Ashley Richardson has sold real estate for three decades. In past years, she’s always urged owners to list their place as soon as they’re ready to move on. But not in 2023.

“In this new year, I’d wait until spring. There are always more buyers in the spring, so at least you’ve got that going for you,” says Richardson, an agent for Sotheby’s International Realty.

Richardson says would-be sellers are well aware that relatively high mortgage costs are the reason that home sales have slowed dramatically in recent weeks.

“They know exactly what’s going on with the cooler market, which has caused lots of buyers to pull back. Also, owners with low-rate mortgages are reluctant to trade up to a bigger house if they have to take out a pricey new mortgage to do so,” she says.

Lawrence Yun, chief economist for the National Association of Realtors (nar.realtor), says the home sales market has been “frozen” since autumn due to the impact of high mortgage rates.

But there are signs of a potential thaw in coming weeks, says Yun, noting that his association’s forward-looking indicator is predicting better selling conditions in the future.

Pent-up demand among first-time buyers combined with a lingering shortage of available homes in popular neighborhoods should help sellers who are determined to hit the market in the near future.

But Sid Davis, author of “A Survival Guide to Selling a Home,” cautions sellers against complacency at a time when buyers are hoping to find a property that’s both fairly priced and in peak condition.

“Just because properties are still in short supply doesn’t mean you can put a dump on the market. As always, your best bet is to spend a reasonable amount on cosmetic fixes to impress everyone who comes by for a look,” Davis says.

In spite of inventory shortages, many buyers -- especially those from the millennial generation -- retain high standards. Indeed, most buyers of all ages find it tough to picture themselves living in a house with peeling paint, cluttered rooms or mold-ridden bathrooms.

“Smug sellers can easily become very sorry sellers,” says Eric Tyson, a personal finance expert and co-author of “Selling Your House for Dummies.”

Here are a few pointers for owners planning to sell in 2023:

-- Remember the power of fresh paint.

Many sellers paint a room or two before putting their place up for sale.

Yet, to put your place in superior showing condition, further painting could well be warranted. For example, Davis strongly recommends you get a first-class paint job on your front door -- the most visible surface of your property. Also, have a painter freshen any walls or rooms that need touch-ups due to wear.

“Search all your high-traffic areas for imperfections,” says Davis, adding that professional painting shouldn’t cost more than $200 to $600 per room.

“Remember to ask your contractors to paint your moldings in a light, contrasting tone, such as glossy white, so they’ll pop out and look sensational,” he says.

As a finishing touch to add luster, replace all the hardware on your kitchen and bathroom cabinets, a step that should cost no more than $50 to $100.

-- Initiate an intensive cleaning of your property.

Often when Davis tells clients to make their property immaculate, they respond with puzzled stares.

If you’re unclear what it means to make your house exceptionally clean, Davis recommends you pick up a book on the topic. One reference volume he likes is “Martha Stewart’s Homekeeping Handbook.”

Though books can provide guidance, the best way for most sellers to achieve a lofty level of cleanliness is to hire a professional cleaning company -- one you find through referrals from your listing agent, neighbors or colleagues at work.

“Give the company a complete checklist of everything you need done. Be sure this includes meticulous cleaning of all your chandeliers and light fixtures, as well as deep scouring of bathroom and kitchen tile to remove all the mildew. This whole job should cost around $300 or less,” Davis says.

-- Focus on the sparkle that comes with window cleaning.

Chances are your cleaning crew won’t tackle one piece of work crucial to the look of your home: a thorough window cleaning.

“It’s amazing how well a house can look when the windows are crystal clear inside and out. People see the difference when they first drive up,” Davis says.

Of course, home sellers can attempt their own window cleaning. But as Davis says, professionals have the equipment and expertise to do a better job -- especially on a house with hard-to-reach windows. The cost? Typically less than $200, though this depends on local labor costs and the size of your property.

-- Enhance your property with interior moldings.

There’s a reason builders make extensive use of decorative interior trim work such as crown moldings, chair railings and wainscoting. That’s because these embellishments give a home a finished quality that usually exceeds the cost of the work, Davis says.

“Really handy homeowners may be able to install their own moldings. But most people are better off with a trim carpenter. For a few thousand dollars they can get a lot of quality woodwork done,” Davis says.

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

A nurse and her architect husband, both in their late 30s, took several stabs at a home purchase during the pandemic. But their bids in the frenzied market all failed, leaving them dispirited.

“We’d come home from our real estate agent’s office so bummed out that we turned to comfort food. Never before have we consumed so much mint chocolate ice cream,” the nurse says.

But when the couple contemplate the 2023 housing market, they see signs of hope. What’s more, housing economists say their optimism could be justified, at least to a modest degree.

Granted, the statistics cranked out by economists recently don’t seem encouraging on their face. After all, home sales fell for their 10th consecutive month in November, and the median sales price rose 3.5% from one year prior.

“In essence, the residential real estate market was frozen in November,” says Lawrence Yun, chief economist for the National Association of Realtors (nar.realtor).

Still, Yun documents trends that could prove favorable for buyers in 2023.

“The market may be thawing, since mortgage rates have fallen for five straight weeks,” he says. Also, the number of available properties is expected to pick up slightly in the first quarter of the new year.

Jeff Tucker, a senior economist for national realty firm Zillow, foresees improving market conditions for buyers.

“The two big questions are whether mortgage rates will continue to decline and whether that will be enough to bring buyers back in time for the spring selling season. In the meantime, those on the prowl for a house will benefit from motivated sellers, unusual bargains and a welcome lack of competition,” Tucker says.

Tom Early, an independent real estate broker, says buyers now on the sidelines are acutely aware of the risk of overpaying.

“Everybody knows somebody who knows somebody who overshot the market on price to compete with rival bidders during the pandemic,” says Early, a past president of the National Association of Exclusive Buyer Agents (naeba.org).

When faced with rivals, some buyers are still petrified they’ll get outbid and lose a dream home. But Early says it’s a mistake for buyers to let their emotions push them into overpaying.

He says it’s critically important that purchasers inform themselves about local property values before they craft an offer.

“To track values correctly,” Early say, “you need to go neighborhood-by-neighborhood and look at closing prices in the precise area where you’re planning to buy.”

Indeed, houses can be worth substantially more in one part of a neighborhood than another -- due to differences in, say, housing styles.

“There might be a premium for a Victorian on one side of the community versus a rancher just a few streets away,” Early says.

Sid Davis, author of “A Survival Guide for Buying a Home,” says a working knowledge of property values in their target market allows buyers to better develop an offer pegged to the right price point.

“The best thing to do is ask your agent to check on closing prices for comparable homes -- ideally for deals done in the immediate vicinity during the last 90 days,” Davis says.

Here are a few other pointers for buyers:

-- Look online for general guidance on values.

Several websites provide free information on property values and can prove a valuable resource, Early says. Two examples are Zillow and Redfin, which allow you to search data at either the property or neighborhood level.

“At the minimum, such websites get you into the right ballpark. But don’t rely on them totally because they only give you a general idea of values and nothing more,” says Early, who’s worked in the real estate field since 1984.

-- Take into account local economic trends.

Property values are always subject to change. That’s why Davis says you need to look beyond closed deals to see where values are heading.

“Unlike stocks on Wall Street, it’s rare for home values to rise or fall sharply in a few days or weeks. But local economic factors can have a big impact over time,” he says.

In a town that’s heavily reliant on a single employer, a wave of layoffs could seriously hinder values in the surrounding area. On the other hand, values could be on the upswing in a neighborhood that’s expected to benefit from a school boundary change.

-- Negotiate for concessions if you’re in a strong bargaining position.

Though a shortage of available homes is keeping prices strong in some regions, there are always exceptions to the rule. For example, a plethora of properties might be available in an area with an above-average level of new home construction.

Davis tells the true story of how he helped one client get a good deal on her first home. The data Davis gathered for this client showed that her desired condo was fairly priced. But his search also indicated a high level of new condo inventory coming onto the local market, demonstrating the woman’s strong bargaining position.

Davis ultimately advised the graphic artist to offer full list price for the place. But at the same time, he suggested she seek substantial seller assistance with her closing costs. The sellers readily accepted her request for more than $3,000 in help.

Often, sellers are much more willing to yield on valuable “concessions” than to give way on price. This helps protect their pride.

“Sellers love to brag to neighbors about how much they ‘got’ for their house. But when they brag, they rarely admit to the concessions they had to accept to get their place sold,” Davis says.

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

Savannah, Georgia, is loaded with historic gems built in the 1800s. Such multilevel houses, which range in style from Georgian to Gothic, have architectural flourishes galore. What they don’t have, however, are first-floor master suites.

Andi DeFelice, a real estate broker in Savannah, says its stately old manses are widely admired by many homebuyers. But the inconvenience of living in a multilevel property dissuades most from giving such vertical homes serious consideration.

“More and more, buyers want the comfort and convenience of single-level living, without stairs to climb,” says DeFelice, a past president of the National Association of Exclusive Buyer Agents (naeba.org).

What’s behind the intensified interest in one-story living? Obviously, most seniors planning to age in place are reluctant to buy a home that requires them to scale stairs to reach their bedrooms. But DeFelice says she’s surprised by how many young families also now prefer one-story living in a so-called rancher.

“The parents of very young children especially appreciate the easy flow of one-level living. Also, families with toddlers don’t need to worry about the kids falling downstairs, and they’re spared those troublesome baby gates,” DeFelice says.

Many with multi-generational households --a growing cohort of the U.S. population -- are also fans of single-floor living. As an example, DeFelice cites a retired couple in their 70s for whom she’s now seeking a sprawling ranch-style home in an outlying Savannah suburb. They are searching for a compound with at least two first-floor suites to accommodate their middle-aged son and his family.

“This extended family wants a large enough one-level house for father and son to easily start a woodworking business together,” DeFelice says.

All this is not to say that there aren’t some buyers with a strong preference for vertical living, including those who welcome the exercise of climbing stairs. Also, the parents of teens often prefer a multilevel house. Another factor is that most new construction in high-cost areas involves multistory houses.

Sandy Jurich, a realty firm owner in Michigan, notes that land costs remain high in many popular residential communities. And because a two-story house requires a smaller “footprint,” most builders favor vertical properties over horizontal ones.

“For the same price, you can get 25% to 40% more square footage of living space in a two-story house,” Jurich says.

Mark Nash, a longtime real estate broker and author of “1001 Tips for Buying and Selling a Home,” says buyers who are ambivalent about housing styles should be sure to visit at least two vertical properties as well as two horizontal ones.

Here are a few pointers for buyers:

-- Project your lifestyle plans into the future.

Whether you’re age 28 or age 58, it can be hard to picture your future housing needs. Yet no matter your age, projecting into the near future is important.

Nash advises buyers to look at least three to five years ahead.

“Planning for the future is especially important if you’re approaching your late 50s and anticipate retiring in the next few years. In this age range, health or mobility problems can start to develop at any time,” Nash says.

But people of all ages can benefit from one-story living.

For example, Nash says couples with very young children should also think about how their kids’ needs will evolve. Those for whom affordability is a major issue may wish to opt for a two-story house with extra bedroom space for their growing offspring.

-- Recognize that a one-level house could prove a good investment.

Due to the aging of the population, Nash says demand is mounting for single-floor living among pre-retirees and retirees. As a result, ownership of a one-level house should prove a good investment over time, so long as it’s located in a popular neighborhood.

“The market for ranch houses will intensify. Owning a single-level house in an area where they’re in short supply could be an especially good deal,” Nash says.

-- Realize the advantages of a second-floor “hideaway.”

Do you already telecommute from a home office or expect to begin doing so in the next few years? Or do you expect to start a home-based business?

If so, Nash recommends you consider the advantages of an out-of-the-way second-story office where you can concentrate with few interruptions. Likewise, many homeowners enjoy an upstairs bedroom where they can pursue a hobby.

“Sometimes it’s nice to have a getaway place in your home, where you can leave a project all spread out and go back into your ‘cave’ when you want to,” Nash says.

Another nonobvious benefit of an upper-level retreat: you’re farther from the temptations posed by food in your kitchen.

-- Try to avoid a property that would require an addition.

“Sometimes real estate agents encourage their older clients to buy a house that needs an addition. But getting an addition done is expensive and can take six months or longer. And remember, it’s not your agent’s time or money at stake,” Nash says.

Of course, one-level houses aren’t to be found in every community. However, if you’re sure a one-story house is your best choice, Nash suggests you look at neighborhoods comparable to the one you’ve targeted.

“But always remember that location should be the top priority on your selection list,” he says.

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