For some homebuyers, it can be a tough choice between a townhouse, which offers freedom from the demands of upkeep, and the classical suburban house with four walls of its own and an expansive yard where kids and dogs can romp.

As American families become more diverse in makeup, fewer homebuyers are guided by tradition, according to Mary McCall, a veteran real estate broker and president of the Council of Residential Specialists (www.crs.com).

Often, the decision as to whether to choose a townhouse or a detached property comes down to the age of the homebuyers.

"Many buyers in their 20s and 30s are now more comfortable living in dense urban settings where their only housing choices are condos or townhouses. Meanwhile, many mid-life people, including those with school-age kids, still want conventional suburban houses with big yards," McCall says.

By the time they reach age 60, more buyers are attracted to the advantages of low maintenance than to spacious grounds. They may not be ready to accept life in an apartment complex, but they figure a townhouse is a good compromise between a detached house and an apartment.

Are you debating the pros and cons of a townhouse versus a detached, single-family property? If so, these pointers could be helpful.

-- Let location trump housing style when choosing a property.

The notion that location is more important than other factors has been conventional wisdom in the real estate field for decades and remains true, says Eric Tyson, a personal finance expert and co-author of "Home Buying for Dummies."

As Tyson defines it, a top location is not only one with a prestige ZIP code but also with low crime, access to high-quality public schools and proximity to such valued amenities as parks, movie theaters and fine restaurants.

Even purchasers who'd greatly prefer a detached house may settle for a townhouse if that lets them live in a neighborhood they couldn't otherwise afford. And Tyson says a townhouse in a top-flight community is generally a better investment than a detached house in a lesser neighborhood.

But what if you're focused on future appreciation?

In that case, your odds of the property gaining value are typically better with the detached house than the townhouse, according to Tyson.

"The reason to opt for the detached house is that it will have more land around it. And over time, the land should appreciate much more than the structure on that land," he says.

-- Seek out a bright, open townhouse.

Some homebuyers, especially those who grew up in a detached house, fear they'll feel cramped in a townhouse, and understandably so. That's because many older townhouses are narrow from side to side and deep from front to back.

But the good news is that many newer townhouses are proportioned differently, with wider rooms, large windows and high ceilings. Tyson says nearly all homebuyers prefer living in a property with an open, airy feeling.

But he says those planning to buy a townhouse with wide rooms should remember that their energy bills will likely be higher than for a place with narrower rooms and the insulation benefits of side-by-side living in an older townhouse.

-- Factor parking into your home-buying decision.

Obviously, anyone buying into a townhouse community is necessarily purchasing some degree of collective living, as well as some level of shared parking. Granted, you might have a garage or one to two reserved parking spots. But chances are you'll be sharing overflow parking with other owners.

Tom Early, a real estate broker who was twice president of the National Association of Exclusive Buyer Agents (www.naeba.org), says competition for parking spaces can be a major source of annoyance for townhouse owners.

He recommends that would-be townhouse buyers ask residents living there if there's sufficient parking for their guests.

"Conflicts among residents over parking can be a huge headache and a source of big-time distress. You need to think through whether or not you can handle this potential problem," Early says.

-- Seek housing in an area where residents are friendly.

Due to common ownership of grounds and facilities, residents of nearly all townhouse communities are bound together through membership in a residents' association. As Early says, the quality of interaction in that group can make a significant difference for the property owners there.

Members of a smoothly run association work together and set aside money for big-ticket outlays that their jointly owned property will require in the future.

"Check the minutes of the last three association meetings to make sure there's money set aside to cover major repair costs, like a new roof or the overhaul of the community pool. Otherwise one day you could be startled to learn you've been hit with a monstrous 'special assessment' for a lot of expensive work," Early says.

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

At a time when mortgage rates are volatile, potential homebuyers are understandably nervous about what's coming next. After all, higher rates could dramatically reduce their buying power.

But while mortgage rate changes are a perfectly legitimate concern, Guy Cecala, a home loan expert and the CEO of Inside Mortgage Finance magazine, says the overall environment for borrowers is improving.

"I wouldn't say lending standards have become loose. But they're gradually getting looser than they were right after the credit crisis," Cecala says.

To cite a few examples, he notes that many lenders have stopped demanding down payments as large as those sought in the immediate aftermath of the economic downturn of a few years ago. Nor are they insisting on as high a credit score.

"Finally, it's also getting easier to obtain a mortgage if you're self-employed," Cecala says.

He predicts that layoffs in the mortgage business -- like those recently announced by the behemoth Wells Fargo -- are destined to become widespread. But he says this shouldn't affect customer service because banks and other lenders are still hungry for business.

"What's going on is the right-sizing of the mortgage industry. That's due to the drop off in refinancing activity and the fact that home purchase volume is rising only slowly. But the industry still has plenty of capacity to make loans," Cecala says.

He encourages homebuyers -- especially first-time purchasers -- to seek out lenders capable of originating an array of different kinds of home loans. That way their customers are more likely to obtain the best type of mortgage for their needs.

"It used to be that FHA was the obvious choice of first-time buyers. But the insurance premiums on FHA loans have risen to the point that conventional loans could be a good alternative for more people," Cecala says.

Here are a few pointers for home-loan shoppers:

-- Start by going to the Internet for baseline data on mortgage rates.

Those attuned to the lending industry know that a wealth of information on mortgage rates is available on the Internet. As a starting point in their mortgage search, Eric Tyson, co-author of "Mortgages for Dummies," suggests that homebuyers visit the websites of Bankrate (www.bankrate.com) and HSH Associates (www.hsh.com).

"When you track rates online, you get good benchmarks that help you make sure any deals you're quoted are truly competitive with the market," says Tyson, a personal finance expert.

Should you apply for a mortgage through an online lender? On that point, Tyson advises caution.

"At the end of the day, you're probably going to be a lot more comfortable dealing with a local lender you can see face-to-face if complications develop," he says.

-- Try to get references from lenders you're considering.

Whether you're looking for a buyer's agent to help you locate the best possible property or seeking a mortgage lender, references are enormously helpful, Tyson says.

Tyson says a better way of learning about mortgage lenders is to tap into a database of customer reviews from a company that tracks service providers, such as Angie's List (www.angieslist.com).

"What you're looking for is much more than simply low rates. You'll also want a lender who can complete your transaction on time and with a minimum of hassle," Tyson says.

-- Ask your real estate agent for the names of several lenders.

Many real estate agents maintain a database of lenders who can be counted on for smooth mortgage processing. Knowing whom they can trust is vital to agents because they don't earn commissions unless their clients obtain financing and their transactions go through.

"Good agents aren't going to jeopardize their reputation by giving out recommendations for lenders who don't have a positive track record for performance," Tyson says.

He suggests that you ask your agent for the names of at least three lenders he or she trusts, knowing that at least one or two likely are affiliated with the agent's company.

"It's very important that you shop widely," he says.

-- Look out for red flags when interviewing lenders.

Most loan representatives work on a commission basis. What's more, the size of their commissions is often tied to the size of mortgages they make. That gives them an incentive to make the largest possible loans.

Because of this, Tyson says you should be wary of any lender who pushes you to take out a mortgage bigger than your comfort level.

"Good mortgage lenders are good listeners. They ask you questions about your plans -- including how long you intend to stay in the home you want to buy -- to determine the most appropriate mortgage for your needs," he says.

-- Remember the importance of your mortgage decisions.

The recent recession taught many people about the serious implications of making a hasty or ill-considered decision on home financing. Although abuses by lenders were widespread, many homebuyers allowed themselves to be lured into mortgages with provisions they didn't fully grasp.

With the current easing of lending standards, it's once again very possible that lenders could encourage you into a type of loan for which you're ill-suited.

Tyson says it's critically important to understand the terms and conditions of your mortgage financing before you close on a deal.

"Never forget that the mortgage you take out to buy a house is probably the single biggest financial obligation you'll ever make," he says.

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

Kristin Bertilson was just 13 when her family decided to move from their large Victorian house in Maryland to a much smaller place in Oregon. As the eldest of four girls -- and the one born with what she calls "the organizing gene" -- she pitched in to downsize the family's seemingly countless possessions.

"It was a huge job because all we could take along was what fit in our two cars plus my grandfather's small trailer," Bertilson recalls.

The experience taught her many lessons she's applied hundreds of times after starting her own small firm, Queen B Organizing. Her company helps clients purge household accumulations, usually in preparation for a home sale and move. It can be an emotional and daunting experience, but it's increasingly a necessary one.

Mark Nash, a real estate broker and author of "1001 Tips for Buying and Selling a Home," urges home sellers to undertake the purging process as soon as they know they'll be moving. That's because a de-cluttered home is much more appealing to prospective buyers.

"You'll have to pack up anyway when you move. So why not do your purging and packing before you list your property rather than right before you move?" Nash says.

Here are a few pointers for downsizers:

-- Do a preliminary inventory of your accumulations.

Some downsizers try to grapple with the de-cluttering process without a plan. But those who do a preliminary inventory of their problem before seeking to solve it are more efficient, says Dorcas Helfant, a former president of the National Association of Realtors (www.realtor.org).

"Sellers who have a room-by-room picture of all their possessions can make faster decisions about how to streamline it all," she says.

The listing agent you've chosen to sell your home can assist in assessing which items should be removed from your place before it's shown. These will likely include some bulky furnishings.

"A house filled with furniture can look a lot smaller than it truly is. And no one wants to buy a house that seems crowded," Helfant says.

-- Create an action plan.

Nash says those who are most efficient at de-cluttering follow a step-by-step action plan.

As a beginning step, he recommends you plot the space in your new property before deciding on the items you can take with you. This assumes, obviously, that you've already selected your next home.

A few years back, Nash left a 3,200-square-foot bungalow for a 760-square-foot condo -- requiring him to drastically reduce his total belongings. To gain a more precise estimate, he bought graph paper and plotted the layout and storage space available at his new residence.

"The drawing allowed me to plan a place for everything I expected to take with me, down to my bike and favorite clothes. That made it clear which things would be impossible to keep," he says.

-- Take a systematic approach to sorting.

During their years in a property, many homeowners unwittingly acquire a large array of similar items. Early in the purging process, Nash suggests that sellers sort like items to determine what's superfluous and what isn't.

"I'm talking about all that stuff you went to the store to buy because you didn't know you already owned it. After you see all the rampant duplication, it's easier to cut out extras," he says.

Once you have the like items in each room categorized, use what Nash calls the "three-box system" to cull through them efficiently. One box should be labeled "keep," a second "give away or sell," and a third, "I don't know."

To hasten the process, immediately make arrangements to have your "give away or sell" items carted off. This allows you to create more space to sort through possessions from the "I don't know" box that will require more consideration.

-- Make liberal use of your trashcans.

For home sellers who must clear through a house full of possessions in a short period of time, trashcans become essential gear.

"It may not be environmentally friendly, but it can be one of the best available solutions to simply throw a lot of things away. 'Out of sight, out of mind' is the mantra you have to use," Nash says.

How do you decide what to toss?

When going through piles of clothing, Nash recommends this rule of thumb: "If you haven't worn the item for a year, throw it out." He also recommends you reconsider keeping old gizmos you're no longer using.

"Most all that dated technology should go into responsible recycling. There's no point in keeping technology that's obsolete and has undoubtedly lost all its value," he says.

-- Bring in your "support staff."

Even well-organized downsizers find the purging process arduous. Because of that, Nash says it's ideal to seek the assistance of friends or relatives.

If you don't know anyone you're comfortable recruiting, Nash says you can find reasonably priced help -- perhaps from a high school or college student -- through "help wanted" advertising. Or you might consider going online to find a professional organizer in your area. One group that offers referrals is The National Association of Professional Organizers (www.napo.net).

"Whatever it takes to motivate and organize you is what you've got to do," Nash says.

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