For several years, homebuyers in popular neighborhoods have been plagued with the problem of tight inventories. Especially in starter-home communities, there have been more buyers than sellers. The result: multiple bidding drama.

Finally, that situation is gradually easing, says Daryl Fairweather, the chief economist of Redfin (redfin.com), a national real estate brokerage. At long last, the inventory crunch is starting to subside. In coveted areas, prices are still ascending, but at a slower rate.

These market changes are beginning to give buyers a breather, helping offset the rise in mortgage rates and making the home search process feel less frantic.

Experienced real estate pros say sellers are slower than buyers to catch on to market changes. Given human nature, some owners are still trying to “test the market” with very high list prices, which can cause a house to get stigmatized and then to languish unsold for an extended period.

This can create buying opportunities for attentive purchasers, says Dorcas Helfant, the co-owner of several realty firms. These opportunities occur when the owners of an overpriced home are compelled to move away with the place still unsold, leaving it vacant.

Helfant, a past president of the National Association of Realtors (realtor.org), says that after a property has gone vacant, the owners typically become much more motivated to negotiate, because they face substantial carrying costs.

With current market conditions gradually easing for buyers, Helfant says it’s possible to get a good deal on a vacant property. But, as always, she urges buyers to exercise caution, especially if the property you’re considering is vacant due to foreclosure.

Here are a few pointers for buyers:

-- Attempt to find out who’s owned and occupied a vacant place.

It’s tough to gain details on a house that’s been vacant for months because its owners moved away. It’s still harder if the empty property has gone back to the bank through foreclosure.

“The bank won’t tell you anything. And, frankly, the folks at the bank -- or the real estate agent they’ve hired -- probably won’t know much about the people who lived there,” says Merrill Ottwein, a former president of the National Association of Exclusive Buyer Agents (naeba.org).

To get the scoop on a vacant property that interests you, your best sources are often neighbors.

“Those living nearby probably know something about the skeletons in the closet," Ottwein says.

-- Schedule a “pre-inspection” of a vacant place.

Perhaps the vacant property you like has gone unsold for so long that you’re nervous about hidden defects. In fact, you don’t even want to make an offer until you know more. In such cases, Ottwein advises hiring a home inspector to take a preliminary look.

What are the advantages of hiring an inspector to check a property before (rather than after) you’ve submitted your bid?

“If you decide to go through with the purchase, a pre-inspection will let you set your bid based on findings from the inspection. Then, if you decide to back out of the deal, you can walk away without complications,” Ottwein says.

-- Ensure that the utilities are on during the inspection.

Cost-conscious banks that own foreclosed property sometimes shut off utility service to the vacant homes they own. But a lack of utility service poses a challenge to home inspectors.

“In fact, it’s useless to do an inspection when the utilities are off. You can’t tell if the cooling, heating and plumbing are functioning correctly,” Helfant says.

She strongly recommends you always have a home inspection on a vacant property -- if not before a bid is submitted, then after. And even if you have to pay to get utility service restored, she says it’s worth the expense.

“It shouldn’t be too costly to get the utilities restored for just a five-day period or so,” she says.

-- Review your bid before finalizing your offer.

“Before you write your offer, you and your agent should take a careful look at the recent sales history in your neighborhood. As always, you have to be careful to avoid overpaying,” Ottwein says.

Ideally, you’ll want to examine at least three similar properties that have sold in the immediate area in the past three to six months -- adjusting for differences, such as a larger garage or a second fireplace.

Although you’ll want to take a home’s condition into account when judging its market value, Ottwein advises against seeking out-of-proportion discounts to compensate for superficial shortcomings. Also, don’t get greedy and demand too many small concessions.

“The market might be slightly better for buyers now. But that doesn’t mean you can take the owners to the cleaners. Forget about small issues like the neon yellow kitchen walls you want repainted or replacing that cheap light fixture in the dining room. Focus on the big picture,” he says.

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

A real estate agent cherishes the one-story ranch house she’s owned and babied for 14 years. To enhance her place, she recently painted the entire interior. She also sanded and polished her hardwood floors and expanded the kitchen, making it light, bright and open to the dining area.

This agent can’t bear the thought of selling her beloved sanctuary. But that sentiment is now competing with her engagement to a man from another city where she plans to move, however temporarily. So, to buy time before making a final decision, she’s placed the property on the rental market.

“She’s holding her breath that a rental will work out without any serious problems, and so am I,” says Elizabeth Weintraub, a colleague and friend of the property’s owner.

Weintraub, a real estate broker who’s sold homes since 1979, says the odds are good her friend will do well as a landlady because of her background in the housing field. But she said many homeowners who convert a residence to a rental property are more naive about what that entails.

For instance, Weintraub tells the true story of a couple of clients who had a terrible experience renting out their house to a pair of doctors. When it came time to sell the place, the doctors were so angry at being uprooted that they poured castor oil all over the white wall-to-wall carpet.

In recent years, many local governments have tightened regulations protecting tenants. As Weintraub says, longtime renters are typically much more familiar with these regulations than are first-time landlords, which puts them at a disadvantage if a dispute develops.

Here are a few pointers for homeowners considering a temporary rental:

-- Inform yourself about your local rental market.

Sid Davis, a real estate broker and author of “A Survival Guide to Selling a Home,” says that before deciding to convert your residence to a rental, you should make sure the numbers work for you.

As he notes, most large realty firms have rental departments that can help you assess the relative strength of your local market. Agents who list many rentals on the Multiple Listing Service can quickly estimate how much rental income your property could command.

Advertising (online or in print) can also help, Davis says. Survey the ads to see how numerous they are for your type of property (single family, townhouse or condo-apartment) and going rents.

“You might even wish to run a test ad to check out your rental market. This is not unethical, so long as you don’t mislead any potential tenants,” he says.

-- Consider professional management for your rental property.

Mark Nash, a longtime real estate broker and author of “1001 Tips for Buying and Selling a Home,” says it could be sensible to consider engaging a professional manager to oversee the property.

“Many people find it annoying to be a landlord. It’s like being a parent,” says Nash, who owned several rental units for a period spanning 11 years.

He says the sole downside of hiring a good rental manager -- who’s best found through personal referrals -- is that this service will cut into your rental income. That could pinch your budget if you’re operating with a narrow profit margin.

-- Investigate the financial implications of renting your home.

Most landlords want to be sure they’d have a positive cash flow from their rental, meaning they’ll bring in more than enough income to cover their mortgage payments after taking into account property taxes and insurance costs.

When assessing the financial impact of converting your place to a rental, even a temporary one, Nash says you should be sure to factor in home maintenance expenses.

“Upkeep can be a big item,” he says.

You’ll also want to consider the tax implications of renting out your home. To do so, Nash recommends you call an accountant for advice.

-- Realize you’ll likely need to empty your home of tenants before you sell.

Do you intend to rent out your place temporarily with the expectation that you’ll probably sell in the future? If so, Davis says you should be aware that it can be tricky trying to sell a home when it’s occupied by tenants.

To avoid this problem, Davis recommends you plan to have your property vacated for at least a month before it hits the market. That way you’ll have time to paint, clean and do repairs before it’s available for showings.

-- Make sure you have the temperament to handle renting.

Once a home is sold, most people close the door and move on emotionally. Not so when you’re renting out a property, Davis says.

“Psychologically as well as financially, people still have an umbilical cord attached to a property they own while tenants are living there. If you know you lack the nerves you need for renting and yet you must move, you might be better off selling without delay,” he says.

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

A newly married couple are finally expecting to move in together this month. But they’ve decided to rent for a brief period, advancing slowly and methodically toward a home purchase sometime next year.

Felipe Chacon, a housing economist with Trulia, the real estate research firm, doesn’t know the couple in this true story. But he’s not surprised they’re taking a wait-and-see approach to homeownership.

“There are a lot of headwinds hitting buyers right now. Affordability has been a growing concern for several years, and now mortgage rates are starting to pick up,” Chacon says.

“People ... know we could be due for a recession and ... hope conditions will be better for buyers next year,” Chacon says.

One potential sign that the strong seller’s market is starting to recede is that more owners are now marking down the list prices on their properties. According to a Trulia analysis, the share of sellers taking price cuts has shot up in recent months. Indeed, the number of cuts has now grown to its highest level in four years.

Meanwhile, sales of newly constructed homes fell sharply in September, reflecting a weakening in the seller’s market. And Lawrence Yun, chief economist for the National Association of Realtors (realtor.org), reports that sales of existing homes also dropped in September.

“This is the lowest existing home sales level since November 2015,” Yun says.

Here are a few pointers for potential homebuyers planning ahead for 2019:

-- Find an experienced real estate agent to help guide you.

People who are relocating, whether for a job change or to buy a more spacious place -- 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 and former president of the National Association of Exclusive Buyer Agents (naeba.org).

Before you start looking at specific properties, a strong agent will help you navigate the new locale, supplying you with data on home prices and valuation trends, relative school performance statistics and information on nearby amenities, such as parks and hiker-biker trails.

-- Avoid any agent who tries to rush you.

Although agents are compensated on commission, and therefore don’t make any money until a sale goes through, a reputable one won’t try to hurry you into a purchase before you’re ready, says Eric Tyson, co-author of “Home Buying for Dummies.”

“It’s a big red flag if an agent starts pushing you,” he says.

Of course, it’s not fair to ask the agent to spend multiple weekends over months showing you properties unless you’re progressing toward your goal of homeownership. Every veteran agent has had to cut ties with clients who looked continuously without any serious intention of buying.

Still, as Tyson says, it’s not unreasonable to spend up to six months doing intermittent (yet focused) outings with an agent before committing to a property purchase in an area that’s new to you.

-- Supplement 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 high-rise condo, 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.

“By visiting a lot of open houses, you can narrow down what you do and don’t like in a home. Eliminating alternatives can be extremely useful in narrowing your search,” Early says.

Many open houses are heavily advertised with street signs posted by the listing agents for the properties. If you’re considering condo-apartments, however, Early suggests you consult local newspaper or internet advertising for open house details.

-- Conduct your own on-the-ground research.

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

“People usually know their neck of the woods as well as any professional who sells property there. Unless they’re trying to unload their home, the neighbors will tell you the real skinny about traffic tie-ups, school problems and noise issues,” Early says.

What’s the best way to approach neighborhood residents? He recommends you walk through the community on a weekend afternoon when many people are likely to be out in their yards. Tell them you admire their neighborhood and are considering a move there. Then feel free to politely pose a few questions.

“If people start giving you the cold shoulder, you can bet that neighborhood is unfriendly. For that reason alone, you may want to drop it from your list,” Early says.

Those considering a condo may find it harder to chat with a building’s residents, though some may talk to you as they enter or exit the complex. Also, an agent who lists property in that building could line up resident contacts for you.

“People are remarkably candid about the places where they live, and if you approach them in a genial way, most will genuinely give you the context you need to help choose an amazing property in a very livable area,” Early says.

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