disheartened is this flight attendant that she’s now considering delisting her place and converting it to a rental.

“I’ve had my house on the market for 172 days, with no serious offers,” she says.

Asad Khan, a senior economist for Redfin, the national realty brokerage, doesn’t know the flight attendant in this true story. But he understands her frustration about selling in a formerly overheated area like San Antonio.

“Homebuyers are spooked by high home prices, high mortgage rates and economic uncertainty, and now sellers are spooked because buyers are spooked. Some sellers are delisting their homes or choosing not to list at all after seeing other houses sit on the market for weeks or months,” Khan says.

“It’s a true buyer’s market in San Antonio. Buyers are patient, selective, value conscious and aware of their increased negotiating power. When they make offers, they ask for the moon,” says San Antonio-based Redfin agent Jesse Landin.

Longtime listing agents advise disillusioned home sellers in slow markets to adapt their selling strategy rather than delist. Here are a few pointers for sellers:

-- Consider hiring a professional home stager.

Staging is the art of transforming a property so potential buyers can visualize themselves living there. Properly done, staging accentuates a home’s attractive features and minimizes its drawbacks.

Many real estate agents are convinced that hiring a talented stager can increase the odds of selling a property promptly. Working under a full-service contract, most stagers will provide an array of services. They remove excess furniture and personal items and rearrange the remaining pieces. Often, they also supplement the owners’ furnishings with eye-catching accessories of their own.

Regrettably, the cost of hiring a professional stager for a full menu of services for an average-sized home can run at least $700 or more, says Michelle Minch, the owner of a staging company called Moving Mountains Design. But Minch says cash-constrained sellers don’t necessarily need the full range of services available through a stager. For a much lower price, perhaps around $200, they can obtain an abbreviated consultation and receive pointers they can execute themselves.

“Tell the stager you just want the 10 top tips for making your house look better. For just an hour or two of consultation time, a good stager can tell you about furniture arrangement and also recommend mild, pleasing paint colors for your walls. You’ll get a roadmap for making your house move-in ready,” she says.

How can you find a competent stager who will work on an “a la carte” basis? Minch suggests you visit the website of the Real Estate Staging Association (realestatestagingassociation.com). Look for stagers in your area and be sure to review their websites for examples of their work before you contact them.

-- Considering holding a home-selling fest with friends.

Sometimes the owners of a property that’s lingered on the market will pressure their listing agents to conduct several public open houses. They hope to increase their odds of selling promptly.

But Lisa Atkinson, a Florida-based real estate agent, says traditional open houses rarely lead to a sale. That’s because these events typically attract few qualified home-buying prospects and are more likely to draw curiosity seekers. Most serious buyers see homes on an appointment basis, during a tour led by their agent.

“Occasionally you’ll get nosy neighbors who happen to mention your property to someone they know who’s in the market. But in my experience, that’s extremely uncommon,” says Atkinson, who’s affiliated with the Residential Real Estate Council (crs.com).

A better way to ignite renewed interest in your place is to throw a home-selling party, inviting your close friends and relatives. Such a party is more likely to lead ultimately to a sale. That’s because those close to you will be more motivated to promote the sale of your home than are strangers.

“In any case, the party can help revive your excitement about your home-selling goal,” Atkinson says.

-- Use flowers and greenery to your advantage.

It’s nice to have fresh-cut flowers on display throughout your home’s interior. But if average market times in your community are quite long, the cost of keeping fresh flowers in your home can mount up.

One less expensive alternative is to display flowering, potted plants indoors and to install blooms in your outdoor gardens, particularly around the front of your house.

The color of bountiful, blooming plants is a great way to make any home more attractive, Minch says.

“When you put your house on the market, you’re entering into a beauty contest. Price is terribly important. But beyond price, prettier is always better,” she says.

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

A young doctor at Cleveland Clinic has just taken a staff position there. Finally, he’ll make a substantial enough salary to afford a house of his own. After years as a renter, he’s elated at the prospect. But the path forward in his favorite Cleveland neighborhood of University Circle is rougher than expected.

“For months, friends all over the country have been telling me this is a great time to get a deal on a house. They say prices are falling and countless unsold homes are sitting. But none of that is true in University Circle,” the doctor says.

Indeed, a new report from real estate giant Zillow that covers the nation’s 50 largest metros cites Cleveland along with four other cities as places where home values are continuing to rise.

Kara Ng, a senior economist for Zillow, says that within the last year, home values in Cleveland rose 4.7%. They increased 4.5% in Hartford, 3.9% in Louisville, 3.8% in Detroit and 3.7% in Buffalo.

Of course, as Ng notes, “these gains are modest compared to the rampant double-digit growth seen three or four years ago,” when pandemic-era housing demand greatly outstripped supply.

Florida and Texas, former hot spots with sellers’ markets and skyrocketing prices, are areas where values are now falling. In specific, Ng singles out Tampa, Austin, Miami, Orlando and Dallas as metros where values are gradually declining.

Despite the fact that buyers are gaining leverage in many metros, where sellers are cutting prices, affordability remains the paramount challenge.

According to Ng, home values rose over last year in 25 major markets, mostly in the Midwest and Northeast. Demand is high -- especially in affordable areas -- but building restrictions put a damper on new and higher-density projects. Sellers have few options to move up to, and existing inventory is still below pre-pandemic averages in many metros.”

Despite the statistics, the Cleveland doctor hasn’t given up his quest to buy his first house in University Circle, where available properties remain scarce. But he acknowledges the need to compromise on home features and square footage to buy in that culturally rich and convenient part of town.

“Home shopping around University Circle is teaching me that both patience and compromise are essential to get the most for my money,” he says.

Here are a few pointers for buyers facing difficult trade-offs:

-- Do a love-hate analysis of your current housing.

Michael Crowley, a longtime real estate broker in Spokane, says he’s been struck by the intensity of peoples’ feelings about the place where they live.

An assessment of these feelings is a good jumping off point for setting priorities.

“As a starting point, write down the positives and negatives of your present residence. Then make a list of features you’ve got to have, would like to have or are willing to give up,” says Crowley, a past president of the National Association of Exclusive Buyer Agents (naeba.org).

Suppose the townhouse where you’re living leaves you feeling extremely crowded. Then you may decide that owning a detached property takes precedence over owning a townhouse that offers you more square feet for the same amount of money.

“Most buyers have a strict affordability ceiling. So they need clarity on what’s vital for them versus what’s just nice to have,” Crowley says.

-- Choose features early when buying a brand-new home.

If you decide to buy in a new subdivision, you’re likely to be faced with lots of tradeoffs before your contract is even written.

“Locked inside the builder’s standard price are likely to be lump-sum allowances for anything ranging from kitchen appliances to lighting fixtures and landscaping. Go over those allowances and you’ll be charged extra,” Crowley says.

These choices should be made before the sales contract is written -- not under pressure from a hurried salesperson.

Money-constrained buyers who confront hard choices may wish to delay those items that can be readily installed later, such as upgraded landscaping.

-- Think seriously before buying a fixer-upper.

Given your budget ceiling, you may think purchasing an older home in poor condition is a smart way to shoehorn yourself into a prized neighborhood or to obtain the largest possible property with limited funds.

But Crowley cautions that fixer-uppers often require vastly more money and effort to repair than their would-be buyers believe.

“Maybe you only see problems on the surface that you figure you could easily fix. But investigate what’s going on behind the walls, where there could be hidden defects,” Crowley says.

Crowley urges that money-strapped purchasers get reliable estimates on the cost of restoring a property to its former glory before committing to a purchase. For bids on the work, your real estate agent should be able to help arrange for contractors.

Planning to tackle the home improvement work yourself? If so, you may wish to canvass friends who know you well, Crowley suggests. Ask them if they think do-it-yourself work is a realistic option for you -- both from the point of view of your skill and available time.

“Taking on a fixer could be a mammoth commitment. So it’s essential to know what you’re getting yourself into,” Crowley says.

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