How many houses have you been outbid on? And if you’re an owner who can’t even get a nibble out of buyers – if some barely even bother stepping inside – are you starting to feel like screaming?

Yes, times are tricky for both buyers and sellers.

“Rising demand among millennials, full employment, and the strong economy have bumped against limited inventory,” the Washington Post reported, “which fuels price increases.”

What to do? Read on for some of the best insider tips.

* January and February are the best months to buy. Forget the “experts” who warn you shouldn’t try to time the market. A recent study from NerdWallet shows houses typically cost 8.45 percent less during those two months than in June and August.

True, the pickings might be slimmer, given that most sellers list a house in the peak spring or summer seasons. However, not only are you less likely to be up against buyers with wads of cash – they’re probably wintering in the likes of St. Barts – but you’ll also stand to profit from a time-tested truth. “If their home is (still) on the market in fall or winter,” notes the home improvement website BobVila.com, “chances are they’ll be eager to close.”

With the median price of homes currently listed in the U.S. at $275,000, that 8.45 percent “discount” translates into a very un-chump change savings of more than $23,000 – and a lot more in pricier cities like San Francisco.

Sellers, on the other hand, do best in the first half of May, according to Zillow.com.

* Generation Z is quick to buy. We hear so much about Millennials these days, but those born after 1995 caught Zillow’s attention for a very good reason: When they buy, they buy “quickly.”

More than two-thirds of those Gen Z buyers spent less than three months on their search, compared to 54 percent of Millennials and less than half of both Gen Xers (born between 1965 and 1976) and Baby Boomers.

One of the best ways to pique their interest? Smart home features that allow just about anything to be remotely controlled on their phones.

(Inside tips for anyone)

* A new roof is a sure-fire way to boost a home’s resale value. A perennial fixture on Remodeling magazine’s annual Cost vs. Value Report, roofs are often the first thing prospective buyers notice even before exiting their cars. And if yours pales in comparison to others up for sale in the area – or worse, looks like something out of “Twister” – that could explain the lack of nibbles.

Patsy O’Neill, a sales associate with Sotheby’s in Montclair, New Jersey, has witnessed this effect first-hand.

“If your current roof is an eyesore,” she says emphatically, “buyers will be predisposed to find other things they hate about your place. It’s just the way people’s minds work.”

Your roof no longer cutting it? You might want to check out the popular Timberline roofing shingle line from GAF (gaf.com), North America’s largest roofing manufacturer, given their look of luxury at affordable prices. An even more upscale choice: the Designer Shingle line from the same company.

* Play the online odds. “Studies show that homes with more than six listing photos online are twice as likely to be viewed by buyers,” Trulia.com reports.

Of course, that only applies if the house you’re trying to sell is photo-worthy. (See “New Roof” above.) And if it isn’t … well, let’s just say you might want to skip this tip.

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Autumn means crunchy leaves, ghosts, gourds, and pumpkin spice everything. And, for many, it’s also time to dig out the Halloween decorations to get the house looking its creepiest.

Fun and festive, sure. But probably not ideal if your home is on the market. After all, you want potential buyers to feel like they’re visiting their new home, not a haunted house they’ll run screaming from.

That doesn’t mean you have to refrain from putting out any holiday decor — follow these tips from real estate professionals to help you decorate without scaring off someone looking to buy a home.

1. Stick to Decorating the Outdoors

“Too much ghoulish distraction indoors will make the buyers feel as if they are touring a haunted home rather than a home for sale,” David Meek, a real estate broker with Keller Williams Arizona Realty in Scottsdale, Arizona, said.

…But don’t go overboard.

Whatever you put outside, make sure it isn’t too scary, as you want your home to look appealing, not frightening.

“I would focus on making it more seasonal-based by sticking to lots of pumpkins, cornstalks, gourds, etc.,” said Kevin Lawton, a Realtor with Coldwell Banker Schiavone & Associates in Bordentown, New Jersey. “You don’t want the decorations to detract from features of the house.”

And if you go with pumpkins, Jeanine M. Boiko, a real estate agent for Exit Realty in New York, recommends going faux, as these don’t “rot or give off an odor — or invite critters to lunch.”

Bonus tip when thinking about outdoor Halloween decorations: “Avoid being the guy on the block with the inflatable yard decor [because] it will eclipse your yard sign,” Meek said.

2. Inside Isn’t Entirely Off Limits.

You won’t want to decorate heavily indoors, but “candles and soaps in Halloween-inspired scents and colors are welcome additions to the kitchen and bathroom,” according to Boiko.

“The soaps can be neatly tucked into a small basket that you can leave on a counter,” Boiko added. “Candles also fit nicely on mantels, shelves, and countertops — unless your countertops are small. If they are small, avoid putting too much on them, as you want to create the illusion of more space, not less.”

Boiko also suggests adding Halloween pillows to couches or beds or even “simply adding candy corn to a clear vase or dish,” which you can place on a shelf or table.

3. Keep Safety In Mind

If you’re putting pumpkins or other decorations outside, Boiko advises to “avoid lining your outside steps with them … as you want to keep potential buyers safe when coming and going. If you have a porch, put them off to the side where no one can accidentally trip on them, or set them up on either side of your steps on your lawn.”

Note: It never hurts to check up on your homeowners’ insurance policy when you’re selling your home. Your insurance agent can tell you what sort of coverage you have in case someone gets hurt on your property, so you are aware of the worst happens.

4. Get Those Snapshots Before Decorating

Hopefully, your home gets taken off the market quickly, but just in case, it’s good to have timeless photos of your home. After all, “you don’t want to be on the market in January with Halloween decor in your photos,” Meek said.

5. Don’t Forget to Clean Up

Once Halloween has come and gone, take down holiday-specific decorations. And if you went with real pumpkins instead of fake ones, ditch those as well. After all, as Boiko pointed out, you don’t want them to smell or attract unwanted critters.

Brooke Niemeyer is the Partnerships Manager at PolicyGenius. She has a Master’s degree in Journalism from New York University, and her work is featured on ABC, CBS, NBC, TIME, The Huffington Post, MSN, FOX Business, Business Insider, Yahoo Finance and other publications.

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