Rich Rosa, a Boston-area real estate broker, remembers well how eager homebuyers were to capture a property during the pandemic years, when mortgage rates were near historic lows.

“People were out every weekend going to every possible open house. It was a frenzy because you could afford a lot more house at 3% than 7%,” says Rosa, a past president of the National Association of Exclusive Buyer Agents (naeba.org).

Of course, not every eager homebuyer was able to acquire a property during the pandemic. Some of those wannabe homebuyers are still seeking ownership several years later, despite substantially higher mortgage rates.

“If you’re still sitting on the sidelines, I don’t know what you’re waiting for,” says Rosa, noting that home prices are steady or rising in popular areas, and few economists are forecasting any immediate drop in mortgage rates.

Still, Rosa contends there is some good news for those out on the home-shopping trail.

“The gradual increase in inventory works to your advantage. The winter is a good time to look for a house to buy, because you’ll face less competition from other buyers than you do in spring,” he says.

Though the news on mortgage rates isn’t encouraging, there’s potentially good news for buyers on the availability of unsold properties. That’s because an increasing number of properties are sitting unsold for longer periods, making owners more open to negotiating.

Homes are selling at their slowest pace since the start of the pandemic, as prices and rates remain elevated, according to a new report from Redfin, the national reality brokerage. According to the report, the typical home is now taking nearly two months to sell.

However, Jordan Hammond, a Redfin agent in Raleigh, North Carolina, cautions would-be buyers against the belief that they can lowball those who have unsold homes.

“It’s pretty clear that sellers aren’t slashing asking prices,” Hammond says.

Another reason for would-be buyers to avoid delaying is that rents are beginning to rise in many parts of the country. This is particularly true in metro areas where large employers are insisting that more workers return to the office full-time. Rents are increasing especially rapidly for single-family houses and more slowly for apartments.

“Right now, more multifamily units are hitting the market than at any time in the past 50 years, but detached homes aren’t seeing the same surge in construction,” says Skylar Olsen, chief economist for Zillow, a national realty firm.

Here are a few pointers for first-time buyers aspiring to a successful purchase:

-- Think of mortgage preapproval as your passport.

Before the Great Recession of 2008, qualifying for a mortgage was extremely easy. Few documents were required. But that era -- and the wave of foreclosures it ushered in -- is long gone.

“Property sellers are a lot more nervous about the financial viability of their buyers. They want proof you have the resources to close a deal. That proof comes in the form of a preapproval letter from a reputable lender,” says Michael Crowley, a real estate broker in Spokane.

Obtaining mortgage preapproval also helps ensure you won’t waste precious time visiting properties that are over your price range.

-- Try to buy into the strongest neighborhood you can afford.

Most young buyers confront financial limits when purchasing property. Still, Crowley urges buyers to reach for the most desirable neighborhood in their price range.

“If there’s one certainty that remains in real estate, it’s that location still overtakes all other factors to determine the ultimate value of any given property,” says Fred Meyer, a longtime real estate appraiser and broker in Massachusetts.

Even if you can capture a bargain price, choosing a big house in a weak neighborhood is the equivalent of buying a imitation-gold wedding ring.

Though it’s taking longer now than it did during the pandemic for nearly all residential listings to find buyers, better properties are selling relatively faster.

“Before you pick a neighborhood, ask your buyer’s agent about median selling times in the area. Communities that are coveted now are more likely to retain their value in a downturn,” Meyer says.

-- Look for red flags about a neighborhood’s future.

A few positive indicators make it obvious which neighborhoods have a bright future. These include areas with well-ranked public schools and popular recreational amenities, like a community pool. Other signs of strength include easy access to quality public transportation, like a widely used light-rail system as well as quiet streets with little cut-through traffic.

“You never want to be too close to an interstate highway. And you never want to pick a house near a junkyard or a landfill,” says Ron Woodall, a Texas-based real estate broker.

He cautions against a neighborhood bordered by blighted buildings. For instance, you should avoid property near stores that have gone bankrupt or closed.

“A house surrounded by a lot of vacant land is a risk, too, unless it’s part of a nature preserve. Look into present or proposed zoning to make sure the vacant land is slated for positive developments,” Woodall says.

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

An investment analyst in Miami is keen to sell the one-bedroom condo he bought in March 2020 right after the pandemic hit. At the time, he was single and giddy about leaving his dreary New Jersey neighborhood for remote work in Florida and a more relaxed lifestyle.

But much has changed since then. His New Jersey firm now opposes remote work and insists he report to its central office every business day. Also, the man has married, and his wife is pregnant with their first child. So, he’s decided to put his condo up for sale, though he’s nervous about his chances for strong results.

Robert Reffkin, the CEO of Compass Real Estate, a national realty brokerage, doesn’t know the analyst in this true story. But he says some properties in Florida and Texas, including older condos, are now harder to sell in the post-pandemic period. That’s because values in those states rose more during the pandemic than elsewhere in the country, and they’re now slipping somewhat as more inventory becomes available.

Danielle Hale, senior economic research analyst for Realtor.com, the home listing company, notes that although sellers are still in a strong position in many regions of the country, nationwide the median listing price is currently 2.2% lower than it was 12 months ago.

Still, real estate pros caution against pessimism for condo sellers. One major factor involves demographics. Baby boomers, the oldest of whom are now in their late 70s, are becoming ever more interested in the sort of one-level living most condo-apartments offer.

“For owners who wish to unload an apartment, the aging of America is on your side,” says Mark Nash, a longtime real estate broker and author of “1001 Tips for Buying and Selling a Home.”

Here are a few pointers for condo sellers:

-- Seek to make your condo more marketable.

Mary McCall, a real estate broker in Tampa for Re/Max, says it’s critical for the owners of older condos in her area to face reality when attempting to sell. They must acknowledge that, because Florida is now more prone to severe hurricanes, property insurance costs there have risen dramatically.

While owners can do little about natural disasters or structural problems with their buildings -- such as the absence of an elevator in a multistory structure -- they can do a lot to improve the appearance of their condo.

“By updating worn linoleum countertops to quartz or granite, you can make a world of difference in salability. Also, new contemporary light fixtures are affordable improvements,” says McCall, a past president of the Residential Real Estate Council (crs.com).

-- Price your property accurately from the beginning.

It’s easy for condo owners to fall into the trap of trying to test the market with the price their unit could have achieved during the pandemic when property was in shorter supply.

“You need to look at condo sales that have occurred within the last six months and the more recent, the better. Prices fluctuate ... depending on supply and demand,” McCall says.

She points out that it’s much better to hit the right price from the beginning of your listing rather than to take price cuts later, after your condo has languished on the market for multiple days.

“Testing the market with a high price is often a failed strategy because your listing can easily become stale,” she says.

Is the condo you’re planning to sell located in an area with a lot of new construction? If so, you’ll need to take this into account when setting your price.

“If you try to push your price in an overbuilt area, your unit will just sit there. People just won’t even look at your condo no matter how great,” Nash says.

-- Request a “broker’s open” for agents throughout your area.

Of course, not all condos are tough to sell. Every region has neighborhoods that are consistently popular, says Dorcas Helfant, former president of the National Association of Realtors (nar.realtor).

“There are always niche condo markets with special cachet and almost no turnover,” Helfant says. These include complexes in popular metropolitan centers, along with those that feature extraordinary views or beach access.

But even if your condo is located in a building where demand is steady across time, you’ll want to ensure that it comes to the attention of serious buyers. That way you increase your odds of getting a strong bid or even multiple offers.

To compete with rival units in your complex, Helfant recommends you ask your listing agent to stage one or more “broker’s opens” at your condo. These are open houses to which real estate agents throughout your general area are invited. They typically feature food, entertainment or both.

“No matter what kind of real estate you’re trying to sell, you need buyer traffic. If your condo looks great and gets exposed to many agents, they’ll spread the word and bring their clients by,” Nash says.

As he notes, broker’s opens can be especially valuable to sellers in condo buildings where the supply of unsold units exceeds buyer demand.

“Most buyers trust their agents. If the agent likes a condo and knows it shows well ... he’s more likely to recommend a showing to his clients. You want such serious buyers coming through, not just the kind of curiosity seekers who often visit public open houses,” Nash says.

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

It’s no secret that America’s aging population is in a quandary about their housing plans. Through the pandemic, their properties ascended in value dramatically. Also during COVID-19, many locked in low-rate mortgages through refinance. So it’s no wonder they’re torn about selling.

Take the case of a retired telecom executive who owns a two-story modernist house that’s gained a remarkable 40% in value since 2020. She refinanced to reduce her mortgage rate to 3.5%. And her place, located in a well-liked suburb, continues to gain value.

“In terms of housing wealth, I’ve struck it lucky. But with my health, I’m a lot less lucky,” says the retired executive.

The woman has long been afflicted with type 1 diabetes. But her health worsened substantially last October when she fell, hurt her back and had to have surgery. Now she’s suffering from what her primary care doctor calls “failed back surgery syndrome.”

Though she’d long pictured her five-bedroom place as her “forever home,” she’s now leaning toward a one-level condo that could better suit her lifestyle than her hilltop house.

Stacy Berman, a veteran real estate agent, doesn’t know the retired executive in this true story. But she says an increasing number of her current clients -- mainly baby boomers born between 1946 and 1964 -- are finally contemplating a home sale this year.

The weakening of ties by boomers to their houses couldn’t come at a better time for young families eager to purchase property in the same areas where boomers raised their kids. But there are barriers to this transfer of homes from one generation to another.

“First of all, older folks must get (over their) denial that they can age in place indefinitely. Secondly, they must address all the accumulations they’ve amassed through their long tenure in their abode,” says Michael Crowley, a real estate broker who’s sold homes in the Spokane, Washington, area since 1997.

As Crowley observes, it’s necessary for younger buyers to approach older sellers with courtesy and respect when negotiating. Otherwise, a perfectly good home purchase can go off track.

“A bumbling approach could cost you the kind of win-win result you want when buying a great house from older owners,” Crowley says.

Here are a few pointers for younger homebuyers:

-- Recognize that not all sellers are equally motivated.

Tom Early, a former president of the National Association of Exclusive Buyer Agents (naeba.org), says that although the overall economy is faring well, financial duress is still a common reason many owners decide to let go of their properties.

“Many boomers have most of or all their wealth tied up in home equity. They could be compelled to sell just to liquidate funds for their retirement years,” Early says.

Mark Nash, a longtime real estate broker and author of “1001 Tips for Buying and Selling a Home,” advises buyers to determine as much as possible about the sellers’ situation before making an offer.

“More than 90% of the motivation for a deal comes from the sellers’ circumstances and has nothing to do with the buyer,” Nash says.

-- Request help from your agent for “due diligence.”

“Before making an offer on any property, you’ll want to learn as much as possible about the sellers’ equity position,” Nash says.

He suggests that would-be purchasers ask their agent to find out when the present owners bought their house, what they paid and how big a mortgage they took out.

“Sellers with lots of equity have much more latitude for bargaining. They can cut you a reasonable deal and still move away with a check in their pocket,” Early says.

-- Ask your agent to pose inquiries to the sellers’ listing agent.

Listing agents are sometimes surprisingly candid in responding to questions about their clients’ situation.

“If the owners are under extreme pressure to sell, the listing agent may even tell your agent their true bottom-line price,” Early says.

-- Don’t exclude “stale” listings.

“Some people are just simply bullheaded. They demand more than their homes are worth,” Early says.

Ironically, those who price too high at the beginning are ultimately the ones who must sacrifice the most to get their homes sold. That’s because properties that sit unsold for a lengthy period soon lose their luster and raise suspicions among prospects.

But eventually some money-strapped sellers with financial problems must wake up and sell at a realistic price or see their properties taken away from them through foreclosure.

Have you fallen in love with a house that went on the market weeks ago at a bloated price? Are you confident the sellers must move soon and will eventually have to take a price cut to get their place sold?

If so, prepare yourself to submit an immediate bid on the property as soon as its owners face reality and take their reduction. Make sure you have a preapproval letter from a reputable lender showing you have the income and good credit to go through with the deal.

“Sellers who’ve just sobered up and finally cut their price to a realistic level will sometimes succumb to a substantial reduction. It’s at that moment that you should pounce quickly with your fair offer,” Early says.

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