As a homeowner facing the need to sell your place in 2016, your trepidation could be palpable. After all, the direction of the economy is uncertain and the future is all the more confusing in the year of a presidential contest.

Even so, this could be an excellent year to sell, says Dorcas Helfant, a past president of the National Association of Realtors (realtor.org).

But Helfant, the co-owner of several realty offices, cautions that the strength and speed of your sale could be heavily dependent on whether you select a seasoned agent who knows your local market and is a highly responsive communicator.

As it happens, some listing agents who tout the high volume of their sales are less responsive to their clients than they should be, says Michael J. Connerly, the author of "How to Win With Real Estate," who addresses sellers on his website: usahomebuyerguide.com.

"Although most agents are good, some are playing a numbers game. They take lots of listings, but don't give each one the attention it deserves," says Connerly, who sold property for 20 years and limited himself to no more than 10 listings at a time.

Here are a few pointers for sellers on agent selection:

-- Take a close look at the agent's track record.

Perhaps the agent you're planning to hire touts an impressive record of annual sales. Still, this agent might not be the ideal one for you, says Eric Tyson, a personal finance expert and co-author of "House Selling For Dummies."

Tyson urges prospective sellers to obtain an "activity list" from any agent they're considering. This should itemize all sales closed in the prior 12 months and should include the property location, as well as the list and sale prices.

Why is this roster more revealing than information on an agent's aggregate sales volumes? Because, as Tyson says, an activity list tells you if the agent is routinely selling homes of a similar type and with a similar market value as your property.

"Suppose you're selling a small condo in a nondescript location and the agent is making most of his commissions from classy waterfront houses worth at least $1 million. In that case, your transaction could easily get overlooked by the agent," Tyson says.

Conversely, if your property is at the higher end, you should steer clear of agents who deal mostly with starter-level properties.

"Like professionals in any other field, people in real estate develop a specialty and skills to match," Tyson says.

-- Find out about an agent's vacation and travel plans.

Like everybody else, real estate agents enjoy getting away now and then. But it could be unwise to hire an agent who plans a break during the first two to four weeks after your place goes up for sale -- when buyer excitement should be at its peak.

Some agents rely on backups when they're away. But Tyson says this isn't the ideal option for clients, especially if the agent will be gone for more than two to three days.

It's unreasonable to expect listing agents to reveal their travel plans for a full year ahead. But Tyson says you should expect full disclosure about any lengthy absence that would occur within the initial weeks of your listing.

-- Avoid an agent who's unresponsive to you.

From the moment your home goes on the market, you'll need your listing agent to keep you in the loop on your sale.

If your agent stages an open house for real estate professionals in your area -- known as a "broker's open" --you'll want to receive their comments about the price and condition of your property. Likewise, you'll want timely feedback from prospective buyers who tour your place.

Why is feedback vital to a successful sale? Because it permits you to make course corrections quickly, even after your property hits the market. For instance, it would let you drop your asking price by a notch before your home gets branded as "overpriced."

Your listing agent should be the one giving you feedback on a regular basis. To ensure this happens, you need someone who is conscientious about gathering comments about your place and passing them on.

Helfant says one way to help identify a responsive agent is to ask the person's references if they received regular feedback. Also, before signing a listing agreement, make sure it stipulates how often and under what circumstances your agent will call, email or text you with updates.

"For strong agents, good communication is the lifeblood of their work," she says.

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

Some longtime renters have tried unsuccessfully for years to save money toward their dream of homeownership. What stops them? In many cases the problem is out-of-control spending.

"If your goal is to buy a house, compulsive spending can stop you from ever reaching that goal," says Judith Briles, the author of "Money Smarts For Turbulent Times."

Carried to an extreme, overspending can impoverish you and lead to broken relationships.

"Watch for red flags that you have a serious problem -- such as that you can no longer make your rent or minimum payments on your credit cards," Briles says.

In such severe cases, she says you may need to consult a therapist to help resolve your issues or join a support group such as Debtors Anonymous.

"In spite of economic problems in this country, a nice home is still a dream for people at all income levels. People still want the freedom and autonomy of owning a place that suits their lifestyle," says Judy Lawrence, a budget coach and author of "The Money Tracker: Find the Cash to Get What You Really Want."

Here are a few pointers for buyers:

-- Document your spending and then trim expenses where possible.

The technique of doing a budget, often called a "spending plan," isn't difficult, but requires close attention to detail, Lawrence says.

Before deciding where you can and can't curb your spending, you must first see clearly where your money is now going. You don't need an elaborate software program for this. Personal finance specialists say a pencil-and-paper system is often your best bet when creating a budget, especially if you're a novice at the process.

"Look at your recent checking account and credit card statements and then write down what you've spent for the last three months, breaking your expenses into two broad groupings: mandatory and discretionary," Lawrence says.

Mandatory costs include items like car payments and childcare expenses. Discretionary items include restaurant tabs and clothing outlays. After tracking your prior spending, search within the discretionary section for low-priority items that could be cut.

A couple who dreamed of buying a small but elegant 1920s-era bungalow found a number of expenses they could cut with little pain. The wife, a marketing administrator, slashed her clothing bills and her husband, a therapist, gave up his season baseball tickets. The couple also canceled their membership in a wine-tasting club and drastically reduced their restaurant spending.

The savings soon piled up, ultimately allowing the couple in this true story to replace a series of small spending pleasures with the much larger reward of owning their ideal city home, located near a verdant city park.

"A budget is simply a way to control small expenses now so you can savor bigger pleasures later," says Lawrence, who offers money management tips on her website, moneytracker.com.

-- Bypass budget busters on the way to your money goal.

Of course, it's not enough to create a spending plan if you don't stay on track and remain faithful to it. That means depositing money in savings every time you get paid and avoiding temptations to veer off-course.

Lawrence recommends that people trying to stay on a tight budget jot down all their expenditures as they make them. This should increase your awareness of where your money is going. Then make sure you enter all these expenses in your budget book.

Are you a shopaholic who gets a high from making purchases, but later wonders why you bought all that non-essential stuff? If so, Lawrence urges you to follow the "24-hour rule." When going shopping (for anything but food), leave your cash and credit cards at home. Make your selections, but allow yourself at least one full day to decide what items are truly essential and then return to the store to purchase only these.

-- Limit eating-out costs both small and large.

It's no secret that many people overspend due to frequent visits to coffee shops like Starbucks, a realization that prompted the chain to offer brews for frugal folks. But many people still remain unaware of how much they're spending for weekday lunches and fine dining.

Nearly every financial adviser recommends that clients take a close look at their "eating out" expenses. As Lawrence says, many people find this a black hole and realize, upon reflection, that more cooking at home could dramatically reduce their food expenses.

-- Contain your generosity, at least until you reach your savings goal.

Lawrence, who does one-on-one money coaching, also urges clients to be extremely watchful about another group of expenses known as "gifts." Birthdays and holidays cause many to let go of their purse strings for emotional reasons.

Before you buy any gifts, Lawrence suggests you write down what you intend to spend and then use the "24-hour rule" to stay within your shopping limits. Also, watch out for emotional reactions that could undermine your gift-giving plans.

"Many people give big gifts because they want to feel loved or appreciated, or maybe to gain attention. But this practice could seriously hamper your savings plans. Also, large gifts can make the receivers uncomfortable --especially if they can't afford to reciprocate," Lawrence says.

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

For several years, economists have cautioned that mortgage rates could rise as the U.S. economy continues its economic recovery. But to date, rates have stayed near historic lows -- in part due to volatility in China and uncertainty about the U.S. oil industry.

That's tempting many homeowners to refinance while rates are still favorable. Most refinancers seek to lower their monthly payments, while others want to do a "cash-out refi" to consolidate bills, buy a new car or tackle a major home improvement project.

Would refinancing be a wise move for you? That depends, says Keith Gumbinger, a vice president at HSH Associates, which tracks mortgage rates throughout the country.

"Before you do a refi, you've got to do the math. How much equity do you have in the house? What would it cost to do the new loan? And how long would your new term stretch out?" Gumbinger says.

Regrettably, there are still a fair number of would-be refinancers who can't take advantage of low mortgage rates because they have little or no equity in their property. But for potential refinancers with a positive stake, here are a few pointers:

-- Take your time in shopping for the right lender.

Since the financial downturn, the federal government has become increasingly involved in the mortgage market. The result is that government-backed mortgages now represent the bulk of all home loans made in the United States. Meanwhile, there's been a decline in the number of mortgage brokers -- intermediaries between consumers and bankers -- operating in the field.

"A lot of mortgage brokers are gone. But more of the brokers and lenders who are left are real pros in their field," says Guy Cecala, the CEO of Inside Mortgage Finance Publications, which publishes industry newsletters and reports.

More stringent lending standards mean homeowners face a greater risk that their mortgage application will be denied. To reduce your risk of rejection, Cecala urges you to choose your lender carefully.

"You always want to shop around, not only for the best possible rates and fees but also for a lender who offers good service and processing speed," he says.

-- Use referrals to help you select the best lender.

Unlike those seeking a mortgage for a home purchase, those seeking to refinance don't have the benefit of a list of lenders handed to them by a real estate agent. But there's no reason that refinancers can't also turn to local real estate agents.

As Cecala says, agents are in a good position to know which lenders will offer the smoothest and swiftest loan processing. After all, they work with lenders year after year and need to identify those most likely to get their deals to the finish line on time.

"Contact at least three different types of lenders before making your selection. Try to include on your list one mortgage broker, one major bank and one smaller bank or credit union," Cecala says.

-- Don't give out your Social Security number prematurely.

Of course, no quality lender will guarantee that your mortgage rate has been locked in without first pulling your credit scores. But that doesn't mean you should give out your Social Security number, a credit-score requirement, while you're still comparison shopping.

You shouldn't have to release your private information just for routine rate shopping. And getting your credit checked too often can hurt your scores.

"You need to be guarded about your private information," Gumbinger says.

-- Try to steer clear of "junk fees."

There are a number of costs and fees involved in refinancing, and only some of them are imposed by lenders. These lender-based fees include the cost for a home appraisal and a copy of your credit report. Also, other charges, often called "junk fees," are imposed by the lender.

To better protect consumers, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development has set tighter rules to let borrowers compare lenders on the basis of their charges. As a result, HUD now requires lenders to give borrowers an early and accurate listing of their closing costs.

But Gumbinger says it's up to consumers to carefully compare a lender's charges before deciding whether to proceed. To do this, it's important to study a copy of the lender's estimate of closing costs. This standard form, which was recently updated by federal regulators, should list all the fees you'd pay at closing, with a very small margin for changes. The lender must give you this estimate shortly after you apply for a mortgage.

By carefully reviewing your estimated fees, you'll have a chance to ask for lower charges or to change lenders to get a better deal.

Though mortgage lenders face ever-stricter disclosure requirements in recent years, their fees have also climbed because of their heavier workloads, according to Gumbinger.

"Remember that what constitutes a junk fee -- versus a legitimate business charge -- is always in the eye of the beholder," he says.

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