For several years, first-time homebuyers have found market conditions in popular neighborhoods extremely frustrating. Not only have prices risen steadily, but affordable properties have been in very short supply, often resulting in multiple bidding wars and arrogant sellers.

Fortunately for buyers, the pace of price increases has slowed, and inventories are gradually rebuilding. Yet even now, wannabe homeowners can face indifferent sellers, cautions Eve Alexander, a longtime Florida real estate broker.

How can buyers avoid the needless aggravation of trying to deal with indifferent sellers? Alexander says there are several red flags that can help identify them from the outset. One is a listing containing multiple exclusions for items that would normally be included in a sale.

“I’ve seen sellers demanding to keep all their light fixtures, ceiling fans, window treatments, rosebushes and pool accessories. This greedy attitude tells me they could care less about negotiating a fair deal with buyers,” she says.

Why do some ambivalent buyers put their property on the market if they’re not serious about selling? Alexander says one explanation is that they own the property free and clear and have no financial urgency to let go. This includes retirees who have mixed feelings about moving.

“People who’ve lived in a house for many years and raised their kids there can have powerful emotional ties to the place,” she says.

Another category of ambivalent sellers includes people who are easily able to rent out their place to either short- or long-term tenants. They know they can still keep up a strong cash flow if they don’t receive an offer to their liking.

“These people might try a ridiculously high list price and then bail out if they don’t get all the money they’re seeking,” says Alexander, who’s affiliated with the National Association of Exclusive Buyer Agents (naeba.org).

Though a few owners lack serious motivation to sell, many others are eager, perhaps because they’re getting divorced, have gotten a job in a distant area or need to trade up because of a growing family. Here are a few pointers on finding truly motivated sellers:

-- Rule out properties offered by “market testers.”

How can you identify sellers who are merely testing the market and will never negotiate seriously with anyone who bids even a dollar under their lofty list price?

Eric Tyson, co-author of “Home Buying for Dummies,” recommends you ask your agent to find out if previous offers have come in on the property you want. If the owners have already rebuffed one or more decent offers without so much as a counterbid, this indicates they’ll probably resist reason with you, too.

The good news for buyers is that information on past offers is often readily available through the listing agent.

While there’s no harm in trying to reason with market testers, Tyson says you can waste a lot of time and energy trying to budge people who won’t even entertain a fair offer. Better to look for someone who’s eager to sell.

-- Seek all you can learn about the sellers’ equity position.

If you’re zeroing in on a particular property, Alexander says it’s wise to inform yourself on the sellers’ ownership stake before you bid. As she says, those with more equity have more potential room for compromise.

“What you’re looking for are insights into the mindset of the sellers,” Alexander says.

One source of clues on the owners’ equity position can be found by searching local government land records. At the minimum, these records (usually available online) should tell you when the current owners purchased the property and the original price they paid.

“If the sellers bought the house 25 years ago and haven’t refinanced, they should have a lot more equity than if they bought it at the height of the market and maybe still have an underwater mortgage,” Alexander says.

-- Request that your agent question the seller’s listing agent.

When owners have an urgent need to sell, it’s normally against their interest for that information to be broadcast to the world, because it could weaken their bargaining position. Even so, Alexander says many listing agents will readily disclose such client information in response to questions.

Another way prospective buyers can gauge the sellers’ level of motivation is to ask nearby neighbors. Alexander recommends that the buyers pick a Saturday to walk through the community, chatting with a few residents about the pros and cons of living there. In the course of the conversation, they’ll likely tell you the reasons why homes on their street are for sale.

“The neighbors usually know everything -- like why the owners of a house want to leave or have to do so. This info is golden when it comes time to shaping your offer,” Alexander says.

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

For several decades, Americans have aspired to own ever-larger houses. But housing experts say the trophy home is now gradually losing some of its luster.

More consumers at all economic levels are talking about the emotional and even spiritual advantages of living more simply. It’s not only cash-tight seniors on fixed incomes who intend to downsize. Even Bill and Melinda Gates, among the wealthiest philanthropists in the world, said recently they plan to one day live in a 1,500-square-foot house.

For one thing, the new federal tax law has reduced the deductibility of local property taxes, making it less financially advantageous to own an oversized place, especially in high-tax areas. For another thing, more young adults, along with retiring seniors, are keen on living in a walkable city center, where most properties are smaller than those in the deep suburbs.

The trend away from huge houses is reflected in the latest sales data for March from the National Association of Realtors (realtor.org). Lawrence Yun, the organization’s chief economist, says the growing preference among some purchasers for smaller living is one factor translating into slower appreciation for expensive properties.

“The lower-end market is hot, while the upper-end market is not,” Yun says.

Ashley Richardson, a veteran real estate agent with Long and Foster in Maryland, attributes the home simplification trend in part to Marie Kondo, the Netflix star and best-selling author of “The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up.”

Mark Nash, a long-time real estate broker and author of “1001 Tips for Buying & Selling a Home,” says what he calls “the McMansion era” is gradually losing favor.

“With the environment in mind, living smaller is the ‘new normal’,” says Nash, who’s based in both Illinois and Wisconsin.

Still, the reality is that buyers are of mixed minds about the desirability of owning an oversized property, especially at a time when the economy is faring well. Just as large SUVs remain popular, certain home features -- like three-car garages and expansive home offices -- continue to attract buyers.

“This is a classic case of ambivalence," Nash says.

Here are some tips for buyers pondering how small they should go:

-- Clarify the difference between your housing wants and needs.

Nearly all buyers have to make trade-offs when they purchase a home. Unless you’re wealthy, you’ll need to set priorities.

“Making a priority list is the absolute key. You have to decide what features are most important for everyone living in your household. Your best home style is going to be determined by your lifestyle,” says Sid Davis, a Utah real estate broker and author of “A Survival Guide for Buying a Home.”

If you’re married or living with a partner, Davis recommends you sit down with the other person and each rank your housing priorities. Then compare notes and if there are differences, compromise.

-- Reflect on whether you truly need a large house for entertaining.

Among buyers who seek a spacious home are those who love to throw large parties and family gatherings, as well as people who believe that home entertaining is central to the fulfillment of their professional obligations.

“I know CEOs who think they must have a very big place to show off to clients or colleagues,” Nash says.

If home-based entertaining with large events is something you value highly and you’re comfortable with the payments on a big property, why not go for it? But if you’re interested in the financial benefits of living smaller, Nash suggests you consider some less expensive options for your parties.

“Why not take your guests to your favorite restaurant and rent a space for your parties?” he says.

-- Don’t underestimate your realistic need for storage.

Davis says many buyers like big houses because they place a premium on lots of storage space. Assuming you can afford it, Davis says buying a large house for extra storage space could be a reasonable idea. After all, a large house could save you a significant sum over the rental expense required for the long-term use of a self-storage unit. But he cautions against the assumption that a large house will allow you to keep accumulating ever more possessions without a problem.

“No matter how much storage space you get in a big house, you’ll eventually need to stop shopping or clear through the accumulations you already have,” Davis says.

-- Consider moving soon, whether you plan to buy a small or large home.

“There’s no one-size-fits-all for all home purchasers. What’s right for you depends on your family’s needs and lifestyle aspirations," Davis says.

Relative to historical norms, mortgage rates have so far stayed unexpectedly low this year. But no one -- not even top economists -- know when that might change. And for many purchasers, rising rates mean reduced buying power or a potentially smaller down payment, or both.

Regardless of their plans or financial limitations, Davis says many buyers could do well to expedite their moving plans if they intend to buy a new place this year.

“Whether your family is seeking to upsize or downsize in 2019, this could be the time to go for the gold,” he says.

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

For wannabe first-time homebuyers, the latest statistics are stunning -- and dispiriting. Median-priced homes are no longer affordable for average wage earners in 71 percent of America’s residential neighborhoods.

“We are seeing a housing market in flux across the United States, with a mix of tailwinds and headwinds that are pricing out many people,” says Todd Teta, a senior analyst at Attom Data Solutions (attomdata.com), which tracks affordability trends across the country.

“Due to price jumps, many people still need a novel strategy to help them break into the market,” says Tom Early, a real estate broker and past president of the National Association of Exclusive Buyer Agents (naeba.org).

One strategy Early recommends for income-tight buyers involves choosing a place that’s currently serving as a rental unit and therefore shows poorly on a superficial level.

“For people pushing to buy a first home, finding one that’s still occupied by tenants could be the ultimate diamond in the rough,” Early says.

How can buyers identify well-priced properties with unrealized potential? Here are a few pointers:

-- Search for hidden value in a home with solely superficial shortcomings.

Because buyers still outnumber sellers in many popular starter-home communities, bargain properties can be tough to find in those areas. Nevertheless, buyers with the imagination to see beyond surface issues -- like cat odors, dirty dishes in the sink and excess clutter -- can still capture a good deal on a rental property.

“There are huge variations in the condition of rental units. It’s not every property where the hedges have grown wild and the roof needs replacement. Some owners keep their homes in prime condition, even while tenants are living there,” says Sid Davis, an independent real estate broker and author of "A Survival Guide for Buying a Home."

The key to finding a genuine bargain in a rental unit is to carefully consider each property you visit on the basis of its own merits and drawbacks.

Davis urges you to consider any property on the basis of an arm’s length analysis.

“You can’t let your emotions take over,” Davis says.

-- Try to schedule your visit when the tenants are away.

Though there are exceptions to the rule, people living in rental properties are typically unhappy that their landlord plans to sell their habitat out from under them, Davis says.

“Not infrequently, renters are angry. In a subtle way, they’ll try to sabotage the sale.

“Tenants will shoot their mouths off about any little thing that’s wrong -- from a burned-out lightbulb to fictional problems with the roof,” Davis says.

He recommends you try to visit a rental property when the tenants are absent. This way, you can give the place greater scrutiny. For instance, you’ll be more at ease checking out the closets and kitchen cabinets.

-- Seek out cost estimates for necessary repairs and improvements.

For 15 years, Davis owned a half-dozen investment properties that he rented to tenants. His experience as a landlord taught him that renters often fail to tell their landlord about problems until they become serious.

The prospective buyer of a rental property needs to know in advance how much it would cost to fix the home’s problems. To do so, Davis recommends you arrange to get estimates on the costs for all the major repairs on your inspector’s list before finalizing your commitment to the purchase. Then be sure these expenses are factored into the price you negotiate.

“Rental property is typically stigmatized, so many buyers refuse to consider it. That gives you more leverage with owners,” he says.

-- Go for a highly professional home inspection.

Even if a rental property has been overseen by a professional management firm, it may not have received the same level of attention as an owner-occupied home. So, it’s important to make any bid conditional on a satisfactory home inspection.

To identify a diligent home inspector, Davis recommends you ask your real estate agent for a list of at least 10 candidates, and then interview three on the phone before making your final selection. Ask all the candidates whether they’ve gained training and certification through a professional group such as the American Society of Home Inspectors (ashi.org).

“Make sure you rule out any inspector who’s also in the home improvement business. That’s a huge conflict of interest, because that kind of inspector has an incentive to find problems where none exist,” Davis says.

Remember that some problems with rental properties may look more serious than they are.

“Often, a rental house needs paint and carpet cleaning. But those repairs should be superficial and pretty cheap to do,” Davis says.

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