During the worst of the economic downturn, many homeowners become landlords -- albeit reluctantly. Their reasons varied: Some, who'd gone through a job transfer or divorce, rented out a home rather than sell at a loss. Others, who'd lost jobs, converted their homes to rentals to avert foreclosure.

Fast-forward to an improving economy in 2012. Many reluctant landlords -- sensing a strengthening market -- are now ready to sell. This constitutes a potentially golden opportunity for homebuyers willing to consider a rental unit, says Sid Davis, a real estate broker and author of "A Survival Guide for Buying a Home."

"Buying a rental home is not for everyone. But if you can look past the (issues involved) you might get a tremendous deal," Davis says.

Why is it often possible to get a rental unit for a very good price? Because the market for rental homes is limited; few buyers can visualize how good an untidy rental property could look when it's cleaned up, according to Davis.

"Often the mere fact that a house has been used as a rental gives it a taint. Buyers assume all tenants have severely damaged the places where they live. These fears are sometimes justified but not always," he says.

Davis contends that bargain hunters need to distinguish between beat-up properties and those that just show poorly.

Davis estimates that savvy purchasers can often obtain a rental home in fair condition for at least 10 percent under the price for a comparable owner-occupied abode. He says a deep discount is especially likely if the home's owners are paying out more money in mortgage and carrying costs than they're taking in via rent.

Are you a homebuyer willing to consider a rental unit as your family's next home? If so, these few pointers could prove useful:

-- Seek to gauge the sellers' level of motivation.

Among the disillusioned landlords now eager to sell are would-be investors who bought properties during the downturn in hopes of making a healthy profit. But their plans were dashed by bad experiences.

"For these folks, their whole rental plan failed to work out as expected. For a variety of reasons, they couldn't collect enough rent to cover their costs. So now they're rushing to sell," says Leo Berard, charter president of the National Association of Exclusive Buyer Agents (www.naeba.org).

-- Seek to visit the place when the tenants are absent.

Davis says that as a rule those living in rental units are unhappy at the notion that their landlord plans to sell. Even if they're OK about moving, they have little motivation to keep the place presentable for would-be buyers.

"Renters can become easily disgruntled about a sale. For this reason, many try to sabotage the selling process," Davis says.

To make sure you can check out all of the property without interference from the tenants, he recommends you try to see it when they're absent. That way you can give the home greater scrutiny. For example, you could go into a walk-in closet or check inside the kitchen cabinets.

-- Always ensure you get an in-depth home inspection on a rental unit.

Some rental properties are overseen by professional management companies. But Davis says this offers no guarantee that a place has been kept in good repair and that all its problems have been caught.

"Many professional management companies handle only routine matters -- like mowing the lawn -- or emergencies, like a leaking water heater," he says.

What professional rental managers often miss are less obvious issues, such as a roof that's leaking into an attic. Also, they rarely deal with tenant-caused problems, like damage to hardwood floors or carpeting.

To ensure you identify all the problems with a rental property, Davis urges you to hire "a darned good home inspector."

To find one, he recommends you ask your real estate agent for a list of at least 10 candidates and then pre-screen them on the phone before making your choice. You can also find inspectors through such professional organizations as the American Society of Home Inspectors (www.ashi.org).

-- Obtain estimates for all major repair issues found by your inspector.

For 15 years -- until he sold the last one recently --Davis owned six houses that he rented out. This experience taught him that renters often don't bother telling their landlord about problems until they're very serious.

"A dishwasher might have been malfunctioning for months -- running all over the kitchen floor and harming the floor boards underneath. But until it stops working completely, the landlord or management company may never hear about it," Davis says.

As a prospective owner of a rental property, you need to know in advance how much it would cost to repair all of a home's problems. To do this, Davis recommends you get estimates for all needed repairs cited in the inspection report. Then use this data as a negotiating tool to either get the work done or lower the price of the property.

-- Search for a rental property whose problems are only superficial.

Despite indications of an improving housing market in many parts of the country, bargain properties are still widely available in many areas. But among those that carry the steepest discounts are rental properties, Davis says.

"Remember that despite the stigma, not all rental properties have serious problems. Some have solely superficial issues," he says.

To find a true bargain, Davis says the best approach is to look at any rental property you're considering with fresh eyes.

"Some long-time rentals are in disastrous shape. Never buy one of these, no matter how cheap, because they can cost a fortune in money and time to fix. Instead, look for a place that's just messy on the surface and just needs a little paint," Davis says.

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

Are you a homeowner who for several years has been sitting on the sidelines waiting for a stronger market before you sell? Are you finally ready to put your place up for sale this spring?

If so, you're not alone, says Ronald Phipps, a real estate broker and recent president of the National Association of Realtors (www.realtor.org).

"Home sellers are more pragmatic now. They're no longer holding their families and plans hostage for some magical price they might have gotten in the past. They're ready to sell now," Phipps says.

Not all neighborhood real estate markets have yet recovered, of course. But Phipps says many brokers throughout the country are reporting that the pace of sales has begun to pick up.

One group of owners who expect to sell soon consists of those wanting to advance from a starter home to something larger.

"These move-up buyers -- mostly in their 30s and 40s -- want to buy a better home while mortgage rates are still low," Phipps says.

Another category of homeowners anxious to sell is made up of baby boomers who want to reinvent their lifestyles now that their children are grown. They're mostly looking for smaller, more efficient homes, according to Phipps.

Eric Tyson, a personal finance expert and co-author of "House Selling for Dummies," says anyone planning to sell a home should take all the time necessary to find the strongest available real estate agent to list their property.

Despite the significant challenges facing the industry in recent years, membership in the National Association of Realtors has remained strong. The organization now has more than one million members -- up from about 800,000 a decade ago. With so many players in the market, Tyson says it shouldn't be hard to find a well-qualified agent in your area.

How can you screen agents to find the best one for your listing?

Jodi R.R. Smith, a human resources trainer who heads her own consulting firm (www.mannersmith.com) suggests you create a preliminary list of five to 10 agents who are recommended by people you know. Then pre-screen each with a brief phone interview. Focus on the agents with whom you establish a rapport, and ditch the ones you don't.

This should leave you with about three or four agents. Now it's time for in-person interviews. Here are a few pointers:

-- Pose open-ended questions to the candidates.

As the founder of MarketStar, (www.marketstar.com), a large sales and marketing company, Alan Hall has interviewed hundreds of job applicants. Experience has taught him that open-ended questions elicit the most revealing answers.

"For example, ask them about a past failure they had in their real estate career and how they handled it. They should tell you how they turned failure into a learning experience. If they stumble in response, that's not a good sign," Hall says.

-- Request statistics on each agent's past performance.

Smith recommends you ask all the candidates for data on the homes they've sold in the last six months. In each case, what percentage of the list price did the homeowners obtain? And how many days did the property sit on the market before it sold? She also cautions against hiring an agent who promises to get you much more than the others say your home is worth.

-- Screen for frankness but also good manners.

Smith says you should consider only those agents who are candid in assessing the changes needed to make your property sell for its full market value. But you don't want someone who is overly blunt.

"I need to know, for example, that my NASCAR-themed bathroom must be painted over. But I want someone to tell me tactfully," Smith says.

She recommends you tell all the agents how much money you have for pre-sale upgrades and then ask them to give you a list of priorities.

"Ask for their gut reactions and whether, for example, you would be better off spending the money you have to plant flowers beside your front entrance or to paint your bathroom. The right agent should have good suggestions that fit in your budget," Smith says.

-- Make sure you hire an agent with sufficient experience to do the job.

Cathleen Faerber, an executive recruiter for the Wellesley Group (www.wellesleygroup.com), recalls a "disastrous mistake" she made a few years back when, without an interview, she hired a friend to list her house for sale.

"This person, who was my neighbor, was a newbie to real estate. She clearly lacked the background to do the job. During the six months she had my listing she failed to advertise my house. The result was zero traffic and the loss of a lot of prime selling time," Faerber remembers.

After the first agent's listing agreement expired, Faerber interviewed several replacement candidates. She soon found a seasoned agent who was successful in selling the property for a good price just a few weeks later.

"This second agent had been in the business forever. She was a great negotiator who knew how to market my house. She also priced the house correctly, which is very critical," Faerber says.

She recommends sellers carefully screen potential listing agents through interview questions that help draw out their track records.

"Ask them to walk you through the methodology they use to market homes and how they've met challenges. Past performance is always an indicator of future performance," she says.

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