With real estate values on the rebound and competition intensifying among homebuyers seeking to live in neighborhoods with top-rated schools, those with young children are finding it tough to snag an affordable home that meets their kids' educational needs.

"The bidding wars have started in neighborhoods with strong public schools," says Fred Meyer, a real estate broker who sells property near Harvard University, where parents are hyper-focused on quality education.

Meyer, who's been in real estate since 1964, has counseled family buyers through many market cycles.

"Schools should trump every other consideration when you're buying a family home. That's because the world is a lot more competitive now. In the old days, you could make a living without a good education. That's not true anymore," he says.

Dorcas Helfant, a realty company owner and past president of the National Association of Realtors (www.realtor.org), says homebuyers with kids must set priorities when choosing a property.

The rising cost of raising kids is one reason why most young families have a limited budget for housing. After-school care, music lessons and sports programs are all pricey. Then, too, there are pediatricians' bills, tutoring expenses and family vacation costs.

She says it's better for homebuyers with young children to select a community that's reasonably close to their jobs, even if that means accepting a smaller or older home than they could afford in an outlying area.

"If you're spending two hours in traffic commuting each day, your kids aren't going to see enough of you. It's better to be home more than to give your kids a big beautiful house," Helfant says.

Here are a few pointers for homebuyers with young kids:

-- Look beyond test scores when comparing schools.

With students now subjected to an increasing number of standardized tests, most public school systems now post their scores online. That makes it relatively easy to compare schools based on statistics.

But William Bainbridge, president of the SchoolMatch Institute (www.schoolmatch.com), which helps parents select schools, says test scores alone don't tell the whole story. Besides checking scores, he urges parents to visit schools and pose questions to teachers and administrators. That way, they'll get a gut feel for the atmosphere at each school and whether its internal culture supports and encourages its students.

"Also, talk to the parents of other students at the school. Ask them if the school's focus is only on drilling for tests or if they're also teaching the kids problem-solving and how to get along with others," Bainbridge says.

In addition to academics, he recommends you consider your children's special talents and interests and whether they would be served by a prospective school. For example, if your child has a passion for art, you'll want to know if the school has had to lay off art teachers due to budget cuts.

Bainbridge says you'll want to shop widely and compare neighborhoods at different price levels to find schools with the best possible mix of academic and extracurricular activities for your kids.

"There are lots more options these days. Besides comprehensive public schools, you should consider the charter and magnet schools open to your children," he says.

-- Decide whether a big yard is important to you.

As Helfant notes, many parents -- remembering their own happy childhoods in suburban settings where big yards were the norm -- want to replicate that experience for their kids.

"Pets are a huge deal, and lots of people want a big yard for a dog. Family gardening is back. And some suburban folks are even raising chickens in their backyards for the fresh eggs," Helfant says.

But Helfant advises homebuyers with kids to think through the implications of owning a property with a big yard. If you're part of a dual-income family, will you have ample time to tend your property, or to supervise the landscaping crews who do? And how much time will your kids have to frolic in the back yard?

"Lifestyles have changed dramatically for our kids. Parents are spending more time at work. And whether it's soccer or any other structured activity, children are a lot more programmed, too," Helfant says.

-- Find a floor plan that functions well for your family.

Helfant says it's more important for people with children to have a floor plan that encourages togetherness than to own a place with formal living and dining rooms.

"Nowadays, people don't live as formally as past generations. In fact, many people who have a house with big dining and living rooms are re-purposing these spaces into home offices or playrooms," she says.

What works for many families with young children is a full-sized kitchen that flows directly into a large family room or den. For families with two working parents, the advantage of this floor plan is that it encourages everyone to spend more time together. For example, the kids can do homework in the den, near parents cooking in the kitchen.

"With everyone so busy, you want those family moments together. A big area where all are comfortable hanging out is a lot better than having kids holed up in their rooms. This way the kids get more parental involvement," Helfant says.

-- Seek a home with as many bedrooms as you can afford.

Newly constructed houses with lots of square footage typically feature spacious master bedroom suites. Secondary bedrooms, designed for children or guests, are also large, often with their own walk-in closets.

But it's more critical for families to have a sufficient number of bedrooms than to have very large bedrooms and an opulent master suite, says Meyer, a seasoned real estate appraiser as well as broker.

"Over the long run, houses with more medium-sized bedrooms appreciate more than those with just one or two large bedrooms in the same location," he says.

Meyer acknowledges that sharing a bedroom helps children become adaptable. But he says there are also downsides when a child has to share with a sibling.

"As psychologists point out, it's very important to have a bedroom for each child. Every child needs a place to retreat and be alone at times of family stress," he says.

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

At just 450 square feet, the tiny condo was barely big enough for its 30-year-old owner. She'd originally picked the place for its proximity to tony shops, restaurants and a light-rail station. But as soon as she could afford a bigger unit in the same neighborhood, she called a real estate agent and put the petite condo up for sale.

The condo was very reasonably priced, but after it languished on the market for four months without a single offer, the young woman rented it out for six months. Then once that lease ran out, she again vowed to sell the unit.

On her second try, the woman's listing agent contacted a company called Synergy Staging, one of a growing number of firms that specialize in making properties more appealing to buyers.

"A well-staged property doesn't reflect personal taste, which lets buyers picture themselves living there. That way the sellers can cast the largest possible net to attract the largest number of buyers," says David Peterson, Synergy's co-owner.

Peterson recalls how the condo looked when his firm was first called in for the makeover. It seemed disjointed, with paint tones ranging from sky blue to teal, on its several walls. Its only furniture: a fraying sofa and a plain bed.

To give the diminutive condo a polished look, Synergy gave the owner a color consultation, recommending a deep off-white paint tone that tied the entire space together. The firm also lent her a few pieces of quality furniture that were artfully arranged.

Once the staging was done, Peterson says the condo had an entirely different look. Best of all, it sold in just one day for $14,000 more than the owner's previous asking price.

The art of staging, which can include anything from mere furniture rearrangement to the full transformation of a home's interior, is often associated with large or expensive properties. But Peterson says small-sized homes can benefit as well.

"Some people think you should sell a very small place with no furniture at all. But vacant rooms can actually seem smaller than well-designed rooms with the right furnishings," he says.

Here are a few pointers for homeowners seeking to sell an undersized property:

-- Realize that starter homes are in big demand now.

To be sure, most Americans still favor spacious properties. But many purchasers, including first-time buyers, must scale back their housing ambitions due to income limits.

Meanwhile, he says "small looks beautiful" to an increasing number of baby boomers as they approach retirement age.

"While some boomers are actually upsizing to accommodate visits from their grown kids and grandkids, many others are downsizing to save money for their elder years," says Sid Davis, a real estate broker and the author of "A Survival Guide to Selling a Home."

-- Look into adding a second bathroom if your place has just one.

Homebuyers are often highly resistant to the purchase of a property with just one bathroom. They want a second bathroom, if only for use by their guests.

Because of this strong preference, Davis says a single-bathroom property can be tough to sell. He suggests that sellers consider adding a second bathroom before they put their property on the market, assuming they can do so for a modest price.

Before committing to such a project, make sure you ask a contractor about the cost and feasibility, Davis says. Construction inside the home is usually your best bet. Add-ons outside are often impractical.

"If possible, your best option could be to convert a large closet into a full bathroom, or at least a half bath," he says.

-- Plan your decor to make your small property seem larger.

When the stagers from Synergy first visited the previously mentioned condo, they noticed the unusual melange of paint colors on the several walls. Once all the walls were repainted in a neutral tone, the owner was surprised how much larger the place looked.

"The same is true of flooring. You don't want different types of hardwood flooring in your place because that's jarring," Peterson says.

-- Don't make the mistake of selling your small home completely vacant.

No matter the size of a property you're selling, you'll want to clear out clutter and extra furnishings to convey the impression of openness and space

"Crowded and cluttered in any house is a major issue. It's especially important to store away anything that's personal -- like unusual art," Peterson says.

But Peterson cautions against extremes.

"If you take away too much furniture and the home is totally empty, people can't get a sense of room size. For example, if you remove your bed from the master bedroom, people will think their bed is too large for the space," he says.

When they're helping stage a vacant house, Peterson and his business partner, Nik Murrow, bring in enough furnishings to give the feeling of how a room would work if the buyers actually lived there.

-- Add in designer touches to give your small home luster.

Because there's less to see, those visiting a small home can spend more time examining the interior. That means more attention to details.

Given such an intense focus, sellers of small places will want to ensure that little flaws are corrected. Also, they need to accessorize their place with attractive details.

"It doesn't cost a lot to upscale a small house. For example, you could repaint your kitchen cabinets pure white and add brushed nickel hardware or replace your dining room lighting fixture with a fresh one," Peterson says.

-- Highlight the advantages of a small, older home.

Due to the high cost of land, most new tract homes -- no matter the price level -- are now built on undersized lots. Yet many homebuyers, especially those with young children, want enough land for a swing set, a garden or a backyard patio.

"It's also a big positive for buyers if your small house has enough land to expand in the future," Davis says.

He says the yearning for land can often be satisfied with the purchase of a small, older home on a big lot. Alternatively, a small older home or condo will often sell well if located in a lively urban neighborhood, which is especially alluring to young singles and newly married couples.

"At the end of the day, location and price tend to trump all the other factors," Davis says.

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

Despite the emerging nationwide real estate recovery, many condominium apartments continue to languish unsold. Older condos and those in outer-tier suburbs can be especially hard to sell, says Mary McCall, president of the Council of Residential Specialists (www.crs.com).

"People definitely want to buy condos. But with all the foreclosures and short sales of the past, it can still be very hard to get a mortgage to buy a condo in some areas," says McCall, a veteran real estate broker.

"Since the bubble burst on real estate, condo prices have become affordable in a lot of areas. But in many cases, you must still have stellar credit or a big down payment to buy a condo, unless you can make an all-cash offer. The trouble is most buyers don't have those financial advantages," McCall says.

Helping to balance out the problem of slow-selling condos is a lively interest in condo buying among investors seeking to own bargain-priced units they can convert into rental properties.

Another bright spot for condo sales involves condos in pedestrian-friendly city neighborhoods and town centers.

Here are a few pointers for would-be condo sellers and their listing agents:

-- Make sure your unit is priced right from the outset.

Is the condo you're planning to sell located in an area with much new construction? If so, you'll need to take this reality into account when setting your price.

"If you try to push your price in an over-built area, your unit will just sit there," says Mark Nash, a real estate broker and author of "1001 Tips for Buying & Selling a Home."

Owners seeking to sell in a complex with many look-alike condos should make doubly sure their listing agent does a conscientious review of other properties that have sold during the prior six months. These are called "comparables," or "comps," and they should give sellers a reasonable idea of the price their unit will command.

-- Ask for a "broker's open" for agents throughout your area.

Of course, not all condos are tough to sell. Every region has neighborhoods that are consistently popular, says Dorcas Helfant, former president of the National Association of Realtors (www.realtor.org).

"There are always niche condo markets with special cachet and almost no turnover," Helfant says. She says these include complexes in popular metropolitan centers, along with those that feature extraordinary views or beach access.

But even if your condo is located in a building where demand is steady, you'll want to ensure that it comes to the attention of serious buyers. That way you increase your odds of getting a strong bid or even multiple offers.

To compete with rival units in your complex, Helfant recommends you ask your listing agent to stage one or more "brokers' opens" at your condo. These are open houses to which real estate agents throughout your general area are invited. They typically feature food, entertainment or both.

"If your condo looks great and gets exposed to many agents, they'll spread the word and bring their clients by," Nash says.

As he notes, brokers' opens can be especially valuable to sellers in condo buildings where the supply of unsold units exceeds buyer demand.

"Most buyers trust their agents. If the agent likes a condo and knows it shows well, he's more likely to recommend a showing to his clients, and the clients will agree to visit. You want such serious buyers coming through, not just the kind of curiosity seekers who often visit public open houses," Nash says.

-- Make your kitchen more appealing.

Older condos often have small, galley-style kitchens. But that doesn't mean they can't be given the sort of spark that will set them apart.

"If you're selling a unit with a dated kitchen, you may need to spend a few thousand dollars to improve it. Often you can add great buzzwords to your listing with new appliances or countertops," Nash says.

Due to declining prices, granite countertops suitable for a small kitchen are now available for less than $3,000, according to Nash, though he says an increasing number of buyers are now expressing a preference for such solid surfaces as Corian, which is thought to be easier to maintain than granite.

For roughly the same sum, you can have a set of new appliances installed. Nash says that stainless steel appliances are still popular, though white appliances (and kitchen cabinets) are gaining favor with buyers of all ages.

-- Consider tangible incentives to increase buyer interest.

Some in the real estate field consider it crass for sellers to offer tangible incentives. But buyers who have an array of well-priced options in the same condo complex might pick a unit offered with such extras.

For instance, Nash says you might choose to give those who buy your condo a new iPad, a large plasma TV or a surround-sound stereo system. Or you could give them supermarket gift certificates for several months' worth of food.

"The freebies really work, I've seen it happen. But remember that freebies are no substitute for making your condo look wonderful and pricing it right," Nash says.

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