Smart Moves

While the real estate market traditionally slows in the fall and winter, that doesn't stop diehard buyers who aspire to a property that's newer, larger or simply more to their liking.

Take the true story of a couple in their early 60s, a travel agent married to a government consultant, who sold their multi-level family house and plan to buy a more expensive single-story place with a huge gourmet kitchen and an expansive patio.

"Lots of baby boomers are now aching to bail out of a dated suburban house in favor of a newer one with no stairs. And some of these folks are so restless that they refuse to wait until spring to move," says Sid Davis, a real estate broker and author of "A Survival Guide for Buying a Home."

Other wannabe trade-up buyers are those with young families who've lived in a starter home for several years and are now eager for a larger place in a neighborhood with better schools.

But no matter how desperate you may be for new digs, make sure that your new house will be worth the trouble and expense of moving.

Here are pointers for trade-up buyers:

-- Define precisely what you want in your next home.

Many would-be buyers have only a vague notion of the sort of the home that would make them happy. But it's well worth your time to specify exactly what you want in a property, says Fred Meyer, a real estate appraiser and broker who sells property near Harvard University.

Meyer says trade-up buyers have an advantage over starter-home purchasers because those moving to a second or third home can draw on past experience.

He suggests movers make a list of everything they don't like about their present home. Then they should flip that list to help itemize the highest-priority features they're seeking in the next place.

-- Don't rule out a property that's languished unsold for a long time.

Many buyers are suspicious of any place that's been on the market for an unusually long time, particularly if other homes in the same neighborhood have sold relatively quickly. But Davis says buyers can often do well if they're willing to consider such "stale listings."

"In the vast majority of cases, the only thing wrong with the stale house is that the sellers were trying to price-gouge at the beginning," Davis says.

Trade-up buyers willing to consider such a home can sometimes obtain a high-quality property at a below-market price, he says. That's because the longer a property sits unsold, the more likely its owners are to bargain in earnest.

Still, Davis offers one caveat to those looking for deals among stale listings: Hire a top-notch home inspector to make sure a prospective purchase doesn't have any major defects, such as structural problems.

-- Steer clear of a home that needs extensive remodeling work.

Davis says trade-up buyers who had to do considerable remodeling work on a previous home are generally disinclined to buy another "fixer-upper."

"These days, there are a dwindling number of folks willing to take on big renovation projects, because most people are way too busy, which makes them phobic about remodeling, even for those who can afford top-notch contractors," Davis says.

Suppose, for example, that you've fallen in love with a stately Victorian house in a leafy neighborhood where you'd love to raise your young children. And suppose, also, that you know that property will require a lot of work before you could move in. What should you do then?

In that case, Davis recommends you obtain estimates for all the major work the property needs and carefully evaluate those estimates to decide if you're prepared to invest all the time and money necessary.

-- Factor in the potential pluses of buying during the winter holiday season.

Obviously, not everyone is in a good position to trade up in the immediate future. If you're not, you may need to delay your quest to move to a better home until mid-2015 or later.

Yet purchasers who are now in a positive financial position could do well to move soon, according to Davis, who says the upcoming holiday season might be a good time to make a transition.

"Usually, people trying to sell during the holidays are those who absolutely must move. This could make them very receptive to your offer. And a good price, coupled with exceptionally low mortgage rates, means a double whammy in your favor," Davis says.

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

A couple in their early 30s -- an elevator company salesman married to a nurse -- had for five years relished life in a up-and-coming city neighborhood with lots of good restaurants and bars nearby. But after their first child was born, their priorities shifted.

"Like a lot of young homebuyers, their whole orientation became schools, schools, schools," says Ashley Richardson, the real estate agent who assisted them.

Soon the couple pinpointed a suburban neighborhood with a top-rated elementary school, along with parks, playgrounds and a community pool. There was only one catch: high prices.

Working with a limited budget, the couple identified just five houses they could afford in their first-choice neighborhood, all in the bottom 10 percent of the price range there. Of those, only one had enough living space to make it a plausible choice. And that one was located on a busy road. But they knew their limited funds necessitated a compromise, so they took it.

Eric Tyson, a personal finance expert and co-author of "Home Buying for Dummies," says that since the recession, many homebuyers such as the above couple have lowered their expectations for housing.

Here are a few pointers for budget-conscious homebuyers with young children:

-- Make a realistic assessment of your need for a large yard.

Recalling their own carefree childhoods, some parents assume their kids need a similar setting to be happy. But what was important in your formative years isn't necessarily vital for your children now, Tyson says.

"The reality is that kids just don't have as many hours of free time for backyard play as we did when we were growing up," Tyson says.

Rather than focusing solely on yard size, Tyson suggests you think about the outdoor features of the neighborhood as a whole, such as parks and open space.

Surprisingly, neighborhoods where yards are smaller are often more child-friendly than those with oversized grounds.

"It's good for children to live close to their neighborhood friends. That way they don't have to be driven around to see playmates," Tyson says.

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

Tyson says it's more important for families with young children to have a floor plan that encourages togetherness than to own a large house.

Large, comfortable common rooms -- often called "great rooms" -- help draw children out of their bedrooms, thereby allowing parents to monitor their kids at homework time, for example.

-- Look for a home with as many bedrooms as your budget allows.

Newly built houses with a wealth of living space typically feature spacious master bedroom suites. In such houses, secondary bedrooms, designed for children and guests, are usually much smaller.

But Tyson says it's more important for families to have an adequate number of bedrooms than a luxurious master suite.

"People who have fond memories of sharing a bedroom with a sibling may be fine with that sort of setup. However, nowadays, most buyers really want a separate bedroom for every kid, so all the children can get enough sleep, even if they have different school schedules," he says.

-- Realize that a two-story house should give you more space for the money.

Many current homebuyers favor single-level living. Those who've hit middle age or beyond are especially likely to prefer a one-story house free of stairs.

But Tyson says people with school-age children might wish to consider the advantages of living on two levels. That's because it's easier to contain the noise and mess of growing children if their bedrooms are separated from the family's common living space.

With a two-story house, parents can entertain guests on the first level while their kids are playing upstairs. Also, young families can typically get more space for the money in a two-story house.

-- Explore school quality beyond test scores.

Through the Internet, it's now easy to compare schools on the basis of standardized test scores. But there are many other factors to consider as well, says William Bainbridge, president of the SchoolMatch Institute (www.schoolmatch.com), a research group focused on comparative school quality.

Before making your final neighborhood selection, Bainbridge strongly recommends that parents take the time to visit schools and pose questions to teachers and administrators. By doing so, they'll get a feel for the culture of each school and its faculty.

"Intangible factors can make a huge difference to children. You don't want your kids taught in an environment with punitive teachers, even if the school's test scores are stellar," he says.

-- Don't cater to your children's housing preferences.

It's not uncommon for children to protest their parents' plan for a housing move. Why? Because, as Tyson says, "children like constancy."

To mollify their unhappy children, some parents let their kids influence which property they buy. But Tyson says most children adapt quickly to a move and that letting their feelings sway your planning could be a regrettable mistake.

"Maybe your children like one house better than another because it has purple bedrooms. But that's no basis on which to make so major a financial decision," he says.

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

A couple in their mid-60s were excited to sell their house and move to a condo they'd carefully chosen. But these empty-nesters also realized the necessity and the enormity of sorting through the things stored in the place where they'd lived for more than two decades and raised five children. So as part of a deliberately orchestrated plan to meet the moving challenge, they hired Virginia Barkley.

Barkley is one of a new breed of "organizational strategists" who help clients navigate major life transitions. During a four-month period, she and her crew of assistants streamlined the contents of the couple's 6,500-square-foot property, creating an online inventory of all their possessions and helping them decide which items to retain, give to their grown children, donate to charity or send to recycling.

Barkley, a professional speaker and author of "ClutterBusting for Busy Women," says many people who've lived in a home for an extended period feel overwhelmed at the thought of paring down their possessions.

Barkley says the key to a successful home streamlining project is to plan ahead and maintain a positive attitude.

"You have to set a drop-dead deadline for yourself. And every single day, you have to remind yourself of your vision for the future," she says.

Here are a few tips for would-be home sellers:

-- Realize that de-cluttering is an essential element to a successful sale.

Eric Tyson, co-author of "House Selling for Dummies," says would-be sellers who fail to downsize their possessions are at risk for substantial penalties.

"Buyers are tremendously resistant to purchasing any house that's loaded with too much stuff because they can't imagine themselves living there," Tyson says.

Many people are still living in their home while it's on the market. Even so, Tyson says it's critically important that they pack away all but the necessities until the property is sold.

Still unconvinced that it's worth the bother to purge? In that case, Tyson recommends you call in a moving company for an estimate on the cost of hauling all your unsorted belongings to your new location.

"The cost to transport all your stuff should be enough to motivate you through the purging process," he says.

-- Obtain the equipment you'll need for the job.

Martha Webb, a home-staging expert and author of "Dress Your House for Success," says an efficient de-cluttering program starts with the right gear.

To temporarily store items you intend to take to your next property, you won't need to buy fancy storage containers. In most cases, cardboard boxes will suffice. But look for boxes of uniform size, like the "bankers boxes" sold at office supply stores, which will stack neatly.

Once you've packed your boxes, place them in a temporary storage unit. Alternatively, if you don't wish to pay for the rented storage unit, you could stash the boxes in your garage.

"Buyers are more accepting of a garage filled with well-organized boxes than they would be if the boxes were kept in some other part of the house," Webb says.

-- Don't try to tackle more than one room at a time.

Webb says you'll go crazy if you go back and forth from room to room, trying to battle clutter on several fronts simultaneously. Instead, she counsels you to take on just one space at a time, starting with your master bedroom and clearing out closets in this room first.

"Having ample storage, including large closets, is a huge issue for contemporary buyers. That means you'll want to remove as much as possible from these spaces," she says.

-- Use diplomacy when clearing out your kids' bedrooms.

Young children feel an understandable sense of alarm at the notion that many of their toys will be packed up and put away until your move is complete. As Webb says, they need reassurance that their prized toys will be available to them once your family's move is complete.

How can you calm your children's fears? Webb suggests you transform the process into a game.

"Tell the children they can choose a few special toys and books to keep in their rooms until the move occurs. Mention that they can use these items, along with the ones you're putting in boxes, for a 'toy party" in the new house," she says.

-- Give extra attention to your kitchen.

Webb says most home shoppers won't routinely look inside dressers or wardrobes. But many will open your kitchen cabinets.

"The last thing you want is for buyers to see a kitchen so crammed with items that they'll think it lacks sufficient space for their own dishes and food," she says.

After you've removed all the superfluous items from your kitchen storage areas, clean out the cabinets and replace only those pieces you absolutely need for everyday use. The rest, like extra cupcake pans or holiday casserole dishes, should be sold, given away or sent to storage.

-- Pack away items that could hurt your sale.

Many homeowners keep items in their property that could handicap their sale unless removed prior to showings.

For instance, Webb recommends you remove all prescription medications from the medicine cabinets in your bathrooms. Leaving them there not only invites theft (especially of prescription painkillers), but also raises buyer questions about the people living in the property.

"Remember, that it's nobody's business what medications you take," Webb says.

She also suggests you remove from your bookshelves any titles that seem to convey a strong opinion on any topic, such as a political book.

"The odds are good that some people will see that controversial book and disagree with its author or contents. They might even judge you harshly for owning the book and, fair or not, that could translate into problems for your sale," Webb says.

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