A couple in their late 50s spent months prepping their house for sale. They did everything on their listing agent's checklist, including cleaning, de-cluttering and repairs. They even hired a designer to choose the paint color for their shutters.

But, as with most endeavors, hard work doesn't necessarily preclude hard luck. Ten days after receiving a signed contract offer, the sellers were stunned to learn the buyers were backing out.

"Out of the blue, one day they called to say they just couldn't go through with the deal due to money problems," recalls Joan McLellan Tayler, who handled the listing and eventually sold the property to other buyers.

The lesson is that when selling a home, there are no guarantees. Even sellers who follow all their listing agent's suggestions can have problems, says Tayler, a long-time real estate company owner.

Here are a few steps sellers can take to improve their odds.

-- Look for an experienced listing agent.

Tayler was new to the business when she represented the couple in the above story. Looking back, she realizes she should have asked more questions. That way, she might have helped her clients avoid a botched deal.

Too many people take a casual approach to picking an agent, she says, noting that some make the mistake of hiring a relative, a friend or a young agent looking to get started.

Ideally, she says, sellers should opt for an agent with experience in handling lots of different deals. Those with a track record, she adds, are most apt to sniff out problems before they happen.

If for personal reasons you're determined to choose a newcomer, she suggests you ask that agent to share the listing with an established pro from the same office.

"With two agents on your side, you'll benefit from both their strengths," Tayler says.

-- Request financial details on prospective buyers.

In the face of high housing prices, many purchasers continue to rely on government-backed low down payment loans.

But to prevent a repeat of the mortgage crisis that led to the financial downturn, lenders and their regulators continue to hold would-be purchasers to stringent standards.

"Since the recession, we've never returned to the era of super-easy money," says Eric Tyson, co-author of "Mortgages for Dummies."

Savvy sellers are careful to check the financial standing of would-be purchasers before accepting any bid.

Before accepting an offer, sellers should insist on seeing a genuine "pre-approval" letter from a known lender. This should establish that the prospective buyers have had their credit checked, their employment confirmed and their assets verified.

In addition, prospects can be asked to supply other details about their creditworthiness, such as their credit scores. The most common of these, known as "FICO scores," range from 300 to 850. The higher that number, the more likely are borrowers to get the loan they need to close the deal.

"To be safe, look for buyers with a FICO score of at least around 700 or better," Tyson says.

Bidders can obtain reports on their credit scores from the website www.myfico.com.

-- Foresee issues that could arise in the home inspection phase.

These days, a majority of buyers exercise their right to a home inspection. And, if they can get away with it, many use the process to better their deal.

"Some buyers view their inspector's report as a chance for a second round of negotiations. They see problems cited on the inspection report as an opportunity to cut their price for the property," Tyson says.

In especially hot markets, a small number of buyers are now voluntarily waiving their right to an inspection to make their offer more competitive. Still, it's unwise for sellers to try to talk buyers out of their own home inspection. In fact, smart sellers may wish to pay for their own inspection even before the property goes on the market, especially if their house is more than 10 years old.

"The sellers' inspector probably won't detect the same small problems as the buyers' inspector will. But both should identify really serious issues," Tyson says.

-- Try to avoid troublesome people when doing a deal.

Obviously, not all sellers are lucky enough to receive multiple bids for their property. But if you're reasonably certain you'll have more than one offer from which to choose, try to avoid cutting a deal with "difficult people."

Perhaps you'll never have face-to-face contact with your potential buyers. But your listing agent or others will likely meet them when they visit your place. And their behavior can be very telling.

"If the buyers make disparaging comments as they walk through the house, that's a red flag," Tyson says.

By avoiding difficult buyers, Tyson says you may spare yourself needless anxiety and conflict.

"It doesn't matter how great the buyers look on paper. If they're jerks at the beginning, they'll probably be jerks to the bitter end of your deal," he says.

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

In the aftermath of the recession, the home improvement industry has roared back. That's decreased the availability of skilled contractors, including plumbers, electricians and carpenters, among others.

"Right now, it's hard to find good contractors that aren't slammed with work. We're experiencing a big deficit of skilled tradesman," says H. Dale Contant, president of the National Association of the Remodeling Industry.

Sid Davis, a real estate broker and author of "Home Makeovers That Sell," recommends that sellers in need of pre-sale remodeling take a strategic approach to finding and vetting contractors to help prep their property for sale.

"It's probably a mistake to hire your brother-in-law, even if he offers you a cut-rate price. Likewise, you probably won't do well with that random guy who hangs a flier on your front door," Davis says.

Here are a few pointers for sellers:

-- Don't necessarily take the lowest available bid.

Marty Schirber, who led his family-owned remodeling company for 45 years, says the cheapest bid for a home improvement job doesn't guarantee the best deal for the homeowner.

"An unusually low bid may be cause for alarm," he says, noting that it could indicate that the contractor doesn't fully grasp the project's scope. It could also reflect inexperience or an underestimation of the cost of labor and materials.

In the worst-case scenario, Schirber says, the low bid could mean the contractor is "planning to cut corners by using inferior materials, low-paid, inexperienced workers, or not following local building codes."

On the other hand, he occasionally encounters people who've had horrific experiences working with high-priced contractors.

He says the key is to present all the bidders with specifications for your jobs and then to ask each to break out the charges on a line-by-line basis.

Those seeking online pointers on contractor selection may wish to visit the website of a company called Ask the Builder, at www.askthebuilder.com

-- Nail your contractor down on all the details.

Once you've chosen your contractor, it's time to get all aspects of your project down in writing.

"The contract should convey to everyone involved what the finished product will look like," Schirber says.

Among other elements, this document should spell out a summary of the work, as well as provisions for permits, estimated starting and completion dates and a schedule of payments. It should also include procedures for handling change orders.

-- Generate a list of possible contractors for pre-sale repairs.

Many people dislike arduous legwork involved in trying to locate contractors. But R. Dodge Woodson, author of "Tips & Traps for Hiring a Contractor," advises against using the Yellow Pages or online advertising for this purpose.

A more reliable approach, he says, is to seek out recommendations from acquaintances who've had work done on their own homes.

"Ask everyone you know. Treat this like a treasure hunt," Woodson says.

Eric Tyson, co-author of "House Selling for Dummies," recommends you request contractors' names through local real estate agents.

"Realtors have lots of dealings with contractors and should be able to distinguish the good from the bad," he says.

Also, contractors may be more attentive to your project if they know you could complain about their work to the agent, which could limit their chances for repeat business.

-- Solicit names from neighbors you know and respect.

As Davis says, a ready source of contractors' names can be found right in your own neighborhood.

"Through the grapevine ... you can pick up the names of people who do excellent work. You can also rule out those who do lousy work," he says.

One novel way of getting referrals from nearby residents is to throw a neighborhood party and ask all who attend to bring along the name of at least one contractor they like.

-- Look beyond a single bid.

Woodson, who's worked much of his career as a licensed plumber and also ran a home improvement business, strongly recommends that homeowners obtain five estimates for any major work, particularly for any job worth over $5,000.

"It's ideal to get more than three bids. That way you'll have a larger pool with which to do comparisons," he says.

Once you have all your estimates lined up, Woodson suggests you eliminate anyone charging more than 20 percent above the median. Also, toss out anyone charging 20 percent less.

-- Survey a contractor's work by visiting other clients' homes.

After you've narrowed the contractors' field with a comparison of price estimates, you might think your next step is to ask any company you're considering for photos of completed work that could be sent to you by email. But Woodson says this is usually a "pointless exercise."

"Anyone can just take pictures off the internet. That doesn't prove anything," he says.

To get a better sense of a contractor's work, ask to visit homes where that firm is now working or where it has recently completed jobs.

"If a contractor won't give you references you can go visit, you've got to wonder what they're hiding," Woodson says.

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

Many homebuyers are drawn to condo ownership by the simplicity and convenience of living in a building where most upkeep is handled by a maintenance staff. But real estate experts urge condo buyers to exercise caution to select a unit with strong resale value, especially if they don't plan to hold the condo for long, or their living situation necessitates a need for more space or a major relocation in the near future.

"The condo market has historically been more volatile than the market for detached single-family homes. That's why it's important to think about your time horizon when buying a condo," says Aaron Terrazas, a senior economist for Zillow, which tracks real estate markets throughout the country.

Here are a few pointers for those intending to buy a condo:

-- Seek an area with a strong employment base.

Fred Meyer, a veteran broker and appraiser, says the vitality of a local real estate market is usually closely linked to the employment strength of the area. But as he notes, the buyers of condos shouldn't count on a single employer to keep the local economy afloat.

"You don't want to buy in a 'one big company' town that would be badly hurt if that single employer closes," he says.

How can you investigate the strength of the local economy?

"If you want to get sophisticated in your research, go to the offices of the Chamber of Commerce and ask them what's happening to jobs in the area," Meyer says.

By avoiding an economically depressed area, you not only enhance your chances of owning a salable condo -- you also increase the likelihood of living in a vibrant area where you'll be happy.

-- Use both objective and subjective measures to judge any condo complex.

As Meyer says, your emotional reaction to a condo building can be helpful in the selection process. But you, along with your real estate agent, will also want to search out data that helps you analyze the pros and cons of buying in a particular building.

"Look at the resale history for the building going back for as long as four years. Notice especially the median number of days that it takes to sell units in the building. The more days it typically takes to go from list to sell, the less liquid the building," Meyer says.

Also, he says you should be sure to check the "reserves" of the building, which translates to the amount of money owners there have set aside for key repairs and renovations.

"If the building needs a new roof and there's no money available for this, all the owners could be hit with a big special assessment. A poorly financed building can become run-down, making it less desirable for future owners," Meyer says.

-- Avoid buying in a building with rock-bottom condo fees.

Nearly all condo buildings impose fees on residents. Among other expenses, these monthly charges cover the cost of routine upkeep on a building and its grounds, along with support services, like a concierge at the front entrance.

Tom Early, a real estate broker and past president of the National Association of Exclusive Buyer Agents, says condo buyers sometimes shop for a building with the lowest possible monthly fees to help curtail their expenditures. But seeking out a building with rock-bottom fees could be a mistake.

"Nearly always, you get only what you pay for in condo fees. A building with surprisingly low fees might actually decline in value, due to poor maintenance. That could make your unit hard to sell in the future," he says.

-- Steer clear of a building with a high proportion of renters.

Homebuyer advocates are wary of buildings in which a large percentage of the units have been rented out by their owners.

"Owner-occupants feel a natural pressure to ensure that a building is adequately maintained and has plenty of money set aside in reserves for future repairs and improvements. Renters feel no such natural pressure," Meyer says.

What percentage of owner-occupants is sufficient? That depends on the location of the building. In most cases, Meyer says you'll want to see more than half the units occupied by owners. However, this rule may not hold in a resort community where seasonal rentals are the norm.

Even though it's not wise to choose a building with a large number of renters, Meyer says it's also important to avoid a building that prohibits owners from renting out their units should they wish to do so.

-- Shop wisely for the right unit within a condo building.

Even in the ideal building, not all apartments are created equal.

Meyer says it's usually unwise to buy one of the most expensive condos in a building.

"Buying one of the least expensive condos in a building with much larger and fancier units will help hold up the value of your property over time. That means in the future you'll probably be able to sell more quickly and for more money. In real estate, you always want progression in values rather than regression," he says.

-- Make sure you love the condo you're buying.

Statistics yield a lot of information about the desirability of a condo building. But your emotional response to a building can also be telling, Meyer says.

"Make sure you really love the condo with both heart and soul. If you love it wholeheartedly, chances are good others will love it, too," he says.

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