For many wannabe first-time homebuyers, pursuing their goal feels like running on a treadmill at the gym. They keep up the speed, but never gain any distance.

The problem is that in recent years, overall home prices have continued to escalate, says Frank Nothaft, chief economist at CoreLogic, which tracks housing markets nationally. What’s more, due to a shortage of available property in popular metro areas, he forecasts that prices will rise 5.8% between now and August 2020.

But the good news for buyers is that if they’re both patient and strategically minded, they may be able to snag a decent deal on a property, even in a highly coveted area, says Stephen Israel, president of a real estate firm affiliated with the National Association of Exclusive Buyer Agents (naeba.org).

Israel urges buyers to consider properties that have languished on the market for a lengthy period -- what are known to the real estate industry as “stale listings.”

Sid Davis, a real estate broker and the author of “A Survival Guide for Buying a Home,” says the most common reason a property goes unsold for a lengthy period is that it was overpriced when it first hit the market. Even after a series of price reductions, such a home typically retains its stigma, which results in a shrinking pool of possible buyers.

“The longer a house is on the market, the less it sells for. That’s one of the tenets of real estate,” Davis says.

Here are a few pointers for buyers:

-- Inform yourself on prevailing property values in your target area.

Many who are open to the idea of buying a stale property are novice buyers on limited budgets. To navigate the market with confidence, Davis says they need to educate themselves on property values in the area where they’re searching.

Very often, the owners of a stale property that was overpriced from the beginning will ratchet down the price in incremental drops. The key for a prospective bidder is to know when the sellers are approaching a realistic price point.

The key to determining market value is to examine closely the data on recently closed home sales on similar properties, known as “comparables.”

“Make sure your agent shows you very recent comps that are really similar to the house you want to buy,” Davis says.

-- Ensure you’re alerted promptly when price drops occur.

Have you found a home that’s appealing but believe is still significantly overpriced?

If so, Israel suggests you track that property closely, waiting for its owners to take a price cut that brings it closer to its true market value.

To stay alert to potential pricing changes for the property of your choice, Israel recommends you ask your real estate agent to keep you constantly updated by email.

“Ideally, you should be kept informed on a daily basis,” he says.

Also, you can sign up for automatic email alerts from one of the several websites that track real estate listings and price changes. These include the sites of such data-driven firms as Trulia and Zillow.

-- Create a compelling contract offer.

Gregg Busch, vice president of a mortgage lending firm, urges bargain-minded buyers to present the sellers of a stale property with a bid that addresses their need for a sure and urgent sale.

“To get the best possible price, you need the strongest possible offer, which shows that you could really go through with your proposed deal,” Busch says.

How can you make your bid stand out from the others the sellers may receive? One way is to obtain a convincing letter of “pre-approval” from your mortgage lender.

“You want a letter showing that an actual underwriter is committed to doing your deal. Underwriters -- not the ‘loan reps’ who work with the public -- are the ones who have the final say on loan approval,” Busch says.

Also, if feasible, he recommends you propose a quick closing date in your offer. That should make your bid especially appealing to the owners of a stale property, particularly one that’s gone vacant after its owners moved away.

-- Seek to time your bid advantageously.

Are you focused on a particular property whose owners have finally taken a major price reduction after the place lingered on the market? In that case, you may be tempted to come in right away with a low bid.

But Israel says it’s often wise to wait at least one or two weeks before venturing your low bid on a stale property. That’s because typical sellers will wait a while after cutting their price before entertaining a low offer.

“Of course, there are always exceptions. If you’re really in love with the house and think the sellers are finally realistic on price, don’t wait any longer. Bid right after the price drop or you could risk losing your dream house to another offer,” Israel says.

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

Real estate specialists observe a striking difference between the mobility patterns of young adults and those of their aging parents.

“Untethered from family and enticed by new job opportunities, young adults are more mobile today than they have been over the past nearly 60 years,” says Sarah Mikhitarian, a senior economist at Zillow, which tracks housing markets throughout the country.

She says “evolving workplace norms” have reduced the length of time that young adults spend in any given job. For those who own their homes, that typically also means a shorter ownership tenure.

Martha Webb, a home-selling expert and author of “Dress Your House for Success,” says that in terms of clutter, the younger and the older generations accumulate different types of belongings.

“Young adults live more casually and own more technology, including the latest gadgets. They also have a lot of activity gear; for instance, they might have multiple bikes. In contrast, older home sellers have more memorabilia and collections they’ve hung on to for years,” Webb says.

But sellers from all generations share one thing in common. They face the laborious issue of decluttering their home to make it appealing to buyers. Any sellers who fail to clear their property usually suffer a financial penalty.

“A cluttered house doesn’t sell well because it feels chaotic, and buyers don’t want your chaos. They can create their own chaos,” says Webb, a real estate agent in Minnesota who specializes in luxury home sales.

Are you selling a home in the near future and feel intimidated by the volume of decluttering you must do? If so, these few pointers could prove helpful:

-- Consider throwing a party to affirm your clutter-busting project.

Stephanie Calahan, a longtime professional organizer, says the decluttering process can be more tolerable if it incorporates occasional amusement.

Calahan tells of one former client, an insurance company manager, whose many boxes of unsorted personal papers included countless old paid bills, medical statements and nearly every greeting card she’d ever received. After several weeks of tedious sorting, she announced a celebratory party to reward herself.

“Eight of my client’s friends came over for what we call a ‘shredding party.’ She asked each friend to bring along a paper shredder. She served wine and brunch and then everyone helped shred her excess papers. It was so much fun that later all her friends had their own shredding parties,” Calahan recalls.

-- Hasten your campaign with creative ideas.

Professional organizers routinely advise those involved in decluttering to take a break every few hours. That helps prevent the beleaguered feeling that comes from trying to take on a big job all at once.

Calahan recommends preparing a comprehensive written plan that spells out a step-by-step approach. Or you could start with a single part of one room, using a flashlight to define how large an area you’ll tackle at a given time.

“In the midst of a big decluttering project, the flashlight allows you to focus mentally on a single area,” she says.

Once your units of work have been defined, Calahan suggests you allocate a fixed amount of time to declutter each area and then, with the help of a stopwatch, see if you can “beat the clock.”

“Of course, what’s fun for one person may not be for another. ‘Beat-the-clock’ might not work for you, but another game you invent could do the trick. So be creative,” Calahan says.

-- Infuse your work with motivating music.

No matter your musical taste, the use of music during an organizational project can help enliven your spirit and increase the intensity of your work. Compare this with the impact music has during, say, an aerobic dance class.

“Anything that gets rhythm going adds momentum,” Calahan says.

Though popular music is most often played in a fitness center or gym, classical music may be the most appropriate for decluttering, she says. For her, Mozart is a favorite.

Calahan takes special note of a series of books and audio collections by the late musicologist Don Campbell, known as “The Mozart Effect.” He sought to classify the composer’s work in terms of what it awakens in listeners. She recommends Campbell’s CD compilation Volume 4, “Focus & Clarity."

-- Think about doing a clutter-busting blitz if time is short.

If your house is too messy or disorganized for you to tackle, professional organizer Vicki Norris (restoringorder.com) suggests adding extra hands to the task and then conducting an all-out blitz. Many organizing firms can mobilize a team on short notice. You can find one in your area through the National Association of Productivity and Organizing Professionals (napo.net).

Alternatively, you may be able to recruit a team of friends or relatives to help you. Whether you hire organizers or seek out volunteers, Norris says you should bring in no more than four to five people and designate a leader.

"The only difference with a blitz is that you blast through the house faster. This is basically decluttering on steroids,” Norris says.

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

It was a few weeks before Thanksgiving that a couple in their 30s were offered better jobs. Though they were pleased with the offers, there was just one catch. The new jobs, which started the following January, required a move out of state. That meant their bungalow would have to go on the market during the challenging holiday season.

But the couple, parents to two preschoolers, embraced the challenge. They immediately began prepping their place for sale, tailoring their marketing plan to fit the season.

“They didn’t try to fight the season or push for too high a price. Instead, they accepted the holidays as a positive for their sale,” says Ashley Richardson, a longtime real estate agent affiliated with the Residential Real Estate Council (crs.com).

Richardson, who represented the sellers in this true story, says tasteful holiday decor can enhance a property’s appeal by giving it a warm and welcoming feel. On her advice, the couple put up the family Christmas tree as soon as showings began, several days before Thanksgiving. What’s more, they followed her recommendation and priced their place slightly below what it would have fetched during the more active spring or summer selling seasons.

The couple’s marketing plan, which included cosmetic upgrades, worked out well and their property sold at list price weeks before they had to move out of state.

Do you have a compelling need to sell during the holiday season? If so, these few pointers could prove useful:

-- Accept the advice of pros in the real estate field.

Sid Davis, author of “A Survival Guide to Selling a Home,” points out that those facing an involuntary home sale during the emotionally fraught holiday season are especially likely to challenge the counsel of the listing agent they hire. Often, they want to set a higher price for the property than their agent recommends, on the basis that they can “test the market."They’re also inclined to question the need to spend for pre-sale home improvements, such as painting or carpet replacement.

“Clients often battle their agents. They don’t like the message, so they blame the messenger. This causes lots of conflict and needless delays,” Davis says.

But those who face a compelling need to sell should try to avoid such conflicts, he says. The best way to do so is to carefully select a listing agent they trust to give you the best possible advice on your sale.

“Look for an agent who is thoroughly familiar with property values in your area. Try to find someone who’s sold homes there for at least two to three years. Also, ask for references and then question former clients about whether the agent’s advice proved sound,” Davis says.

-- Manage your time skillfully during the busy holiday season.

Many people are usually busy in December, when holiday-related activities crowd their already hectic schedules. But because home-sale preparations can eat up many hours, Davis suggests that sellers on a tight deadline consider simplifying some of their holiday social plans.

“You’re going to have to triage. Over the long run, it’s probably a lot better for your pocketbook to put your heart and soul into selling rather that expending all that energy on fancy holiday arrangements,” Davis says.

-- Don’t forgo holiday decor.

For many homeowners, one plus to showing their property during the holidays is that it should look especially attractive, assuming it’s tastefully decorated.

“Go ahead and put up lights and bring in holly and evergreen bows, if that’s what you normally do. You can also use a Christmas tree if you’d like, but don’t get so big a one that it makes your place seem crowded,” Davis says.

-- Make sure your home is accessible as long as it’s on the market.

These days, many prospective homebuyers, especially those with an urgent need to move due to a long-distance job change, are able to wrap up their property search quickly because they pre-screened property on the Internet.

“Most people are really web-savvy now. Before making a property tour in a new area, they’ve already done an extensive review of the available homes via the computer. Because of that, they land with their boots on as soon as they hit town and often do a very compressed home search,” Davis says.

What does this mean for holiday season home sellers? Davis says this makes it imperative that your home be available for showings every day and that you don’t let holiday activities block access to potential buyers who may be home shopping for just two or three days.

“A big penalty is inflicted on those who refuse to let prospects into their home when it’s inconvenient. You’ve got to keep your home especially accessible during December or risk missing some of the most eager buyers of the year -- people who have to make a job move in January,” Davis says.

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