A scientist in his 70s met the love of his life way back in the 1960s, when the two were students at North Dakota State University. Life was very affordable back then, and after graduating, the pair could easily afford a custom-built rambler in Fargo.

The couple were still living in the property -- with its two fireplaces, four bedrooms and a three-car garage --when the woman died from a sudden heart attack last year. At first the man vowed to remain in the house indefinitely. But all that changed with a phone call from his daughter in Tampa.

“She told me she’d found me a great retirement community and more or less instructed me to move there, which I agreed to do. But downsizing my household is one of the greatest challenges of my life. With my wife gone, it’s especially hard to move forward,” the scientist says.

Stacy Berman, a real estate agent who’s sold homes since 2002, doesn’t know the scientist in this true story. But she has plenty of advice for the man and retirees who are similarly situated.

“I would tell the man to make a ‘not to bring’ list for his move to Florida. Give away those big, heavy North Dakota sweaters and lots of furniture that’s too big for your new place. You might even want brand-new furniture that fits perfectly in the next property,” Berman says.

She advises downsizers to plan ahead and avoid retaining more furnishings than they can realistically use in their next place -- in part because moving costs are increasingly expensive.

“I urge seniors to bite the bullet on their vast accumulations. That’s emotionally very hard to do, but easier if you pick out a fresh new property you intend to buy in a new community,” Berman says.

She describes the “overstocked” condition of the garage of an engineer selling a large colonial house in suburban Maryland in favor of a brand-new “villa” in a Getttysburg, Pennsylvania, retirement community.

“The man’s garage was bursting with old electronics and car parts He even had broken-down TVs he hoped one day to repair. He also had almost limitless quantities of canned foods, like giant jars of pickles, that he’d stocked up on from the Costco warehouse store where he was a member,” Berman says.

It took weeks for the engineer to pare down his possessions, first by removing those items that were essentially trash and second by donating many still functional and usable items from the garage and throughout the house.

It was easier for the man to progress and determine what to keep because he had a floor plan for his new one-level property in Gettysburg.

“If you’re going to a retirement community, the place can likely equip you with a floor plan and measurements that should make it easier to decide what to keep and what to leave behind,” Berman says.

Here are a few pointers for seniors intending to downsize:

-- Realize that a smaller lifestyle can take many forms.

Duane Elgin, who’s authored several books on voluntary simplicity, estimates that perhaps 20% of U.S. adults are now challenging the commonly held view that a bigger house is always better. But he also allows that the dreams of downsizers are quite varied.

Your aim could be to stay in the same suburban community, though with a smaller and less financially demanding home. Alternatively, you could choose to leave suburbia and reinvent your life in an urban loft or a rustic rural cottage.

“To create your dream, focus on what gives your life juice,” he says.

Though many view downsizing as a form of sacrifice, Elgin says it can lead to greater richness.

“We live in such a frenetic, driven society. To evaluate our lifestyles, we need to step back and get clear. We need to ask whether the pressure of payments on a big house is worth it,” he says.

-- Begin with small victories in your quest to live more compactly.

Even before you put your current property up for sale and begin searching for the right smaller place to buy, Elgin suggests you begin a methodical process of plowing through your accumulations to contain your material life.

“Start in your bedroom closet. We all have too many clothes and this is one area where you can score an early victory against clutter,” Elgin says.

He found it relatively easy to reduce the size of his wardrobe without consequences and says others could experience this as well.

“As you go through your clothes, select a unique outfit for every day in a two-week period. Put your extra clothes in storage for two months and see if you even miss them,” Elgin says.

After that, look for other satisfying victories by sifting through your junk drawers one at a time. Next, head to your garage for a purging.

-- Allow yourself ample time to make the transition.

Elgin cautions seniors that the process of downsizing, from the day you make the decision to move to the day you close on the purchase of a smaller property, can be time consuming.

“You need to allow yourself plenty of time to make this transition and especially to sort through all your things. It took years to accumulate all that stuff, so you’re not going to clear through all of it overnight,” he says.

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

Geopolitics isn’t supposed to influence homebuying decisions. But that’s one factor, along with inflationary concerns, that now has potential purchasers backing off in droves. The Middle East is a long way from the small town of Winona, Minnesota. But thoughts about war and peace are among the factors causing wannabe homebuyers there -- and well beyond -- to pause their plans.

Take the case of a divorced dad in Winona who has custody of his two young sons. The man, a vice president at a regional bank, is living with the kids in a cramped apartment. He’d love to buy a big house for his children, and is weighing the pros and cons of executing a purchase now.

“As a banker, I believe in the underlying soundness of the U.S. economy. Even so, I’m still cautious because so much change is occurring in the country and around the world. Also, I think that, with so much property lingering unsold in our area, lower prices are possible in the near future,” he says.

What’s compelling for the banker is that he’d love to provide his kids a place where each boy would have his own bedroom and both would enjoy a large, wooded lot for play. He has his eye on a 1907 Victorian with 5,700 square feet of living space. The place, on the market for more than a month, has a fully renovated kitchen and a two-car garage.

With so many houses up for sale nearby, the banker is convinced he could negotiate a good deal on the Victorian or another equally spacious property.

“Given the way the market is now, I’m in no hurry,” he says.

Housing economists understand the hesitancy of many would-be buyers, a trend that is now manifesting itself strongly among companies in the homebuilding field.

“Rising inventory levels and prospective homebuyers who are on hold waiting for affordability conditions to improve are resulting in weakening price growth in most markets and generating price declines for resales in a growing number of markets,” says Robert Dietz, the chief economist for the National Association of Home Builders (nahb.org).

As it happens, homebuilder sentiment has fallen its lowest level since 2012.

“Buyers are increasingly moving to the sidelines due to elevated mortgage rates and tariff and economic uncertainty. To help address affordability concerns and bring hesitant buyers off the fence, a growing number of builders are moving to cut prices,” says Buddy Hughes, a North Carolina builder.

With his background in finance, the Minnesota banker, like a small number of potential buyers, sees opportunity in the current situation for buyers.

“I have been undecided on homebuying for several months. But my overriding priority right now is to accommodate my boys and their needs. So I don’t want to wait too long. Both my boys are still in elementary school, and I want them to have a real home while they’re still young,” he says.

Here are a few suggestions for current buyers with young children:

-- Think through how much yard space you truly need.

Many parents, recalling their own carefree childhoods in a suburban setting where big yards were the norm, assume their kids will fare well living in a similar setting. But what worked for you growing up isn’t necessarily best for your kids, says Eric Tyson, a consumer advocate and co-author of “Home Buying for Dummies.”

“Children are much more programmed than they used to be. There’s less spontaneous play,” he says.

Rather than focusing heavily on yard size, Tyson suggests you consider the outdoor features of a neighborhood, including parkland and bike paths.

As Tyson says, neighborhoods where yards are smaller are often more family friendly.

“Kids can be closer to their neighborhood friends. They don’t have to be driven around to see their playmates,” he says.

-- Consider that you can often obtain more floor space in a two-story abode.

Many older home shoppers are looking for a single-level ranch-style house that doesn’t require them to climb stairs.

But people with school-age children may wish to consider the advantages of living on two levels, Tyson says, as it’s easier to contain the noise and mess of children if their bedrooms are separated from the common living space of the family.

Also, young families can typically get more space for their money in a two-story house.

-- Look for a floor plan that performs well for your family.

Tyson says it’s more important for those with young children to have a floor plan that encourages togetherness than a very spacious place.

“You probably won’t use a formal dining room, except on Thanksgiving and Christmas. You’ll find more use for an inviting, good-sized family room,” he says. Large, comfortable common rooms help draw children out of their bedrooms.

-- Try to buy as many bedrooms as you can afford.

Tyson insists it’s more important for families to have an adequate number of bedrooms than large bedrooms or a sumptuous primary suite.

“Families with enough bedrooms can give siblings with different school schedules their own rooms. That’s an ideal way to help ensure that all the kids get enough sleep,” he says.

-- Ensure that adults in the family make the final housing choices.

Not infrequently, school-age children will mount a protest against any housing move their parents plan because, as Tyson says, “children like constancy.”

To appease unhappy offspring, some parents let their kids cajole them into the wrong property. But Tyson says children usually adapt quickly to a move, and it’s unwise to let their feelings dominate your plans.

“Buying a house is a massive financial decision. Only the parents can plot the most prudent choice,” he says. (To contact Ellen James Martin, email her at ellenjamesmartin@gmail.com.)

Two child psychiatrists in Seattle -- who married just five years ago -- already have three kids of their own. That's why they're hoping to trade their small split-level for a much larger house in the upscale suburb of Redmond, Washington.

"Our med school loans are coming down, and our salaries are going up. So we're driven to find a larger place with at least five bedrooms and a big family room where we can all stretch out, including our two golden retrievers. We also want an in-ground pool and strong local schools," the wife says.

Property in Redmond hardly comes cheap. Median priced homes top $1 million. Yet the psychiatrists are determined to get a fair deal in the competitive market.

Across the nation there's been a flattening in home prices from their pandemic-era peaks. In fact, buyer's markets are beginning to emerge in some Florida and Texas neighborhoods. But one exception to this overarching trend involves a select number of luxury markets, like Redmond, where home values are still on the ascent.

Orphe Divounguy, a senior economist for Zillow, the Seattle-based real estate company, doesn't know the psychiatrists in this true story. But he's not surprised that demand for homes in areas such as Redmond remains robust.

"Despite a slower market, home prices have continued to climb -- a promising sign for sellers considering listing their properties. Luxury home values, in particular, have remained resilient, even as both buyers and sellers took a more cautious approach after the April stock market volatility," Divounguy notes.

Are you pursuing the purchase of a luxury property in an upper-end area? If so, these few pointers could prove of value:

-- Define exactly what you desire in your next home.

Many wannabe homebuyers have only a vague notion of the sort of domain where they would be happy. But it's worth your time to specify exactly what you want in a property, says Carol T. Murphy, a longtime agent for Coldwell Banker in Connecticut.

Murphy says trade-up buyers have an advantage over starter-home purchasers who've yet to make a home-buying decision. Those moving to a second or third home can draw on experience.

"Make a list of everything you do and don't like in your present home. Then itemize the most important features you're seeking in the new place," she says.

She cites the case of a couple of her clients -- both hospital administrators -- who successfully pursued their dream of a much more spacious place with two primary bedroom suites with adjoining bathrooms. They also wanted a dedicated exercise room and a large game room for entertaining friends and family.

The couple found nearly everything they were seeking in a 3,200-square-foot contemporary-style house with a three-bay garage. The 10-year-old property had been custom built and was well constructed.

-- Don't ignore properties that have stayed on the market longer than average.

Many buyers are suspicious of any property that's gone unsold for an unusually long time -- especially if other properties in the same area have sold relatively quickly. But Murphy says buyers can sometimes do well if they're willing to consider such "stale listings."

"About 80% of the time, the only thing wrong with these houses is that they were overpriced at the beginning. Then, even after they're repriced, they have a bad reputation. People think something is seriously wrong with them," Murphy says.

She says buyers who keep an open mind and investigate the cause of a house sitting unsold are often rewarded with a good deal once price cuts occur.

-- Stay clear of a house that needs extensive work.

Abraham Tieh, a past president of the National Association of Exclusive Buyer Agents (naeba.org), tells of a Taiwanese diplomat and his wife, an accountant, who wanted to find a home with a kitchen suitable for entertaining visiting dignitaries. They were in a hurry and compromised on a place they figured on remodeling.

"The diplomat was handy and knew a lot of contractors. But like many homebuyers, he underestimated the amount of time, effort and expense it would take to transform the place to their liking," Tieh says.

Indeed, it took more than two years to complete the elaborate kitchen upgrades the couple wanted, along with the major addition that they planned. By then, the couple had gone through so much stress that their marriage fell apart.

"If at all possible, when moving to your dream house, find a place that's in ready-to-go condition. That way you eliminate the huge hassle factor that comes with remodeling," Tieh says.

-- Anticipate appreciation for your upscale home purchase.

As the housing crisis of 2008 taught many Americans, there’s no guarantee that property values will always escalate. But another lesson that owners have also learned is that when housing recoveries occur, they typically happen first in popular higher-end neighborhoods.

That reality is reassuring to would-be buyers like the Seattle psychiatrists who are attempting a move-up purchase in Redmond to accommodate their growing family in Redmond. Economists offer reassurances to such purchasers.

“The limited supply of high-end homes and their desirable features continue to keep home values ticking higher, even in a more subdued market,” Divounguy says. (To contact Ellen James Martin, email her at ellenjamesmartin@gmail.com.)