If you’re like millions of Americans, your life has been profoundly impacted by the COVID-19 crisis. But perhaps you’re different from some of the pessimists who abound nowadays. Maybe you perceive positive possibilities in the current situation -- especially when it comes to real estate.

Suppose you’ve long planned to sell your home. If so, would now be a favorable time to put your place on the market? That depends on where you live and your level of equity, housing specialists say.

For the time being at least, there are plenty of indicators supporting the view that this is still a sellers’ market in many communities, says Jeff Tucker, an economist for Zillow, the national real estate company.

Tucker notes that the availability of near-record-low mortgage rates is helping fuel a brisk pace of home sales this summer. In many parts of the country, buyers are compelled to compete over fewer and fewer listings.

“The flow of new listings has recovered somewhat, but not fast enough to replace all the recent sales, so inventory continues to plumb new record lows,” Tucker says.

At the same time, for fundamental economic and demographic reasons, the shortage of available homes continues to push up prices, despite the reality that the overall economy remains in recession.

In one very positive sign for sellers, Lawrence Yun, the chief economist for the National Association of Realtors (realtor.org), reports that prices are still rising in a stunning 96% of U.S. metro areas.

“Home prices have held up well due to a combination of very strong demand for housing and a limited supply of homes for sale,” Yun says.

Yet, as Tucker points out, there are several factors that explain why many would-be sellers have been staying on the sidelines during the outbreak.

“There’s no single reason sellers have been slow to return. But some possibilities include reluctance to have strangers tour their home; concerns about difficulty getting their next home; and an assumption that they couldn’t sell for a high price now,” Tucker says.

Obviously, the decision on whether to move during the pandemic is a personal choice, especially for households susceptible to serious consequences from the virus. Yet those in lower-risk categories might consider this an opportune time to make a housing transition.

“Granted, it’s a lot less convenient selling a place when an infectious disease is spreading. But the real estate industry is doing a terrific job with modified showings and virtual tours. That means for most sellers, showings shouldn’t present much of a barrier,” says Mark Nash, a longtime broker and author of “1001 Tips for Buying and Selling a Home.”

But as Nash notes, any decision on the timing of a home sale depends in large measure on your financial position and the realities of your neighborhood market. He encourages would-be sellers to investigate these factors before finalizing any moving plans.

Here are a couple of pointers for sellers:

-- Get a grip on your home’s value.

As always, a minority of real estate agents might try to flatter you into hiring them by suggesting your property is worth more than it truly is, says Dorcas Helfant, a Coldwell Banker broker-owner and former president of the National Association of Realtors.

“You don’t want a fantasyland answer about your home’s value. You want your agent to be brutally honest -- to give you ‘tough love’ when it comes to the value and condition of your place,” she says.

One way to increase the odds of finding a realistic listing agent is to interview at least three prospects before making your selection. Ask each to do a “comparative market analysis” on your property, using recent data from like home sales in your area as a basis to set the appropriate list price.

“Think twice about hiring any agent who comes in with a proposed list price way above the other agents you’ve surveyed,” Helfant says.

-- Crunch statistics to assess your sales prospects.

Besides the location and condition of your home, another factor could strongly influence how much cash you’d receive if you were to sell: neighborhood competition.

“The inventory of rival homes available in your immediate area has a huge influence on local property values,” Nash says. By “inventory,” he means the supply of unsold properties now on the market.

For example, if there’s a three-month supply of unsold homes currently for sale in your market, you can expect to wait longer (and receive less in proceeds) than if there’s a one-month supply.

Nash recommends you ask your listing agent for a graph showing fluctuations in inventory levels for your community over the last 12 months. Also, ask for a similar chart showing what percentage of list price, on average, sellers have been receiving.

“If your home is priced right from the outset, it should fetch at least 95% to 100% of your list price -- or even more than the list price. What’s more, this gap should be narrowing rather than widening,” Nash says.

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

Due in large measure to the pandemic, Americans’ preferences on where and how to live are clearly evolving, according to real estate specialists.

“We are at the dawn of a great reshuffling,” says Rich Barton, CEO of Zillow, which tracks housing markets throughout the country.

The living patterns that have taken hold as a result of COVID-19 are persuading millions of people -- those who can afford to buy in an uncertain economy -- to consider moves to larger and less urban spaces. With so much time now spent at home, many have recast their priorities.

“Home offices are in high demand. Backyards are more desirable than parks and gyms. Work-from-home policies are eliminating the commute for many. There’s an endless list of considerations,” Barton says.

Take the case of an engaged couple in their early 30s who work for New York-based finance firms. Last year, they intended to make their first purchase a city condo. But after discovering the delights of working remotely in an exurban location, they now expect their initial property to be a spacious suburban house with two home offices and property sizable enough for an in-ground pool.

Tom Early, a veteran real estate broker, doesn’t know the engaged couple in this true story. But he says they’re typical of many wannabe homeowners, whose priorities are now in flux after months working from home.

“A lot of these folks are even surprising themselves about their changes of heart. Last year they wanted city, city, city. But many months working remotely have altered their thinking on the best way to live,” says Early, a past president of the National Association of Exclusive Buyer Agents (naeba.org).

Besides their enthusiasm for the freedom that comes with working remotely, many buyers are also excited by the chance to get a more spacious house for their money, due to near-record-low mortgage rates.

“People who didn’t imagine ever affording (a) 4,000-square-foot house with a gigantic kitchen can now picture that -- assuming they grab a low-cost mortgage and head miles outside the city,” Early says.

Stacy Berman, a longtime agent affiliated with the Residential Real Estate Council (crs.com), understands the zeal of young adults with solid jobs who are now considering a move to a less-populated town or outlying area. Like the engaged couple, many believe they’ll be allowed to continue working from home indefinitely.

But Berman urges such would-be buyers to project how their lives -- and priorities -- could well change after the pandemic and whether they will indeed always work from home full-time.

“If you’re thinking of moving amidst all the current upheaval, this shouldn’t be a one-year plan. You want to stay in the new house for a minimum of five years,” says Berman, noting that an outlying community that might seem appealing during the pandemic could have less allure once the lockdown era is over.

“People planning to move need to avoid making a rash decision about their future lifestyle. After COVID-19, ask yourself if you’d rather live where you can walk to a Starbucks or where everything is car-dependent and there’s no public transit,” she says.

Making a careless home-buying choice could also carry financial risks, particularly if you decide to move again in just a few years. Home prices are still ascending in many areas, but there are no guarantees on appreciation, says Robert Shiller, a Yale University economist and Nobel laureate well known for his housing valuation forecasts.

Shiller isn’t advising against a home purchase in the current market. Yet he cautions buyers against the assumption that “the boom times for housing will go on forever.”

Here are a couple of pointers for buyers:

-- Check out the economic trends for areas you’re considering.

National economic predictions are of less value to buyers than local information. To determine which areas have the best prospects for appreciation, start with a regional map. On this, pinpoint major employers, such as corporate headquarters and military bases, where jobs are expanding. Also locate communities with well-ranked public schools and popular public transit lines, including light rail systems.

“Meaningful local information, which you can find on the internet, helps you spot places where prices should rise in the years ahead,” says Eric Tyson, a personal finance expert and author of “Let’s Get Real About Money!”

-- Analyze neighborhood property values before you bid.

Researching relative property values before you put in an offer is always critically important.

“You and your agent should attempt to find nearby homes that have sold recently, ideally within the last six months,” Early says.

But data on comparable sales won’t give you the whole story. These days, you also need numbers to track the direction of the market -- whether prices are heading up, down or sideways.

Ask your agent to give you data on the median price of a home sold this past month versus the month prior. Also ask for median price comparisons on an annual and yearly basis. These statistics should give you a good feel for the trend.

“Taking advantage of wonderfully low mortgage rates is smart. But acting without a lot of forethought is not,” Early says.

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

The extra buying power that comes with surprisingly low mortgage rates has increased the lifestyle choices open to many first-time home purchasers. This is an especially promising yet nerve-racking period for those who’ve long hankered to own a brand-new home.

“Buyers are very excited, but somewhat anxious because new home market inventory is tight now,” says Sheryl Palmer, the CEO of Taylor Morrison (taylormorrison.com), a nationwide home-building firm based in Arizona.

Of course, given the high rate of joblessness across America, many whose finances have been hurt by COVID-19 can’t possibly consider a home purchase at this point in time. But others with secure jobs, sufficient savings and sound credit can finally fulfill their home-buying aspirations. In one of the bright spots in the current recessionary economy, sales of newly built homes this June increased to their highest level since 2008.

“Along with rising builder sentiment, we are seeing increasing consumer demand in the suburbs, exurbs and rural areas,” says Robert Dietz, chief economist for the National Association of Home Builders (nahb.org).

Given that many young adults are now allowed to work remotely due to the pandemic, Palmer says an increasing number of buyers anticipate that in the future, even after the outbreak is over, they’ll spend more working hours at home. This makes them somewhat less concerned about the commuting time between their residence and their workplace. For that reason, many are more willing to consider a house in an outlying suburb, where they can get more space for the money than they could close to a city center.

Among the major draws for suburban buyers are access to public parks and outdoor exercise areas, including hiker-biker trails.

“Buyers want big lots and open space so their kids can be healthier outside,” Palmer says.

Those who’ve been living through the pandemic in space-constrained apartments are particularly motivated to live in large homes surrounded by greenery. Due to low mortgage rates, Palmer says some renters planning a first purchase can now qualify for the equivalent of a trade-up property.

Taylor Morrison does extensive research on buyer preferences, and recent surveys show pandemic-era purchasers are very interested in what the company calls “healthy house living.”

“Consumers are consciously aware of the health benefits and perceived risks in virtually every environment they’re entering today -- stores, schools, planes -- so naturally they’re just as tuned in to the health benefits of their homes,” according to Palmer.

To address these concerns, some homebuilders, among them Taylor Morrison, are embedding wellness features into all their new construction at no extra cost to buyers. These include whole-house filtration systems, high-tech thermostats and antibacterial bathroom fans.

But beyond such automatic built-ins, income-constrained young adults planning a new home purchase typically confront multiple trade-offs. For example, they might need to decide if they’d rather spend their extra dollars on glitzy kitchen features or on more square footage.

Though every such decision is ultimately personal, Palmer reminds buyers that it’s less costly to add square footage when a home is first constructed than to build it on later.

“You can always go in and replace your kitchen countertops or appliances in the future. But improvements to the structure will be more expensive later,” she says.

Here are a few other pointers for new home buyers:

-- Try to capture your ideal lifestyle in words.

Where and how you choose to live has countless implications, says Doro Kiley, a certified life coach who’s helped many clients navigate real estate transitions. She urges clients to make a home choice within the context of their overall life plans.

“Always begin by thinking about the end product -- what you’d really like as opposed to what you would settle for,” Kiley says.

She recommends that couples planning a home purchase first write down their respective visions of a dream house, including both location and home features. They should then share their visions, combining the key elements of both into a single statement.

Written statements help people clarify their thinking and refine the details of their plans, as they move through successive drafts. They’re also a way to help reconcile differing views.

-- Don’t hurry the selection of a property.

Merrill Ottwein, a longtime real estate broker and past president of the National Association of Exclusive Buyer Agents (naeba.org), says these days competition among those aspiring to buy a brand-new home in popular neighborhoods is often fierce. That’s why some buyers feel pressure to act too quickly, lest they lose out to a rival.

“With so much at stake, it’s a horrible idea to buy any house before you’re really ready. Don’t let your competitive instincts trick you into the wrong choice,” Ottwein says.

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