Home price appreciation has slowed recently in many neighborhoods. But a shortage of available properties is still leading to multiple bidding situations in especially popular areas. And that can result in buyers feeling pressured to bid on a place before they're absolutely certain it's the right one.

"Most people who get caught up in bidding wars feel an urgency to buy because they must move soon or because they've already lost a house to other bidders and don't want to lose again," says Eric Tyson, a personal finance expert and co-author of "Home Buying for Dummies."

But the risks of buying prematurely -- before you're certain a neighborhood and particular property are right for you -- are numerous. One major risk is that you'll lock yourself into a lifestyle that proves uncomfortable.

Multiple bidding scenarios can also result in paying too much for a property and regretting it later, according to Tyson.

"Sometimes on the advice of their listing agent, home sellers will price a property just very slightly below its market value in order to engender excitement and create an auctionlike situation involving buyers," Tyson says.

"Just because a house is perfect for other bidders doesn't mean it's right for you. The problem is that when there are multiple offers, you never know who you're bidding against or what features are motivating them," Tyson says.

Are you planning a major housing move? And do you wish to take a methodical approach to the change -- giving yourself several months of lead-time to research your options before buying your next property?

If so, you may be among the wisest of home purchasers, Tyson says.

"Like making a major career change, a decision on housing can have a huge impact on your quality of life for years. And the wrong decision can come with significant financial penalties," Tyson says.

Here are a few pointers for long lead-time buyers:

-- Look for an experienced real estate agent to help guide you.

Those who are relocating, whether for a job change, a retirement move or any other reason, are well advised to search for an agent who has years of experience selling homes in any community they're considering, says Tom Early, a real estate broker who twice served as president of the National Association of Exclusive Buyer Agents (www.naeba.org).

"With rare exceptions, it's a mistake to accept a rookie. The wisdom that comes from experience is very valuable in helping you get a realistic feel for your new turf," Early says.

-- Watch out for any agent who tries to pressure you into buying too soon.

It's true that agents are compensated on commission, and therefore don't make any money until a sale goes through. But reputable ones won't try to rush you into a purchase before you're ready, Tyson says.

"It's an enormous red flag if an agent starts pressuring you," he says.

Of course, it's unfair to ask an agent to spend multiple weekends over several months showing you property unless you're progressing toward your objective of finding the best available neighborhood and home in your price range. Even veteran agents occasionally have to cut ties with clients who've looked continuously without any serious intention of buying.

Still, as Tyson says, it's not unreasonable for serious buyers to spend up to six months or longer doing intermittent, yet focused, outings with an agent before committing to a property purchase in an area that's new to them, Tyson says.

-- Enhance your search with visits to open houses.

If you're a long lead-time buyer planning a major housing change -- such as a move from a suburban house to a downtown high-rise condo building -- you needn't rely solely on your agent to help you sort through your choices. You can do much of the footwork on your own, Early says.

"By visiting open houses as you start your due diligence, you can get a general feel for the choices open to you. Especially at the beginning, narrowing your options can be extremely helpful," he says.

Many open houses are well advertised with street signs. If you're considering condos, however, Early suggests you make doubly sure you consult local newspaper ads or online resources for open-house details.

-- Ask questions of residents of areas you're considering.

As you develop a short list of housing alternatives, some of the most useful sources of realistic information are those who live and work in the areas you're considering.

"People usually know their neck of the woods as well as any professional who sells property there. And most neighbors are happy to tell you the candid truth about their neighborhood, including any traffic problems, school issues or noise situations," Early says.

What's the best way to approach neighborhood residents? Early recommends you walk through a community on a weekend afternoon when many people are likely to be out in their yards. Tell them you appreciate their neighborhood and are considering a move there. Then politely open a conversation with a few questions.

"If people are unwelcoming, you can bet that community is an unfriendly one you'll probably want to cross off your list," Early says.

Those considering a condo building may find it harder to interact with residents, though people may talk to you as they enter or exit your complex. Alternatively, an agent who lists property in the building may also line up contacts for you.

-- Don't rule out a short-term rental.

Most people who've owned a home previously are resistant to taking a rental, even for a short period, until they've had enough time to explore neighborhoods in a region that's new to them. But Early says renting for a few months might be a good idea for those who wish to explore alternatives before submitting an offer to buy.

"Granted, it's unpleasant to throw away money on rent when your real intent is to buy -- even if you're only renting for a brief period. But renting for a short time is a heck of a lot better than rushing into the wrong housing decision," Early says.

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

Like the U.S. economy as a whole, the real estate market is supposed to be recovering. And many neighborhoods are now experiencing a shortage of available homes. So it's doubly exasperating if your home is the outlier that languishes unsold for a lengthy period of time.

Sometimes, the reason is easy to pinpoint. Perhaps your place is crying out for cosmetic improvements you've failed to do for cost reasons -- like replacing a frayed carpet or repainting a bright-purple dining room. Or maybe your price is just too high for the local market.

But in other cases, the problem is not your own. Perhaps your neighborhood market has lately cooled and your only option is to adapt, says Sid Davis, a real estate broker and author of "A Survival Guide for Selling a Home."

There are many reasons why homes fly off the market in one neighborhood while they sit unsold in another. For example, job cuts by a nearby employer can dampen local sales, as can bad weather conditions.

Jeff Drerup, a mortgage lender who's worked in the field since 1979, says tighter controls over the lending industry have made it harder and more time-consuming for borrowers to get their loans through, which in turn has hurt home sales.

Whatever the explanation for an unsold home, Davis says those who want or need to sell can generally meet with success if they're strategic in their focus. Here are a few pointers for frustrated home sellers:

-- Learn more about your neighborhood market.

When assessing the situation related to your unsold home, Davis recommends you first gather data about your neighborhood. Ask your listing agent for a set of statistics known as "average days on market." These data reflect the time it takes for a typical house to go from list to sale. Notice whether this average time span is narrowing (which indicates a warming market), or widening, (which indicates a cooling market).

If you determine your neighborhood is cooling, and note that your place has remained unsold for fewer days than the average selling time, Davis counsels patience. But if you're already over the typical norm, you probably have two options: improve the look and condition of your home or reduce the asking price.

-- Do a review of your home's condition before cutting your price.

Davis suggests cutting your home's listing price should happen only after you've gone over steps you could take to make the property look fresher and more appealing.

"Homes that radiate a superior pride of ownership are much rarer than you imagine. If you can get your place in tip-top condition, with a superior paint job and sparkling clean windows, you'll make selling much easier," Davis says.

Sometimes minor issues can seriously hinder a potential sale. For example, don't make the mistake of thinking buyers will overlook a little messiness, like dishes in the sink, piles of unsorted mail or an unkempt home office.

"Some people won't even spend five minutes in a cluttered or dusty house, let alone put an offer on it," Davis says.

He recommends that, if necessary, you hire a professional organizer and a cleaning service. Also, your odds of selling could improve substantially with a few relatively small expenditures in your bathrooms and kitchen and fresh paint throughout your place, he says.

-- Try to avoid annoying your listing agent.

As Davis says, it's good for would-be sellers to receive feedback from buyers who visit their home. Such feedback can help you make mid-course corrections. For example, if visitors say the presence of your dog is off-putting, you'll want to put the pet elsewhere when visitors next come through.

Customarily, visitor feedback reaches home sellers through their listing agent. And your agent should contact you on a routine basis. During your listing period, such contacts should occur every few days, if not once a day.

But when sellers become frustrated, Davis says some begin projecting their frustration onto their listing agent.

"Pestering your agent is totally counterproductive to your best interests," he says.

Davis encourages discouraged home sellers to request a "sit down" with their listing agent to brainstorm on ways to gain momentum.

"The agent has the same goal as you -- to get your property sold as quickly as possible and for the highest possible price. So, instead of becoming an irritant to the agent, aim to work as a team," Davis says.

-- Manage your emotional response to the situation.

When a property sits unsold, people's fears are manifest in various ways, from anger to insomnia, according to Davis.

Out-of-control emotions can undermine your plans if they're telegraphed to the buying public through any kind of advertising that conveys desperation.

"You don't want to tell potential buyers you 'must sell' because if you do, you'll only attract vultures who will try to get your place for almost nothing. Desperation advertising sends the wrong message," Davis says.

-- Avoid taking your home off the market for a lengthy time.

Have you decided to do upgrades to make your unsold property more salable? If so, Davis advises you to take your place off the market until the work is done.

"It's a terrible idea to let people in before the work is over, because they'll never be able to imagine how good the place will look once the drop cloths and ladders are gone," he says.

Still, he says it's usually a huge mistake to pull your place off the market for months on end, with the vague hope that selling conditions will improve later.

"Keep your original hopes for a speedy sale firmly in mind. That should motivate you to keep moving forward," Davis says.

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

When it comes to buying a home, many people aren't picky. But a rare set of buyers has a be-all-and-end-all home in mind. They're willing to spend months -- or maybe even years -- looking for just the right place.

In this category is a retired married couple in their early 80s who decided it was time to part with the waterfront home where they'd lived for more than four decades.

After much research, they identified the ideal setting: a well-designed condo complex reserved solely for those who'd once taught at a nearby university. The university-run facility offered the lectures and the intellectual stimulation the couple craved. Moreover, several friends already lived there.

Soon, the couple obtained a spot on the list of people qualified to buy a unit in the complex. But their wait was far from over. And when an apartment there finally went up for sale, there were several rival bidders for the unit.

Still, the couple was determined to prevail. To do so, they sought counsel from Leo Berard, charter president of the National Association of Exclusive Buyer Agents (www.naeba.org). He helped them shape a successful multi-faceted plan to beat the competition.

Are you looking for a unique home in a popular area where buyers now outnumber sellers? And are you likely to face rival bidders for that same place? If so, these few pointers could help:

-- Seek to beat out competitors by offering more.

Berard calls it a "top-off bid," and it can sometimes be an effective tool in an inventory-tight market. Using this strategy, the retired couple bid slightly above the asking price and agreed to exceed any equal or higher offer by $5,000 up to the ceiling on what they could afford.

Granted, you may wish to avoid this approach unless --as the retired couple did -- you have a singular home in mind.

Of course, no matter how special the home you're seeking, you shouldn't bid recklessly without regard to local property values. It's always important not to go overboard. To avoid an excessive bid, Berard recommends you ask your agent to check recent sales to see what similar properties have been fetching recently and stay within that range.

-- Provide watertight proof you can afford the property.

If you're buying your ideal home with cash taken from savings or another source, you needn't prove you can qualify for a mortgage, because you won't need one.

But if you're like most buyers and must have a mortgage, you'll need to demonstrate through a pre-approval letter that a lender believes you can qualify for a mortgage and have the credit status to make your loan application viable.

"The sellers of that unique house you want will never take your bid seriously until you produce a pre-approval letter. It's a minimum requirement," says Ashley Richardson, a longtime real estate agent affiliated with the Council of Residential Specialists (www.crs.com).

However, not all pre-approval letters carry equal weight when it comes to impressing sellers. Richardson recommends you seek pre-approval from a well-known lender with a recognizable name.

"Ask your agent for a referral to a local lender known to be trustworthy. Otherwise, your letter will be worth no more than the paper it's written on," Richardson says.

Remember, too, that the strongest pre-approval letters are granted only after your credit history has been checked and your cash assets verified. Proof of income can be established through pay stubs, W-2 statements and recent tax returns.

-- Write a friendly letter to the sellers telling why you love their home.

Most people are emotionally attached to the home where they're living. Even those who must sell due to an unhappy situation -- like a divorce or a financial reversal -- like to know that others admire and appreciate their property.

Because homeowner pride is nearly universal, buyers who love a particular place may find it advantageous to convey that sentiment in a brief note attached to their offer and addressed to the sellers by name. This could make a difference, especially if the sellers have received multiple offers that are roughly equal in dollar value.

"A sincere letter covering what you like about the home can give you an edge," Berard says.

He recalls how the retired couple seeking to move into the university-affiliated condo complex used such a note to support their winning bid. Their letter told how much they admired the apartment's built-in cabinetry and attractive patio.

But Berard cautions against trying to use a heartfelt letter to make up for a subpar offer.

"It's folly to come in with a lowball and then think you can sugarcoat it with a nice letter. Chances are all that would do is to insult the sellers and maybe even turn them against you," he says.

-- Tailor your offer to the seller's timing needs.

Money is almost always the leading factor determining if home purchasers get the property they're seeking. But timing also counts.

For instance, the woman selling the condo in the university-run building wanted to sell and move out of state promptly to live near her grown son's family. The retired couple, however, would have preferred to wait for a closing date that was at least three months later. But the buyers wrote a contract offer aligned to the closing date the seller wanted, which helped them seal their deal.

"In multiple-bid situations, the more reasons you can give the sellers to choose you, the more likely you are to win your prize," Berard says.

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