An electrician in Connecticut and his wife, a middle school teacher, were happy to retire after the pandemic hit. Though they’d reached their mid-60s and still had a large mortgage, they imagined funding their retirement with the husband’s Social Security and the wife’s pension.

But a recent visit with their financial planner gave them a rude awakening. To maintain their living standard, which included substantial foreign travel, they’d have to sell their top-tier Tudor house located in the Hartford suburb of Glastonbury. Otherwise, this couple could conceivably face foreclosure.

“This isn’t what we wanted to hear. But at least we know our house has appreciated and that we live in an area where sellers still have some leverage. Like it or not, we’re planning to put our place on the market in the first quarter of 2026,” the electrician says.

The good news is that they expect to buy in an area where available homes are in abundant supply and prices are sagging somewhat. In particular they’ve picked the quiet community of Navarre, Florida. There, they’re considering a mid-century modern condo listed for less than half the value of their Connecticut place.

“Yes, we have to downsize because we’re struggling to make our house payments. But we’re looking forward to a warmer climate. Also, by downsizing we’ll soon have more funds for travel to Tuscany, our favorite place in the world,” says the wife.

Rick Sharga, a housing analyst who tracks foreclosure trends for large financial firms, doesn’t know the couple in this true story. But he encourages owners in their position to sell quickly to avert foreclosure.

Sharga recommends that homeowners under pressure to sell hire an experienced real estate agent -- ideally someone with special training in pre-foreclosure work in case they have to go that route.

“This isn’t a good market for rookies who haven’t yet adapted to the current real estate market. You’ll want to carefully interview agents to find someone with experience negotiating with potential buyers and lenders,” he says.

Here are several pointers for those downsizing to save money:

-- Concentrate on how your house looks from the outside.

When you’re in a hurry to sell, making your home marketable from the exterior is especially important.

No matter how low your asking price, you’re not going to attract a purchaser willing to pay a reasonable sum if it goes on the market in poor condition, says Ashley Richardson, an agent for Sotheby’s International Realty.

Curb appeal is especially critical because the outside photo of your place will appear all over the internet. Only if your house looks good in those pictures will people want to go inside.

Richardson urges sellers to focus on their front lawn and the greenery that surrounds their home.

“You need to keep your gardens weeded throughout the selling period. You also need to keep your shrubs pruned so they don’t hide the house like a blanket. Remember that people most want to see your house, not your landscaping,” she says.

Also, make sure that any junk cars languishing in your driveway are towed away.

“Donate that old clunker to charity, and you could even get a tax deduction,” Richardson says.

-- Clear away any clutter from your place.

Not all home upgrades are expensive. In fact, two of the most powerful home improvement steps you can take --cleaning and decluttering -- are low cost.

“You don’t need to spend $50 on fancy cleaning supplies. Go to discount stores for a couple of all-purpose cleaning items. Or look on the internet for ways to create your own cleaning supplies with such natural substances as vinegar,” Richardson says.

During the purging process remove family photos and other personal mementos.

“Most people have way more clutter in their houses than they should for a good sale. But in the course of less than one week, you can go through your stuff, storing away your extra items in boxes. Anyone looking at your house will understand if you’ve stashed your stuff in the garage in neatly stacked boxes until you move,” Richardson says.

-- Repaint throughout your interior.

If for any reason you’ll be unable to meet your house payments in coming months, the odds are you’ve already depleted most of your savings. Still, no matter how short on money you are, Richardson says you shouldn’t scrimp on paint, one of the least expensive home improvement tools available.

The first priority for your painting, she says, should be the front door, which is highly visible. Once that’s done, quickly move to the first room inside the front door. Then proceed through the home, painting as many areas as time allows.

“Make sure to focus on the bathrooms and kitchen. Buyers are very insistent that these rooms look fresh and clean,” Richardson says.

-- Give a deadline for yourself by scheduling an open house.

If you’re like many homeowners, you need a well-defined deadline to complete a project in a timely way. You know procrastination could derail you from meeting your goal of preparing your home for sale quickly.

Assuming that’s the case, Richardson encourages you to give yourself a hard deadline by scheduling a broker’s open house right after your home goes on the Multiple Listing Service.

A broker’s open is an event to which real estate agents throughout your area are invited. It’s an effective tool for marketing an attractive property to those working with serious buyers.

“Although most people procrastinate, they’ll meet a deadline if you give them one. Once your agent has scheduled a date for your open house and ordered lunch, you’ll have that deadline you need to get focused,” Richardson says.

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

A 27-year-old physical therapist from Phoenix has housing ambitions he’s yet to disclose to the girlfriend he’s dated since college. He intends to propose, but only after buying a house where the two could live. The plan is very doable but for one challenge: his tight budget.

“In my profession you don’t make a ton of money. So I really have to shop cautiously and not overspend. The good news is that there are lots of houses for sale in the Phoenix area, and list prices are falling slightly. That makes me optimistic,” he says.

The physical therapist currently has his eye on multiple properties, including one move-in ready townhouse in Gilbert, Arizona, where he grew up. The townhouse is listed for $460,000, but the seller promises to offer a substantial credit toward a buyer’s closing costs.

“This house is practically new and loaded with builder upgrades, including the best granite countertops and luxe bathrooms. Also, it’s located in a walkable neighborhood with good restaurants,” he says.

Even so, this buyer is still surveying the market and keeping his options open without yet submitting any bids.

“It’s very obvious Phoenix is now a buyer’s market. I want to take advantage. That’s why there’s no need to rush,” he says.

Real estate specialists say the United States is currently divided between two distinct housing markets: one where inventories are brimming, like Phoenix, and the other, like Boston, where available homes are scarce, and prices continue to rise.

“This is bifurcation. The nation is split in two. It’s pointless to make generalizations about the country as a whole. All buyers should thoroughly investigate before submitting any offers,” says Mark Nash, a longtime real estate broker in the Chicago metro area.

Nash doesn’t know the would-be buyer in Arizona, who’s been surveying property since last spring. But he’s not surprised the man is so selective.

“This is a rational approach for all first-time buyers and especially for purchasers in high-inventory markets,” says Nash, author of “1001 Tips for Buying and Selling a Home.”

Housing economists agree that wannabe homebuyers are getting increasingly choosey.

“Most house hunters aren’t flat-out stopping their search. Instead, they’re being picky and looking for the perfect home,” says Rebecca Love, a Redfin real estate agent.

Love is based in Washington, D.C., where home sales have slowed due to federal cutbacks, causing buyers to be particularly selective.

“Buyers are ultra-cautious with their funds because they’re worried about interest rates, the economy and potentially losing their job. If they’re going to spend money, they want to check every box. At the same time, they want a good deal. That means searches are taking longer than usual,” she says.

Here are a few pointers for buyers:

-- Begin your quest for a first home at a friendly lender’s office.

Eric Tyson, co-author of “Home Buying for Dummies,” notes that years after the Great Recession of 2008, most mortgage lenders are still stringent in their requirements of borrowers. That means all home loan applicants continue to face significant scrutiny.

“Count on your lender looking closely at your credit history and asking lots of questions about your income and assets. This is particularly likely if you’re self-employed or work on commission,” Tyson says.

By seeing a mortgage lender early, you have time to get mortgage preapproval, which will give you a realistic sense of how much you can afford. A preapproval letter is also a strong bargaining chip.

“This makes you a lot more credible with your sellers,” he says.

-- Screen for highly motivated sellers.

Although there are now neighborhoods with lots of unsold homes, some sellers are more inclined to negotiate than others. As Nash says, one key to finding a good deal is to search for owners who are exceptionally motivated.

One way of identifying highly motivated sellers is to examine statistics. Ask your real estate agent to determine the average “days on market” (from list to sale) for properties in the area where you want to live. Then look for homes in your price range that have sat unsold for a longer-than-average period, which gives them a stigma.

Before crafting an offer, also consider another set of numbers: the average list-to-sale price differential. If you note that most properties have recently fetched 95% of their list price, you might consider a first bid at a 5% discount off what’s being asked, assuming your research shows this is warranted.

-- Never try to negotiate through insults.

Suppose you’re seriously considering a home that would comfortably house your family. But you notice a few minor shortcomings.

Nash says some purchasers attempt to strengthen their bargaining position by writing a letter that highlights minor flaws with a property or by noting the owners’ poor taste.

Should you take this approach? Absolutely not, longtime agents say.

“Nearly every human being takes pride in their home. Chide the owners and you’ll only worsen your bargaining stance,” says Dorcas Helfant, a past president of the National Association of Realtors.

This isn’t to say that you and your home inspector shouldn’t be forthright in itemizing corrections needed to bring the property up to standard, such as repairs to the roof or the replacement of a malfunctioning water heater. But do so in a manner that doesn’t offend the owners.

“At the end of the day, make sure you’re direct but without vilifying the sellers,” Helfant says.

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

A 39-year-old Ohio accountant was recently startled to realize she’d already spent a full decade striving to buy a first home, but to no avail. Still, she remains hopeful this will be the year to finally close a deal.

“It’s gotta happen before I hit 40, or I’ll get really demoralized,” says the accountant, who often stays up to the predawn hours pondering the pros and cons of homes she spots on internet listings.

For the accountant, like millions of other wannabe first-time homebuyers, housing affordability is of paramount concern.

“Prices aren’t coming down fast enough for the kind of place I want in the Columbus area. Because I am cash-short, I gotta find a house that doesn’t penalize me with high upkeep costs and utility bills,” she says.

A brand-new house in the Columbus neighborhood of Brandywine recently caught the accountant’s eye. Listed at $599,000, the prairie-style property is at the top of her price range. But with promised down-payment help from her parents, the purchase seems plausible.

Despite an improving mortgage rate picture, major affordability challenges remain front of mind for would-be first-time homeowners, according to Jessica Lautz, an economist for the National Association of Realtors (NAR).

“The historically low share of first-time buyers underscores the real-world consequences of a housing market starved for affordable inventory. The implications for the housing market are staggering,” Lautz says.

Indeed, the high cost of housing has pushed up the typical age for purchase of a first home in the United States to 40, with many implications for the economy as a whole, according to Shannon McGahn, an executive vice president at NAR.

“Delayed or denied homeownership until age 40 instead of 30 can mean losing roughly $150,000 in equity on a typical starter home,” McGahn says.

A low-maintenance property is now the dream for an increasing number of home purchasers.

“Up to 80% of today’s buyers prefer a place that’s under five years old because of upkeep concerns,” estimates Tom Early, who owns an independent realty brokerage in the Columbus area.

Though some first-time purchasers are still willing to accept the demands of a fixer-upper, many other young adults are absolutely against buying a house that takes a lot of their time and energy.

Here are a few pointers for novice homebuyers looking for a low-upkeep house:

-- Consider a one-level home for easier cleaning.

Dorcas Helfant, co-owner of several Coldwell Banker realty offices in Virginia, notes that demand for single-story houses is swelling, particularly among older people who have trouble climbing stairs or expect to face that limitation in coming years.

“Demand equals accelerated appreciation in future years,” Helfant says.

But beyond their investment potential, one-story properties offer advantages in terms of routine upkeep.

“One-level houses are a lot easier to keep clean. You don’t need to haul the vacuum up and down the stairs,” Helfant says.

-- Look for a property owned by a perfectionist.

Are you planning to purchase a home where you’ll live for just three to five years? If so, buying a home owned by maintenance-minded people could let you coast on their upkeep for a few years. Their place will probably be in good repair, including all the appliances.

“A ‘house freak’ is someone who doesn’t let things go, like a tiny window crack or a stair railing that’s a little wobbly,” Early says.

Those who baby their homes are usually also meticulous about pruning their trees and manicuring their flowerbeds. Still, Early warns against thinking you could coast for several years on the prior owner’s conscientious yard work.

“Well-kept grounds require near constant attention, either by you or people you take the trouble to hire,” he says.

-- Incorporate brand-new houses in your search.

Not all new developments are created equal. Some new homes will give you years of maintenance-free living while others could mean headaches from the outset.

“There’s a price for quality. So, you may have to pay more for solid construction,” Early says.

A dedicated real estate agent should be familiar with both new home and resale options in the area where you’re looking.

Early believes that builders who add custom features to the homes they construct usually give buyers a better product than do those who mass-produce houses cookie-cutter style.

How can you find a builder with a quality edge?

“It’s always wise to poll the people who have already moved into properties in a new subdivision. Ask them if they’re OK with the builder’s work,” Helfant says.

Home inspectors are another good source of information.

“A reputable home inspector will know who’s building solid homes versus shoddy ones,” he says.

-- Consider a “nearly new” home if a brand-new one is unavailable.

According to Early, those who buy brand new homes typically enjoy 10 or more years of freedom from worry about the failure of major systems -- including the plumbing, electrical, cooling and heating systems.

But if you’ve chosen a neighborhood lacking brand-new subdivisions, he says your second-best choice is a place that’s under five years of age.

“Nobody can give you a guarantee that a ‘nearly new’ house will spare you big upkeep issues, even in the early years. But it sure improves your odds,” Early says.

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