A young couple who’d struggled with fertility issues bought a small suburban bungalow in 2020 soon after the pandemic hit. The little gray house was the perfect size for the teacher and her husband, an IT specialist.

But the COVID-19 period brought many surprises --including the birth of the couple’s two sons. Soon the family felt squeezed in their 1,700-square-foot place. Now they desperately wish to upsize to a much larger space with at least one home office and a playroom for the boys.

“If we’d had any idea how fast our family would grow, we never would have picked this little ‘mouse house,’ as we call it. Yet right now, we’re packed like sardines, and it feels intolerable,” says the teacher.

Though the couple are more than ready to upsize to a bigger place, they face two financial barriers. One is that mortgage rates are much higher now than when they bought their bungalow. The other is that property values in their area of choice remain stubbornly high.

“We’re constantly crunching the numbers. But the bottom line is that we need a genuinely great deal to make our trade-up dreams come true,” the teacher says.

Lawrence Yun, chief economist for the National Association of Realtors (nar.realtor) understands the affordability frustrations facing many such young families. As he explains, one root cause is that available homes are still in short supply.

“The lack of inventory is a major constraint to rising sales. Multiple offers are still occurring on about a third of all listings and 28% of homes are selling above list price,” Yun says.

Still, he’s optimistic that conditions will soon improve for growing families like the teacher and her husband.

“Sales in the second half of the year should be notably better than the first half as job gains continue and more favorable mortgage rates are expected,” Yun says.

Another reason for optimism among wannabe move-up buyers is that a gradually increasing number of empty nesters are now selling their large family properties.

“We’re heading into a major demographic shift in housing that will eventually mean that huge numbers of older people will either downsize to smaller homes or move to retirement communities,” says Fred Meyer, an independent real estate appraiser and broker who sells properties around Harvard University.

In fact, Zillow, the Seattle-based firm that tracks housing markets throughout the country, is predicting a “silver tsunami” as more baby boomers put their properties on the market.

In desirable neighborhoods, the generational transition will come as a welcome relief to young purchasers hoping to enlarge their living quarters.

Here are a few pointers for those seeking bigger housing:

-- Seek out highly motivated sellers.

The owners of upscale homes are no different from any other category of sellers: Some are a lot more driven to let go than are others, says Dorcas Helfant, the co-owner of several Coldwell Banker realty offices.

Some owners have no particular timeline pushing them out the door. Such “discretionary sellers” would like to liquidate but are willing to delay their plans in hopes of obtaining a better price later.

Conversely, motivated sellers have well-defined reasons for moving. Besides financial and health issues, there are positive reasons why some empty nesters seek to sell quickly. For example, the birth of a first grandchild can intensify their desire to move promptly to a neighborhood near the home of their grown children.

As a move-up buyer, why should you care if the owners of a home you like are in a rush to sell? Because hurried sellers are much more likely to negotiate in earnest.

If you question sellers on their reasons for moving, many will give you -- or your agent -- candid answers to polite inquiries.

Helfant says it’s usually pointless trying to negotiate with sellers who convey a couldn’t-care-less attitude about their timing. You’re much more likely to strike a favorable deal with people who are eager to move.

-- Don’t rule out listings that have gone stale.

On occasion, genuinely motivated sellers hold out longer than they should, only reducing their overly high list price after becoming desperate.

Their problem is that homes that linger too long on the market become stigmatized.

“It can take a while for some otherwise motivated homeowners to realize they’ve been asking way too much. But if you’re willing to wait, you might be rewarded for your patience,” Helfant says.

-- Consider communities where inventory is increasing.

Despite the likelihood of greater availability of property due to more boomer sales, there are still many tight markets where sellers continue to rule. As would-be trade-up buyers, you could do well to prioritize areas where For Sale properties are more abundant.

“You’ll do better if there’s a great deal of inventory -- which translates to more competition for the sellers,” Helfant says.

-- Keep the focus on your ultimate goal.

“Remember when you trade up, you’re buying for lifestyle. You’re looking for that perfect location, that perfect view or that perfect refuge from the world where you can find peace. For that reason, there are factors more important than price and square footage. That’s why it’s critical to set your priorities carefully,” Helfant says. (To contact Ellen James Martin, email her at ellenjamesmartin@gmail.com.)

A young married couple -- two IT specialists -- sat out the pandemic homebuying frenzy. When they finally entered the market in pursuit of their first home, they were so terrified of overpaying -- or buying a lemon -- that they were extra diligent in their research.

“Like many young purchasers with strict income limits, this couple left no stone unturned when shopping for a property. My experience has taught me that young buyers are particularly keen on gathering information. That’s an excellent trend,” says Victoria Henderson, who helped the IT specialists find a reasonably priced property in good condition.

Only after they’d rejected other properties that were not structurally sound -- including one built on swampland -- did this couple commit to a purchase of a nearly new colonial-style house with space for two home offices.

High mortgage rates and steep home prices, as well as a shortage of inventory in coveted neighborhoods, have made some wannabe owners deeply skeptical about their prospects, according to a new survey by Zillow, the national real estate firm.

The survey’s findings “highlight the gap between Gen Z and millennials’ dream of owning a home and the ability to make it happen,” says Amanda Pendleton, a Zillow home trends analyst.

Indeed, outside of winning the lottery or taking on a second or third job, many young adults fear they’ll never be able to purchase a home, Pendleton says.

Of course, those lacking stable employment or a solid credit history may well be indefinitely precluded from a first home purchase. But even well-qualified buyers must be careful to avoid buyer’s remorse.

Henderson, who hosts a podcast on real estate for the National Association of Exclusive Buyer Agents (naeba.org), urges would-be buyers to be sure to obtain a home inspection on any property they’re seriously considering.

“Rather than waiving their right to an inspection in their contract offer, buyers engaged in a bidding war can opt to have a property inspected at their own expense before submitting a bid,” Henderson says.

Reid Guthrie, an inspector affiliated with the American Society of Home Inspectors (ashi.org), says novice buyers are especially likely to fall for a property that “shows well.” But disenchantment can soon follow.

“Homebuyers are alternately excited, nervous, terrified and hopeful. Those who’ve become emotionally involved with a place must be especially wary,” Guthrie says.

Although a new roof, a new HVAC system and new kitchen cabinets are very positive elements that should impress homebuyers, Henderson says too many young buyers are wowed by relatively superficial kitchen improvements.

“All too often, young buyers fall in love with a house solely because it has new white cabinets and white countertops in quartz or granite,” she says.

Here are a few pointers for first-time buyers:

-- Take as sharp-eyed a look at the property on your first tour.

Obviously, a buyer can learn much more from visiting a home than from simply seeing it on the internet. And resourceful purchasers take full advantage of a visit.

Guthrie, a veteran of the home inspection field, urges buyers to investigate when they see furniture or carpets positioned in unusual ways.

“Sometimes the seller will use throw rugs or pieces of furniture to try to conceal problems or defects,” he says.

In an older home, a peek under wall-to-wall carpeting will sometimes reveal the happy surprise that the carpet is masking hardwood floors in pristine condition. But in other instances, area rugs are used to conceal problems, like wood flooring scarred by pets or the overwatering of houseplants.

-- Seek to measure room sizes yourself.

To make homes look spacious, stagers sometimes clear away all but a few key pieces of furniture per room. And when creating a model home for a builder, they may even bring in scaled-down furniture to give the illusion of enhanced size. To guard against such practices, Sid Davis, a realty company owner in Utah, recommends that buyers bring along measuring devices when touring properties.

“For a fairly nominal price, you can now buy laser distance measuring devices,” says Davis, author of “A Survival Guide for Buying a Home.”

He also suggests you bring to your house tour the measurements of your largest pieces of furniture. This will provide you with a further sense of the scale of a home relative to your belongings.

-- Remember that flowering plants are short-lived.

During the warmer seasons of the year, home sellers have an easy time showing off colorful flowers outside. All year long, they can position flowers artfully throughout a home’s interior.

Color is a natural magnet for buyer interest, and many are swayed by blooming plants. Even so, Davis says would-be buyers should recognize that many of the plants displayed by home sellers will be ephemeral.

“Focus on the bones of the house, not its fleeting embellishments,” he says.

-- Avoid a home inspector with a superficial approach.

Guthrie acknowledges that some in his field are more interested in packing multiple inspections into a day than in doing in-depth checks.

“You’ve got to wonder about any inspector who doesn’t want his clients there when he’s going through the house because it will slow him down,” Guthrie says.

As Davis says, a quality inspector is enthusiastic about discovering the inner workings of a home and can prove invaluable to sharp buyers.

“Hiring a top-notch home inspector isn’t a waste of money. It’s a very prudent expenditure,” Davis says.

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

Real estate pros across America say wannabe homeowners are suffering from stress after failed attempts to consummate a deal and escape their rental.

“These are folks who went through agonizing bidding wars and still came up empty-handed. They’re jammed into little apartments, longing to be free of landlords. But despite high mortgage rates, they continue to struggle in hopes of bagging a house,” says Merrill Ottwein, a veteran real estate broker in Illinois.

Because of all the anguish homebuying now entails, Lora Cusumano, a Long Island broker, says that more purchasers are seeking to stay in their first property for years to come.

“People used to say they wanted to buy for three to five years. Now they’d like to remain for at least seven to 10 years,” says Cusumano, president-elect of the National Association of Exclusive Buyers Agents (naeba.org).

Another factor causing buyers to think long-term is the desire to put down roots.

“Due to the pandemic and years of living virtually through social media, more people now long for in-person engagement with their neighbors. They want to find a community where they can settle down for years ahead,” says Cusumano.

Of course, given high prices and a shortage of property in desirable areas, it’s still tough for most buyers to obtain a house where they’d enjoy living for years.

Here are a few pointers for buyers:

-- Itemize what you love and hate about your present housing.

During his four decades in real estate, Ottwein says he’s been struck by the intensity of peoples’ feelings about the place where they live.

An assessment of these feelings is a good jumping-off point for setting priorities.

“First, write down the good and bad in your present home. Then make a list of features you’ve got to have, would like to have or are willing to give up,” Ottwein says.

“When you have a strict affordability ceiling, you’ve got to be mindful about what’s imperative to you versus what you can surrender,” Ottwein says.

-- Seek to avoid a punishing commute.

Ottwein says some house hunters make trade-offs they later come to regret.

For example, budget-challenged buyers sometimes mistakenly accept a punishing commute to an outer suburb to obtain the ideal house they seek.

“We often hear buyers say they don’t care how far they have to commute to get that big house with all the bells and whistles. Then they call us back just a year or two later, complaining that they can’t take the long drive anymore,” he says.

“Any commute over 50 minutes each way gets old real fast,” says Ottwein, co-owner of a family-owned realty firm that caters to relocation clients.

“A lot of people rationalize that by accepting a long commute, they’re helping their families live better. But because they get home so late, their families actually suffer,” he says.

-- Pick features early when buying a brand-new home.

If you decide to buy in a new subdivision, you’re likely to be faced with lots of trade-offs before your contract is even written.

“Within the standard price, some builders give lump-sum allowances for anything ranging from lighting fixtures to appliances to landscaping to kitchen cabinets. Everything else over and above the allowance costs you extra money,” Ottwein says.

These choices should be made before the sales contract is written -- but not under pressure from a hurried homebuilder or salesperson.

“To make really valid selections, you probably need to dedicate a full day to looking over your alternatives,” Ottwein says.

Procrastinators may discover belatedly that they’ve gone over budget to fulfill a strong desire for, say, quartz countertops in the kitchen.

Money-constrained buyers who confront hard choices may wish to defer those items that can be readily installed later, such as upgraded landscaping.

-- Question your willingness to buy a fixer-upper.

Given your budget ceiling, you may think purchasing an older home in poor condition is a smart way to shoehorn yourself into a coveted community or to obtain the largest possible property with limited funds.

But Ottwein cautions that fixer-uppers often require vastly more money and effort to repair than would-be buyers believe.

“Where there are problems on the surface, there are frequently much bigger problems behind the walls,” he says.

Money-strapped purchasers can get reliable estimates on the cost of restoring a property to its former glory before committing to a purchase. For bids on the work, your real estate agent should be able to help arrange for contractors.

Planning to tackle the home improvement work yourself? If so, you may wish to canvass friends who know you well. Ask them if they think do-it-yourself work is a realistic option for you -- both from the point of view of your skill and available time.

“If you feel you must accept a ‘fixer’ to afford the kind of house you want, at least go in with your eyes wide open,” Ottwein says.

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