No, after selling their suburban manse, Grandma and Grandpa won’t necessarily wish to live in a compact apartment in a retirement community, where they’ll spend their days playing bridge and pickle ball.

Many boomers are sitting on enough home equity from homes they’ve owned for many years to give them a range of housing options, says Ken Dychtwald, an expert on aging trends.

Dychtwald, co-author of “Age Wave” and several other books on seniors, says boomers are "comfortable with change and moving. And they’re determined to make their own choices.”

Stan Hinden, author of “How to Retire Happy,” has two words of advice for those on the cusp of retirement: Plan ahead.

“Where you live is very definitely a key component to a good retirement,” says Hinden, a retired Washington Post financial reporter.

Are you planning to move after retiring? If so, these few pointers could prove useful:

-- Balance the preferences of both you and your partner.

If you’re retiring on a limited fixed income, you may have no choice but to downsize to a smaller, less expensive home. But if you’ve accumulated more substantial retirement funds, you and your spouse likely have more housing options. And that means you may need to reconcile differences of opinion.

Rosemary McMonigal, a residential architect who’s advised clients for more than two decades, recommends that couples with differing views create priority lists and acknowledge the validity of each other’s preferences.

Though most retiring couples favor a smaller property, McMonigal says it’s not unusual for one member of a pair to prefer a larger habitat.

If you and your spouse disagree on how large a home to buy, McMonigal suggests you let go of preconceptions and find a way to accommodate both your needs.

-- Avoid buying a place with superfluous rooms.

McMonigal is an advocate of the “not so big home” philosophy espoused by widely quoted architect and author Sarah Susanka, who contends that homeowners are happier when they live in a place no larger than what they actually use.

Beginning around the 1980s, McMonigal says buyers “pushed for bigger spaces, the roomier the better.” But she believes it’s wise for buyers to target a property that meets their realistic wants and needs.

For instance, she says buyers should question the commonly held notion that a home should have multiple dining areas, including a formal dining room, an in-kitchen eating area and an informal dining room off the kitchen.

“Are you really going to use all those dining areas? Most people never do,” she says.

McMonigal also suggests you challenge the common assumption that you’ll need a dedicated media room and a huge master suite complete with an adjoining sitting room and a spacious master bathroom.

“Most people don’t have the time or inclination to use a sitting room for conversation or reading. Realistically, one large armchair in the master bedroom is enough. And media rooms usually go unused,” she says.

-- Seek out a place with intimate rooms if you buy a supersized house.

Would you prefer to downsize, but have agreed with your spouse to purchase a large property?

In that case, Ashley Richardson, a longtime real estate agent affiliated with the Council of Residential Specialists (www.crs.com), recommends you seek a home that seems intimate despite its large size.

“You don’t want to feel you’re rattling around in an oversized place that seems lonely, especially when you’re there by yourself,” Richardson says.

To find a large home where you’ll feel comfortable, she recommends you avoid a property with a two-story atrium or ceilings that soar 10 feet or higher. Likewise, avoid a home with an oversized formal living room you’re unlikely to use often.

“The coziest arrangement is to have your big family room right off the kitchen, because people spend most of their time in the kitchen area,” Richardson says.

-- Don’t assume that a place you buy upon retirement will be your last home.

Many people assume that when they buy a home for retirement they’ll live there indefinitely. But Dychtwald says it’s common for buyers in their 60s to live in two or three more places during their retirement years.

Dychtwald says those who want to buy a big home upon retirement often reverse course after they’ve gotten the “dream home phase” out of their systems.

He says someone who early in retirement would like to downsize but accedes to a spouse who wants a big property can take comfort in the expectation that sooner or later the other person will probably also want a small home.

“Sometimes you have to compromise. But that’s not so bad when your next move won’t necessarily become permanent,” Dychtwald says.

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

No matter your age or income level, if you need to get rid of some possessions due to downsizing, you’re likely to be tormented by the process.

Indeed, those at the top of the success ladder often feel the most overwhelmed when they need to purge possessions, says Vicki Norris, author of “Reclaim Your Life ... and Get Organized for Good.”

Norris, who was a real estate agent before she started her own organizing firm two decades ago, says the proliferation of inexpensive imported goods and the ease of buying online have exacerbated the problem, particularly for middle to high-income people.

Ownership of too many possessions isn’t only an emotional burden; it’s also a problem for those who need to make their place appealing to buyers to achieve a successful sale, says Dorcas Helfant, a real estate broker and co-owner of several realty offices.

“Nowadays, buyers want to start fresh in a house that’s free and clear. They can’t picture themselves living in a place jammed with other people’s stuff,” says Helfant, a past president of the National Association of Realtors (realtor.org).

Before embarking on the huge task of getting their property ready for market, she urges sellers to create a timeline and a checklist.

“There’s a lot of emotional turmoil with any move. But you’ll be much better off if you take a strategic, step-by-step approach rather than a disorganized one,” Helfant says.

Here are a few pointers for sellers:

-- Equip yourself with the right gear for the job.

Norris says an efficient decluttering and packing program shouldn’t require a lot of expensive equipment.

In most cases, cardboard boxes should suffice for your move. Ideally, these should be boxes of uniform size -- like the “bankers boxes” sold at office supply stores -- that will stack neatly.

After pre-packing the items you’re determined to take to your next property, place these in your garage or a guest bedroom not currently in use. If possible, Norris urges you to avoid renting a paid storage unit.

“Storage units can be very expensive. People think they’ll just rent one for just two or three months. But due to their inertia, the average rental period is at least 15 months. When your stuff is out of sight, it’s out of mind,” she says.

-- Go room-by-room when decluttering and packing.

Norris says it’s very unnerving to approach a decluttering project by working on several fronts simultaneously. Instead, she advises you to tackle just one room at a time, beginning in the “public” areas of the house that will receive the most scrutiny from prospective buyers. These include your entryway, living room, dining room, family room and kitchen.

-- Take your children’s feelings into account when sifting through their toys.

Children feel an understandable sense of alarm at the notion that many of their toys will be packed up and stored away until the move is complete. As Norris says, they need reassurance that their toys will be available to them once your family reaches its destination.

How can you calm your children’s fears that their toys will be safe?

Norris suggests you involve them in the pre-packing process, making a game out of choosing a few very special toys that can remain in their room until the move is complete and placing the rest in packing boxes.

“Don’t pack their toys behind their back or they could be very upset and freak out. This could make your move even more upsetting,” she says.

-- Allow extra time to clear through your kitchen.

As real estate agents observe, most home shoppers won’t routinely look inside a chest of drawers and examine your clothes. But many will open kitchen cabinets and are very critical of countertop clutter.

“Give the kitchen top priority. No one wants to see that toaster or blender on your counter space,” Norris says.

You won’t want to remove basic kitchen items -- plates, pots, pans and utensils -- until right before you move. But much earlier, you can pack away seasonal and special-use items.

-- Realize that purging can prove cathartic once it’s done.

Few enjoy the arduous chore of sifting through years’ worth of accumulations. This project can be especially unpleasant for those who must move against their will for whatever reason.

But Norris says many who complete the process discover, much to their surprise, that they feel happier when they’re less encumbered with excess belongings.

“It’s an unexpected chance to lighten up and start over,” she says.

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

After completing a Ph.D. from an Ivy League university and landing a job with a government agency, a scientist of 31 never imagined he’d be spending his free evening and weekend hours cleaning houses and landscaping for extra cash. But a zeal for homeownership has led him to do just that.

“I grew up poor, my dad is gone, and my mom is living on disability, so she can’t possibly help me buy a house. What’s good is that my parents taught me a strong work ethic, so I’m not afraid to roll up my sleeves and work hard to get what I want. Right now, a house tops my list,” the scientist says.

In the aftermath of the financial crisis of 2008, housing analysts predicted many millennials would reject homeownership as a goal. But that hasn’t happened, says Ashley Richardson, a seasoned real estate agent affiliated with the Council of Residential Specialists (crs.com).

“The only difference in home-buying patterns between the millennials and their parents is that, nowadays, kids wait longer to buy,” Richardson says.

But for a generation saddled with student debt and facing high housing costs, there are often steep financial barriers to homeownership. That’s why they must be resourceful and, like the scientist, build a savings account by whatever means possible.

Are you cash-tight yet you hanker to take advantage of the low mortgage rates still available to buyers? If so, amassing a war chest of cash could make your home-buying offer even more competitive.

“As always, cash talks. People with more cash can get better deals, especially in areas where multiple bidding is the norm,” Richardson says.

Seeking to increase your income is just one element in the equation. The other is to cut spending. Here are a few pointers for those embarking on a crash savings program to buy a home.

-- Reflect on your attitudes about spending.

What stops people from reducing their spending? Financial planners say emotional impediments are often to blame.

“People come to financial advisers hoping for a miracle. But we’re not miracle workers,” says Shawn Koch, a planner affiliated with the Garrett Planning Network.

Koch says many people attempting a crash savings program first need to deal with the reasons behing their bad money habits, such as impulse spending or a sense of material entitlement. To help conquer these impediments, she recommends a book called “Money Harmony: Resolving Money Conflicts in Your Life and Relationships” by Olivia Mellan, a psychotherapist.

-- Begin with an inventory of your current spending.

A major obstacle to saving for a home is uncontrolled day-to-day spending. But before you can decide how to reallocate your funds, Koch says you need to review where your money has gone for a period of several months. This can be done either with pen and paper or a personal finance tool such as Quicken.

Such a review can bring surprises. For example, Koch says many of her clients are shocked to learn how much they’re spending on restaurant meals, carry-out food and coffee breaks.

Doing a spending inventory can be time-consuming because you must sift through credit card and checking account statements. Indeed, for those who don’t routinely track their spending, this process could take the better part of a weekend. But Koch says it’s essential to determine where cuts are possible.

-- Develop a budget that allows room for your savings goal.

Given the ever-rising cost of living, Koch says it’s hard to trim expenses enough to allow for a serious savings program. Still, she urges savers to examine their largest outlays, including regular supermarket spending.

“Grocery store food can ... add up fast,” says Koch, who recommends that clients buy fewer processed foods, do more home cooking, monitor food waste closely and consider taking bag lunches to work.

Transportation costs can also put a big dent in most household budgets. Koch advises savers to challenge their long-held assumptions about car ownership. Would public transportation or carpooling be a realistic alternative for commuting that could lead to hefty savings for gas, insurance and car repairs?

Koch also recommends you examine your cellphone outlays.

“Do you really need the latest iPhone, or will the phone you’ve owned for a couple of years still meet your needs? You can always upgrade to a better phone after you’ve met your other money goals,” Koch says.

For those who need guidance, Koch recommends “The Budget Kit: The Common Cents Money Management Workbook” by Judy Lawrence.

-- Sign up for an automatic savings plan.

Many people who live paycheck to paycheck find it hard to summon the discipline to extract a chunk for savings. And they fear automatic withdrawals from their pay.

But financial planners say automatic withdrawals can be the answer for people who aren’t methodical savers. And they say those who have direct debits taken from their pay rarely miss the money. Meanwhile, their savings accounts add up quickly.

“With an automatic debit plan, you just set it and forget it. That’s a big plus for anyone trying to save money for a house,” Koch says.

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