As summer rolls ahead, most potential homebuyers are in an expansive mood. That’s because, contrary to economic forecasts of some months ago, mortgage rates have again dipped to near historic lows. Meanwhile, employment levels are strong.

But Tom Early, a veteran real estate broker in Ohio, says one category of would-be buyers -- those who are single -- remain somewhat more cautious than couples about buying a home.

“Relying on just one salary to meet mortgage payments can seem scary because it exposes you to more risk in the event of default. Singles know they’d be a lot more vulnerable if the country hits another recession,” says Early, a former president of the National Association of Exclusive Buyer Agents (naeba.org).

Still, there are solid reasons for singles to move toward a home purchase in the near future. One major factor is that renters in many popular areas are now especially susceptible to rising rents.

Arlen Olberding, a certified financial planner based in Colorado, doesn’t necessarily advise all his single clients to pursue a home purchase. He reminds them that there’s relatively little reason to expect significant home price appreciation in the next several years.

“First and foremost, buying a home now should be the right lifestyle decision for you. Think of it less as an investment choice and more as a living expense,” he says.

Here are a few pointers for singles who are determined to buy this year:

-- Pick a property that keeps you within your financial comfort zone.

Many people who faced foreclosure during the last recession were first-time buyers who used an adjustable rate mortgage (ARM) to finance their purchase. They were able to qualify for the introductory “teaser rate” on the home loan. But once the ARM adjusted upward, they were in over their heads.

They might have avoided foreclosure had they used a fixed-rate loan, says Merrill Ottwein, the broker-owner of an Illinois-based realty firm.

Ottwein cautions all buyers -- especially young singles -- against taking any mortgage (fixed or adjustable) that feels uncomfortably large.

“Decide on your affordability target right from the start -- before you go home shopping. After that, don’t let your real estate agent or lender inch you up above your comfort zone,” Ottwein says.

Even now, in an era of tight credit standards, he says it’s possible for qualified buyers to gain approval for a larger mortgage than they can reasonably handle.

“Being ‘house poor’ causes lots of fear and anxiety. It’s an awful way to live,” Ottwein says.

-- Screen for a home that a roommate could share.

If you shared space with roommates in a college dorm, you may be in no mood to repeat the experience in your own home. Still, as a young single, Ottwein encourages you to seek a property that would be attractive to a potential boarder, should you one day need the rental income to help cover your mortgage payments.

“Having an extra bedroom for a roommate can be a way to make ends meet if you find yourself in a financial pinch. Also, a house with two or, ideally, three bedrooms will be easier to sell when you decide to do so,” Ottwein says.

What type of home works best for accommodating a roommate? Ottwein suggests you look for a place with a bedroom suite that includes a private bath, so a roommate could live there more independently. Also, a separate, outside entrance to the suite is ideal.

-- Choose an energy-efficient place.

Once they’ve moved in, many first-time buyers are surprised by the size of their home upkeep expenses. The size of their energy bills also comes as a shock.

Obviously, some costs associated with homeownership -- such as taxes and insurance -- are unavoidable. But home shoppers can more easily contain their energy expenses by choosing a property that’s well-insulated and has substantial double-pane windows, Ottwein says.

“Be sure to ask the home inspector you hire to evaluate the energy efficiency of any property you plan to buy in advance of a final commitment for its purchase,” he says.

-- Remember to factor your social life into your property selection.

If you’re like most singles, your personal life is of paramount importance to you. And even though you may outpace your friends in achieving homeownership, you won’t want your move to make it tough to see them.

You don’t have to live in the immediate vicinity of your friends to stay in touch. But if possible, you’ll want to avoid buying a property many miles from your closest friends, even if that’s the most affordable option.

“When you’re moving ahead with homeownership, be sure not to break the bonds of friendship. Buying a house is an important priority, but so is keeping those friends who are tried and true,” Ottwein says.

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

After multiple years of intense rivalry among homebuyers competing for property in popular neighborhoods, the news is mostly favorable for purchasers. A gradual increase in inventory means more available homes. This, coupled with unexpectedly low mortgage rates, has brought a degree of relief for those who seek homeownership.

But housing analysts say wannabe owners from the current generation of millennials are extremely thoughtful when selecting a property. Rather than pick a “starter home” where they could live for just a couple of years before trading up, more young families now aspire to a place where they could remain indefinitely.

“These days, even people with very little children are shopping for a neighborhood that offers more than a good elementary school. They’re also looking for a strong high school their kids could attend years into the future,” says Eric Tyson, a personal finance expert and co-author of “Home Buying for Dummies”.

That’s because it’s becoming increasingly

costly to move frequently.

“Remember, when you sell a house, you pay commissions to a real estate agent. In addition, there are transfer taxes and charges. Beyond that, there are moving costs, which alone can be ruinous to a budget,” Tyson says.

At the national level, U.S. home values fell slightly from March to April, the first month-over-month decline since February 2012, according to Skylar Olsen, the director of economic research for Zillow, a Seattle-based firm that tracks real estate markets throughout the country.

Olsen cautions against drawing conclusions about a one-month change in home values. Still, she says the statistic should serve as a reminder to buyers that values don’t always rise.

“It’s too early to say if we’ve hit another home-value peak and are at the beginning of a sustained downturn, or if this is just a bump in the road,” Olsen says.

Is your family hoping to buy a place where you could afford to live for years to come? If so, these few pointers could help:

-- Assess the costs of commuting from a distant suburb.

You might be enamored of a very spacious and reasonably priced house in an outlying area. But how much would it cost you and your spouse to commute from that distant location?

Too few prospective buyers anticipate their commuting costs down the road, says Christopher Leinberger, who chairs the Center for Real Estate and Urban Analysis at George Washington University.

If possible, he encourages buyers from dual-income households to look for a property from which at least one spouse could walk to work or commute by public transit. That way, the household could slim down to a single vehicle, saving lots of cash in the process.

-- Factor in the utility costs for a large home.

“Anyone who hasn’t noticed rising utility costs has been sleepwalking through the last decade,” says James W. Hughes, a professor and housing analyst at Rutgers University in New Jersey. He urges buyers to take into account the costs of heating and cooling any place they plan to buy.

“Be sure to ask the current owners to give you two to three years’ worth of utility bills. Notice the trend, keeping in mind that energy costs will undoubtedly keep rising,” Hughes says.

-- Remember upkeep expenses.

If you buy a brand-new house from a builder with high construction standards, you can often expect relatively low repair and appliance-replacement costs for a period of five to 10 years. But chances are you’ll be less lucky if you select an older home, which could be especially expensive to maintain if it’s large.

“When you need a new roof on a big house, that’s going to be extremely costly, as would be a new cooling system. So, be sure you could handle those expenditures,” Hughes says.

He also recommends you think twice about the upkeep costs of a house with a lot of wood trim and siding, which will probably need extensive repainting every few years.

One way to gain help in approximating future upkeep costs is to be sure your home inspection is done by a well-trained inspector. One source of referrals: the American Society of Home Inspectors (ashi.org).

-- Take note of the trend in homeowner association fees.

Whether you’re planning to move to a gated community in the suburbs or a condo in an urban setting, the odds are you’ll be subject to a monthly fee to cover the costs of maintenance, security and other common expenses.

Before you commit to any property with a monthly management charge, Hughes says you should get detailed information on these charges, going back multiple years. Then examine the statistics carefully to see if inflation has been a major factor pushing up these costs. If so, he says you should assume this trend will continue in coming years.

“When you’re choosing a home, you really need to become an amateur accountant -- calculating not only your monthly mortgage payment, but also all the other costs of living there,” Hughes says.

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

A man in his 60s who retired from a sales job for a building supplies firm figures he’s cracked the code on an idyllic lifestyle. His secret? He acquired two small houses -- one in sunny Arizona for the winter and another in Washington state, where the summertime climate is more comfortable.

“This guy has two big passions: golf and Harley Davidsons. Every June he bikes north to escape the torrid Arizona heat. ... Then come each fall, he’s back to Arizona where he can play the rest of the year,” says Michael Crowley, a real estate broker who assisted the man with several transactions.

The golf enthusiast in this true story is thrilled with his two-house solution. Yet Crowley says it’s rare for retirees to sell a large home in favor of two retirement properties. Many simply downsize from one large place to a smaller one in a different area. Still, he says a two-house scenario is plausible for those with adequate retirement resources.

“The key is to avoid overspending on either of the two homes you buy,” says Crowley, a past president of the National Association of Exclusive Buyer Agents (naeba.org).

One major advantage of the two-home strategy is that it allows retirees the potential to enjoy two different climates at advantageous times. Avoiding wintertime cold weather in favor of life in a balmy recreational area helps them stay healthier by letting them maintain their outdoor exercise routines.

“Lots of people in colder parts of the country talk about buying a home in a warmer recreational area where they can spend the winter. But after doing the math, they can’t make the numbers work. Instead of buying, they decide to rent a wintertime retreat in a warm area,” Crowley says.

Margie Casey, an experienced real estate broker based in the Florida Keys, says that wherever they choose to live, most retirees want low maintenance. Ideally, they like all exterior upkeep to be provided through a condo or homeowners’ association.

“People want the total freedom of ‘lock and leave’ homes,” says Casey, the author of “Relocate at Retirement or Not?”

Here are a few pointers for those pondering a two-home retirement:

-- First, think through the financial implications of your plan.

Casey, who reviews retirement communities on her website, realestatescorecard.com, says anyone considering two-home ownership should first discuss the financial implications with a professional adviser.

“A planner can help you calculate what you can afford and give you a second opinion on your plan,” she says.

Property taxes are also a big factor, especially if the local jurisdictions are running budgetary shortfalls and may have to raise taxes.

“Once you investigate the taxes, you may decide to live one state away from your grandchildren, assuming that lowers your cost of living,” Casey says.

-- Think through whether living in a condo would suit you.

Crowley says buyers considering the purchase of a condo should exercise caution before making this choice.

“Going from a house to a condo is a big change. It’s just personal taste, but some people always feel uncomfortable in a condo,” says Crowley, who’s worked with homebuyers since 1993.

To illustrate, he tells of a married couple he advised on the purchase of retirement property in Hawaii. The couple chose a condo development that seemed attractive. Before they concluded a purchase there, however, they rented a unit as a trial run.

“After a brief time renting, they realized they hated condo living. It felt way too crowded to them,” Crowley recalls.

Those contemplating a dual-home retirement plan should be doubly cautious about buying two condos at once.

“For Pete’s sake, don’t buy two condos if you’ve never ever tried living in an apartment. There’s too big a risk of disappointment,” Crowley says.

-- Look into your transportation options before deciding where to relocate.

Many a retiree has selected an ideal setting without taking into account airport access, which Casey considers a major mistake.

Relying on an out-of-the-way airport makes it harder to travel to distant locations for vacation or to see your children. It can also add to your air transportation bills.

“Try to live near an airport that’s a hub for one of the major carriers. That can save you a ton on air travel costs,” Casey says.

Another transportation factor to consider is proximity to major interstate roadways.

“Most retired people want to live within a two-hour drive of their grandchildren,” Casey says.

-- Temper your expectations for visits with your offspring.

Living near grandchildren is the No. 1 priority for many retirees. But Casey cautions those choosing a retirement habitat to be realistic about their expectations for how often they’ll see family, no matter how close they live.

“Your kids have busy lives. Sure, you can hope to see them often. But don’t focus your whole retirement lifestyle on seeing family. First and foremost, choose the lifestyle that works for you,” Casey says.

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