As a homebuyer, the type of property you choose can have a big influence on how you spend your time -- especially if you pick a place with a large lot. If you have a hectic career or a large family, you may wish to avoid a place with lots of greenery -- one that could make you a slave to all that pruning, clipping, fertilizing and watering.

In his 30 years as a time-management consultant, Maynard Rolston spent long hours at the office and traveling for work. If he'd worked less, he might have opted for a home with a lovely lawn and impressive flower beds.

But he settled for a townhouse with a tiny yard, located in a subdivision where all the upkeep is done in exchange for a monthly maintenance fee.

"I'm not that guy with the green thumb," Rolston says. "I refuse to sacrifice my precious time to yard work."

Rolston, author of "Time Management is an Oxymoron," knows that in today's economy, time is a valuable commodity, not to be trifled with.

"You have to face the reality that there are many trade-offs to a big home -- even if you hire a landscaping crew to care for the place," he says.

Of course, there are also pluses to ownership of a large property. Gardening can be a satisfying and money-saving experience. And a fair number of people take pride in showing off well-tended grounds to family and friends.

Here are a few tips for homebuyers wrestling with the issue of yard size:

-- Recognize the commuting penalties linked to a large yard.

Alan Pisarski, author of the book "Commuting in America," says the average commute is now 25.5 minutes each way. And although average commuting time has stayed constant for several years, many people are still willing to accept a punishing daily drive to live in an outer-tier area where they can own lots of land.

In areas with high housing costs, some people must move to the distant suburbs to become homeowners. To obtain a property of any size, they're willing to accept what Pisarski calls "a killer commute." But others could afford to live closer to their jobs if they simply settled for a smaller place.

One way to grasp the reality of a long commute is to test-drive it during rush hour.

"People go out and buy a house on a Sunday afternoon. Then after moving in, they're hit with the painful reality of how bad their commute really is," Pisarski says.

-- Check into labor costs for yard maintenance.

For years, Rolston has advised business executives that the key to saving time is delegation. Yet when it comes to yard work, delegation doesn't always save as many hours as people assume.

"The trick is to find landscape people who are reliable and trustworthy. But that's not always as easy as it sounds. And supervising your yard crew can also take time," Rolston says.

In addition, hiring contractors can also be expensive -- depending on the labor pool in your area and how many months per year you'll need help.

If you hanker for a large suburban property and expect to hire yard help, Rolston urges you to ask local residents how much they pay for upkeep.

"Don't buy that huge property until you get the full picture," he says.

-- Think realistically about your need for a big yard.

Do you have happy memories of childhood hours playing in your backyard? And do you aspire to ownership of a place where your kids could do the same?

Such a dream is understandable. But as Rolston says, you need to recognize that your kids' lives are probably very different. Were there two working parents in your family? Were you involved in as many organized athletic teams as your kids? Did you spend as many hours playing video games?

After thinking through these differences, Rolston says some homebuyers realize that ownership of a home with a large yard isn't warranted, given the limited time their children spend outside.

-- Hold out for a big yard if that's what you truly want.

Before committing to a home with labor-intensive grounds, Rolston says it's wise to do as Benjamin Franklin did when making a major decision. Take a piece of paper, draw a line down the center and list the pros and cons on each side.

Some homebuyers, including very busy ones, still find that the joys of life in a country setting outweigh the costs in commuting time and keeping up large grounds.

"There are folks who find it absolutely relaxing to put on headphones and jump on a riding mower. That's the way they manage stress. If you're one of these people, buying a place with lots of green space could be totally worth it. So go for that big yard," Rolston says.

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

As a homebuyer, the type of property you choose can have a big influence on how you spend your time -- especially if you pick a place with a large lot. If you have a hectic career or a large family, you may wish to avoid a place with lots of greenery -- one that could make you a slave to all that pruning, clipping, fertilizing and watering.

In his 30 years as a time-management consultant, Maynard Rolston spent long hours at the office and traveling for work. If he'd worked less, he might have opted for a home with a lovely lawn and impressive flower beds.

But he settled for a townhouse with a tiny yard, located in a subdivision where all the upkeep is done in exchange for a monthly maintenance fee.

"I'm not that guy with the green thumb," Rolston says. "I refuse to sacrifice my precious time to yard work."

Rolston, author of "Time Management is an Oxymoron," knows that in today's economy, time is a valuable commodity, not to be trifled with.

"You have to face the reality that there are many trade-offs to a big home -- even if you hire a landscaping crew to care for the place," he says.

Of course, there are also pluses to ownership of a large property. Gardening can be a satisfying and money-saving experience. And a fair number of people take pride in showing off well-tended grounds to family and friends.

Here are a few tips for homebuyers wrestling with the issue of yard size:

-- Recognize the commuting penalties linked to a large yard.

Alan Pisarski, author of the book "Commuting in America," says the average commute is now 25.5 minutes each way. And although average commuting time has stayed constant for several years, many people are still willing to accept a punishing daily drive to live in an outer-tier area where they can own lots of land.

In areas with high housing costs, some people must move to the distant suburbs to become homeowners. To obtain a property of any size, they're willing to accept what Pisarski calls "a killer commute." But others could afford to live closer to their jobs if they simply settled for a smaller place.

One way to grasp the reality of a long commute is to test-drive it during rush hour.

"People go out and buy a house on a Sunday afternoon. Then after moving in, they're hit with the painful reality of how bad their commute really is," Pisarski says.

-- Check into labor costs for yard maintenance.

For years, Rolston has advised business executives that the key to saving time is delegation. Yet when it comes to yard work, delegation doesn't always save as many hours as people assume.

"The trick is to find landscape people who are reliable and trustworthy. But that's not always as easy as it sounds. And supervising your yard crew can also take time," Rolston says.

In addition, hiring contractors can also be expensive -- depending on the labor pool in your area and how many months per year you'll need help.

If you hanker for a large suburban property and expect to hire yard help, Rolston urges you to ask local residents how much they pay for upkeep.

"Don't buy that huge property until you get the full picture," he says.

-- Think realistically about your need for a big yard.

Do you have happy memories of childhood hours playing in your backyard? And do you aspire to ownership of a place where your kids could do the same?

Such a dream is understandable. But as Rolston says, you need to recognize that your kids' lives are probably very different. Were there two working parents in your family? Were you involved in as many organized athletic teams as your kids? Did you spend as many hours playing video games?

After thinking through these differences, Rolston says some homebuyers realize that ownership of a home with a large yard isn't warranted, given the limited time their children spend outside.

-- Hold out for a big yard if that's what you truly want.

Before committing to a home with labor-intensive grounds, Rolston says it's wise to do as Benjamin Franklin did when making a major decision. Take a piece of paper, draw a line down the center and list the pros and cons on each side.

Some homebuyers, including very busy ones, still find that the joys of life in a country setting outweigh the costs in commuting time and keeping up large grounds.

"There are folks who find it absolutely relaxing to put on headphones and jump on a riding mower. That's the way they manage stress. If you're one of these people, buying a place with lots of green space could be totally worth it. So go for that big yard," Rolston says.

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

By 2013, many housing industry experts had expected an easing in the nation's stringent mortgage-lending standards. But while there's been a slight loosening since the economic downturn hit, many homebuyers, including those with decent credit, still confront big barriers to home finance.

"Lenders still scrutinize every mortgage application as if searching for the code to the human genome," says Rick Sharga, executive vice president of Carrington Mortgage Holdings, the parent company of multiple mortgage firms.

Mortgage officers, who deal directly with applicants, prepare files on would-be borrowers. But before any file gets final approval, it needs a green light from a supervisor, known in the business as an underwriter.

"As a borrower, you never meet the underwriter. But if your mortgage officer thinks you're a good applicant, he can talk to the underwriter and argue for approval of your loan," Sharga says.

He stresses that it's important for all wannabe borrowers to maintain a positive working relationship with the mortgage officer who takes their application.

Here are a few pointers for mortgage applicants:

-- Learn as much as possible about the mortgage market before applying.

Many homebuyers, particularly first-timers, are fuzzy in their grasp of mortgage-related terminology and how the system works, according to Leo Berard, charter president of the National Association of Exclusive Buyer Agents (www.naeba.org).

But the basic concepts of mortgage lending can be picked up easily. Berard recommends the Internet as a starting point. Start by taking a look at the "mortgage" entry in Wikipedia. In addition, there's a primer on mortgages on the website of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (www.hud.gov).

Check your local library for authoritative books on the subject. One Berard likes is "Mortgages for Dummies," co-authored by Ray Brown and Eric Tyson.

Armed with knowledge, you're more likely to select the best possible loan product for your situation. Also, you'll be less vulnerable to unscrupulous lenders.

-- Consider going to the lender's office.

Given their current business model, mortgage officers are now able to do nearly all their business by phone, email, fax and express mail. And the technology available to the industry allows them to do so easily.

"But if you're a first-time buyer, I urge you to meet with the lender," says Berard.

A one-on-one meeting is particularly important for applicants expecting to confront special barriers to mortgage approval, Berard says. These include homebuyers who are self-employed, work on commission or have changed jobs recently.

"You'll be better able to explain your financial issues at the lender's office than over the phone," Berard says.

-- Make your financial documents readily available to the lender.

Due to the stringent regulations now governing lending, mortgage officers are working harder than ever to assemble files that meet the exacting requirements they face. They're very appreciative of borrowers who make their job easier by showing up well prepared.

To increase their odds of timely mortgage approval, Berard says applicants should, the earlier the better, provide their loan rep with copies of key documents. These include the most recent month's worth of pay stubs and W-2s for the last two calendar years. You're also likely to be asked for two years worth of tax returns, along with statements showing the present value of your assets -- such as savings accounts, stocks, bonds and retirement funds.

In addition, mortgage officers like loan applicants who've scrutinized their credit reports in advance of a meeting. Under federal law, you're entitled each year to one free credit report from the three large credit bureaus: Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. Just go to this website: www.annualcreditreport.com.

In most cases, you'll probably also want to know your credit scores before you apply. Such scores, which draw on data from the credit bureaus, provide lenders with a quantitative measure of a person's credit risk. Most lenders use FICO scores, pioneered by the Fair Isaac Corp.

Typically, you need to pay a fee to obtain your credit scores. One approach is to buy these through the Fair Isaac website: www.myfico.com. You can also receive credit scores through the credit bureaus. FICO scores range from 300 to 850 -- the higher the better.

Berard recommends you make copies of your financial documents. Use a highlighter to identify any "dings" or inaccuracies that show up on your credit reports. And be prepared to tell the lender what steps you've taken to resolve these issues. For example, mention that you've paid the doctor who reported you delinquent to the credit bureaus and have obtained a receipt to prove it.

-- Stay in close touch with the lender until your home loan is approved.

Given the tsunami of mortgage foreclosures in recent years, more questions are likely to arise as your file goes through the clearance process.

For instance, suppose your credit reports show you were late in making a payment on a car loan several years ago. Because of that, the processing of your mortgage could be held up until you write a letter to explain the situation.

Berard says lenders appreciate applicants who stay in close touch and are proactive about resolving issues that arise along the way.

"Keeping in touch with the lender by phone or email isn't harassment. It's just a good business practice," he says.

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