Turmoil in Europe and political upheavals elsewhere are translating to very favorable mortgage rates for Americans. Such factors -- combined with still-rising home values in many real estate markets -- are tempting more U.S. homeowners to ponder mortgage refinance.

"Strong borrowers are now eligible for amazingly low rates," says Keith Gumbinger, a vice president at HSH Associates, which tracks the mortgage market for consumers.

Indeed, some homeowners are even considering a cash-out refinance -- an idea that was virtually unthinkable in the immediate aftermath of the 2008 crash.

Gumbinger cautions against drawing cash out of a home through a mortgage refinance (or a home equity line of credit) without serious plans for the money's use.

Scott Lanoff, the president of a small mortgage brokerage firm, says many homeowners plan to take advantage of the current low mortgage rates to pay off credit card debts. Whether that's a good idea depends on the borrowers and their level of self-discipline.

"If you're taking money out of your home equity for debt consolidation, you'd better have a solid strategy to avoid the temptation of running up those credit card balances again in the future," Lanoff says.

Here are a few pointers for those seeking to refinance:

-- Assess your credit standing before starting the refinance process.

There are several reasons why your application to refinance might be rebuffed. Perhaps you recently left a steady job to form your own company but don't yet have tax records showing strong income from the new business. Or maybe in the recent past you had to take an extended leave from your job for personal or medical reasons.

Another factor limiting mortgage market access involves what Gumbinger calls a "a severe deterioration of credit." This could result from late payments on your mortgage or a delinquent student loan.

The most common indicators of credit worthiness used by mortgage lenders involve credit scores. Lenders assume that the higher your score, the less risk you represent to those who lend you money.

Credit scores typically range between 300 and 850, and if you rank low it could severely hinder your chance of refinancing to a lower rate.

"At the very least, you'll probably pay a higher interest rate and more fees to refinance if your credit score is subpar," Gumbinger says.

Still, he says many homeowners with a few credit blemishes are actually surprised to find that their scores are higher than they'd expected.

Under federal law, consumers have free access to credit reports on a yearly basis. Alternatively, you can purchase credit reports and score information through the three major credit bureaus (TransUnion, Experian and Equifax) or by going to the website of Fair Isaac Corp. (myfico.com).

Gumbinger says you can easily find out if you're eligible for a lower rate by calling a few mortgage lenders and telling them your current scores.

"If you know your numbers, you're less likely to get bamboozled into paying too much to refinance," he says.

-- Look for lender quality as well as favorable rates.

"Within reason, I would leave no stone unturned in looking for the right place to refinance," Gumbinger says.

Some homeowners are comfortable using a lender from a faraway state that they've found through the internet. But Gumbinger says those who are anxious about the process are often more at ease with a nearby lender.

"It's important to realize that rates are quite uniform throughout the country. So you're not necessarily going to get a better deal from a lender in a distant location. In addition, you'll probably have a happier customer service situation locally," he says.

One obvious way to search for a customer-friendly lender is to ask friends, neighbors or work associates about companies they've used and liked. Or you can seek out referrals from the real estate agent who sold you your present home. Agents usually keep a short list of lenders whom they've found to be reliable.

-- Begin with the use of online resources.

As a starting point, Gumbinger is a big fan of the online information available to mortgage hunters.

You can use online calculators to adjust for different factors, including the amount borrowed and the full term (duration) of the loan.

"Calculators are terrific for comparing various refinance scenarios," Gumbinger says.

One of many websites offering free online calculators is that of HSH Associates (hsh.com), Gumbinger's firm. Through it, you can also buy the results of a comprehensive weekly survey of mortgage rates available through lenders that serve your area.

Another popular source for refinance information is bankrate.com.

-- Know your own power as a strong mortgage refinance customer.

Homeowners with the income, credit standing and equity to qualify for the lowest available rates when they refinance should expect lenders to compete for their business and treat them well, Gumbinger says.

"If the lender pulls a bait-and-switch tactic at any point along the way to closing, you'll want the ability to simply walk away. Remember that as a highly qualified borrower, you're in the catbird seat and deserve complete respect," he says.

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

Some of the happiest of childhood memories can be linked to growing up in a community with friendly people. But sometimes those seeking to find a home in a family-friendly place are disappointed, says Diana Leafe Christian, the author of "Finding Community."

"Community-seekers need to know how to avoid the common blunders that well-meaning but inexperienced people can make when first visiting and joining communities," says Christian, an advocate for intentional communities, which are organized from the outset to give residents a high level of social interaction and mutual support.

Mark Nash, a long-time real estate broker and author of "1001 Tips for Buying and Selling a Home," says many buyers mistakenly believe a suburban community with high-end houses will necessarily give them a warm, welcoming place to live.

"You could locate your family in a so-called 'nice neighborhood' only to discover that people there have no time to talk because they travel a lot, have high-powered jobs and put their kids in private schools rather than neighborhood schools," Nash says.

There's no simple formula for finding a family-friendly neighborhood. But Nash urges homebuyers to investigate thoroughly before making a purchase. Here are a few pointers:

-- Consider buying in a brand-new subdivision.

Would you like to live in a development of freshly built new homes yet fear it would be an unfriendly place to raise your family? If so, Nash suggests you learn more about the development before automatically rejecting it based on what could be an unfounded belief.

Granted, brand-new communities with moderately priced homes are often populated by many two-income families with parents who have demanding daily schedules. Still, many who move to these new areas are highly motivated to build lasting friendships with neighbors who also have kids and would like to share childcare responsibilities.

"One huge plus for a brand-new neighborhood is that everyone comes in from the same starting point. There's no established social hierarchy for a newcomer to break into," Nash says.

-- Recognize the benefits of an established community with a mix of ages.

Although a neighborhood populated with many young children offers obvious advantages for families with small kids, there are also positives for one with mixed-age households.

"Try finding a babysitter in an area where nearly all the residents have kids under 10. You need a place with teenagers or college students home on breaks to find babysitters," he says.

And what about families moving to an area where some friendly empty-nesters already reside?

"It's psychologically healthy for kids to see active seniors out ... enjoying life, especially if the older people interact with the children in a positive way," Nash says.

-- Investigate the social dynamics of any neighborhood you're considering.

Buyers who want a friendly, interactive community are well advised to spend some time there looking for less-than-obvious clues about how people relate.

To learn more about the underlying social dynamics of a community, don't hesitate to go door-to-door and strike up conversations with residents or talk to local shopkeepers. Ask them about the pros and cons of living in the area. The odds are they will respond candidly.

-- Don't limit yourself to just one visit to the neighborhood.

Nash suggests that those with a strong interest in a community visit the area at varied hours to look for patterns of human behavior. Also consider visiting on a weekday as well as the weekend.

"Walk or drive through the neighborhood four times in a day, during the morning, at mid-afternoon, at dinnertime and at 11 p.m. Notice whether people are relating to each other or staying holed up in their homes nearly all the time," he says.

-- Always factor in the advantages of solid neighborhood schools.

A school is important for more than the educational opportunities it gives students. A strong school can help draw people together, tightening the bonds among residents of all ages, says William Bainbridge, president of the SchoolMatch Institute, (schoolmatch.com), which provides comparative information on school quality.

Must you move to an affluent area to find a school with both high-quality facilities and a dedicated teaching force? Not necessarily, according to Bainbridge, who says parental involvement is a key factor in school quality and one that can be present in any type of community.

-- Remember that friendship is always a reciprocal activity.

Those who live in a supportive community have many advantages. For one thing, they can count on neighbors in a pinch -- to borrow a couple of eggs, for example. For another, their neighbors can help ensure the security of their home while they're away. Most importantly, they can count on help in an emergency situation.

But as Nash stresses, moving to a friendly neighborhood won't guarantee that you develop a strong support structure, unless you invest time and energy in creating positive relationships that are genuinely give-and-take. You need to socialize during times of celebration as well as need.

"There's no way to shortcut the process of building relationships. If you want your neighbors to be there in your time of need, you'd better build a good relationship with them and make sure you're also there when they need you," he says.

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

Europe is in turmoil after Britons voted to leave the European Union. The Middle East is in flames. China is in an economic slowdown. And at home, the U.S. presidential race has everyone's nerves frayed.

Yet most home sellers aren't worried about how these factors could affect the real estate market -- or their own potential for a positive outcome, says Sid Davis, a veteran real estate broker.

"Economic and political factors don't affect people's views on real estate unless the problems are in their neck of the woods," says Davis, author of "A Survival Guide to Selling a Home."

Of course, U.S. property markets were shaken in the aftermath of the foreclosure crisis that hit the country beginning in 2008. But the gradual U.S. economic recovery remains more or less on track.

In fact, there are several positives that keep current sellers smiling. One is that mortgage rates continue to hover near record lows, keeping property relatively affordable for buyers. Another is that houses are in short supply in many communities, and prices are still holding steady or rising.

Lawrence Yun, the chief economist for the National Association of Realtors, predicts that the good news should last in the months ahead. He anticipates that repeat buyers -- many of whom are trading up to larger properties -- will continue to make up the bulk of purchasers in the near future.

Kathy Zimmermann, a broker-owner with the Re/Max Realty chain, says anxiety levels are typically highest among sellers who face tight time limits because they're moving for a job transfer or because they've already committed to buying another property. In addition, those confronting divorce can become particularly frazzled if a house they expected to sell quickly sits unsold.

Anxious home sellers often lose sleep due to their worries and sometimes bother their listing agent early in the morning after a sleepless night, says Zimmermann, who's received calls and texts from worried clients as early as 5:30 a.m.

But Dorcas Helfant, a broker and former president of the National Association of Realtors, says the fault for a slow-moving house often rests not with the listing agent, but with owners who insist on an above-market price.

"Ask too much and potential buyers will be repelled by what they perceive as your greed," Helfant says.

Here are a few pointers for sellers:

-- Realize that hassling your listing agent could be counterproductive.

Zimmermann says anxious sellers can hurt themselves if they make unreasonable demands on their listing agents. For example, she tells how one of her clients emailed or called her at least two to three times per day, requesting a detailed update on everyone who'd toured his house and their reactions.

Putting a lot of pressure on an agent might seem like a helpful strategy. But it can easily backfire if the agent begins to resent your persistent inquiries, which could result in their dropping the client altogether.

-- Ponder the value of open houses to address a selling problem.

Helfant says that in most cases, public open houses provide little value to homeowners trying to hasten a sale.

She says open houses rarely attract serious, well-qualified purchasers. Many who visit open houses are neighbors or those seeking decorating ideas, while others are mere wishful thinkers who lack the means to go through with a deal.

Instead of pressing your agent to hold more open houses, Zimmermann says you could consider asking for an "office caravan" to gain pointers on making your property more salable. During such an event, many members of the sales force at the listing agent's office come over to critique the home and offer suggestions for upgrades.

For instance, the consensus of the group could be that you should repaint the sunrise yellow walls in your kitchen to a more neutral tone -- even if your agent didn't recommend that.

-- Remember that avaricious sellers often receive less than they deserve.

Accurate pricing is complicated, especially in neighborhoods where property valuations are in transition. In such areas, a study of recent sales -- what are known as "comparables" -- may not give you obvious answers on how much to ask.

Still, cautious pricing is all the more important at a time when many buyers -- including cash-short first-timers -- are still fearful they'll overpay. "Many people won't waste their time trying to negotiate with someone asking too much," Zimmermann says.

Sellers who live in an area with many very similar properties -- like a lot of townhouse communities -- should be particularly careful to avoid over-pricing. That's because buyers searching in such look-alike developments can easily spot overpriced units.

-- Channel your stress into a cleaning blitz.

Davis, who's sold property since 1984, says that in recent years he's noticed a steep decline in the cleanliness of properties shown for sale. He counsels anxious sellers to direct some of their nervous energy into a cleaning spree that covers every room in their place.

Showing a home in immaculate condition can give you a competitive edge over less-tidy people trying to sell in the same hamlet.

"If you're a slob and don't do anything about your mess before buyers start trooping through, you'll be punished," Davis says. "But if your house is well furnished and truly sparkles, you could be richly rewarded."

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