A couple in their late 50s spent weeks grappling with a big question about the right house to buy for their upcoming retirement. They were torn between choosing a traditional two-story house versus a one-level ranch that would spare the need to scale the stairs as they grew older.

They looked at both horizontal and vertical properties and debated the issue at length. At first, they leaned toward a one-story place. But in the end, they surprised their real estate agent, Ashley Richardson, by opting for a majestic colonial with two levels of living space plus a walk-up attic for storage. They're about to move in and are convinced they made the right choice.

"Both the husband and wife are physically fit and reason that living in a house with stairs will help them to stay that way. Besides, they really love the colonial, which has a huge sunroom and a big backyard for gardening. By way of comparison, they thought the ranches they visited were much less elegant," Richardson says.

It's a common debate, according to Richardson, who's affiliated with the Council of Residential Specialists (www.crs.com). She says many baby boomers have a tough time deciding between the convenience of one-level living and the architecture of a two-story home.

Older homebuyers who want a detached house often seek to purchase a brand-new property in order to avoid upkeep and repairs. But as Richardson notes, in some very high- cost areas, it can be very hard to find new single-level housing that's affordable.

"Land prices are rising quickly, and land is scarce in many favorite neighborhoods," she says.

Mark Nash, a real estate broker and author of "1001 Tips for Buying a Home," says some of the advantages of single-story living might trump the cost issue.

"For one thing, it's a whole lot easier to keep a single-level house clean," Nash says.

Here are a few pointers for retirement-age homebuyers:

-- Try to anticipate lifestyle changes in your coming years.

Regardless of your age, it's often difficult to project your future housing wants and needs, says Sid Davis, a real estate broker and author of "A Survival Guide for Buying a Home."

He encourages older buyers to plan ahead at least three to five years, anticipating likely changes in their health status and future housing preferences.

Through his more than three decades selling real estate, he's noticed that buyers who are overweight or have chronic health issues, like diabetes, often have a strong preference for one-level living.

"These are people who know that their mobility is likely to be compromised in coming years. So for them, a one-story house is an obvious choice," Davis says.

-- Factor in the resale potential of one-level housing.

Richardson, who sells homes in a popular suburban area, recently listed a ranch-style house in her community. And to promote its sale, she sent out a large-scale mailing targeted to older people in the neighborhood who might be interested in downsizing. Everyone on the mailing list was invited to an open house.

"The response to the invitation was tremendous. Obviously, a lot of people with big houses in my area are mulling over whether to trade down to a one-level house without having to move far away. Also, many people think that buying a single-story house could be a good investment for the future," she says.

-- Consider the pros and cons of a second-floor home office.

In your retirement years, do you anticipate running a small business out of your home? If so, Nash suggests you factor in the pros of having an out-of-the-way second-story office rather than one on the first floor.

"Working from an upstairs bedroom can be especially helpful if you need to do a lot of solitary computer work or writing to keep your business going. That's the case for a lot of people who do consulting work from home," Nash says.

Another less obvious plus of a second-floor home office is that you'll be farther from the temptations posed by your refrigerator or primary TV.

However, a business that involves more interaction with customers than a typical consulting company could be better positioned on the entry level of a home, he says.

"It can be extremely inconvenient to keep running up and down stairs to answer the door every time people or packages arrive. In that case, a house with space for a first-floor office could be your best bet," Nash says.

-- Rule out a home that would meet your needs only with an addition.

Occasionally, Davis says, older homebuyers who become enamored with a two-story property plan to purchase it with the intention of adding on a first-floor master suite after they move in. That way they figure on hedging their bets in the event that stairs later prove a problem for them. But he attempts to dissuade them from this idea.

"If most of the other homes in the neighborhood lack first-floor suites, you could be at risk of spending money that you'll never recoup. When you sell, you can assume you'll never recover more than 40 to 50 percent of the money you've poured into that type of a remodeling job," Davis says.

Also, he says there can be many annoying complications involved with building an addition.

"Think it through carefully. Do you really want to spend your free time in retirement dealing with a bunch of contractors and unexpected cost overruns? Also remember that doing an addition can be tremendously messy and disruptive," Davis says.

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

They're called "power ZIP codes": neighborhoods that massage residents' egos, giving them bragging rights at cocktail parties. They feature sumptuous homes with well-landscaped grounds and give residents easy access to acclaimed schools and tony amenities, such as fine restaurants.

Do you live in one of the smallest and least opulent properties in one of these ritzy neighborhoods? And do you plan to soon sell your modest place, yet worry about competing with larger, statelier houses already up for sale?

If so, don't panic, says Mark Nash, a veteran real estate broker and author of "1001 Tips for Buying and Selling a Home."

"Remember that you're the gatekeeper to a great community for many people who otherwise couldn't afford to live there," Nash says.

Granted, more luxurious homes in the same area probably have more high-end features than does your place. Likely they have more bedrooms and built-in kitchen amenities that you couldn't squeeze into your home, such as a massive side-by-side refrigerator and a large wine cooler.

Still, when it comes to selling your property, you can expect to attract a more sizeable pool of potential buyers.

"Don't forget there are many wannabe buyers who dream of living in your power ZIP code," Nash says.

Here are a few pointers for the sellers of modest houses in power ZIP codes:

-- Avoid the temptation of pricing as if you had a larger place.

Joan McLellan Tayler, the author of several real estate books, tells the true story of a couple in their 40s with four children under the age of 10. They had a tight housing budget, but desperately wanted to live in a fancy suburb of San Francisco with top public schools.

To accomplish their goal, they found a reasonably priced yet tiny English cottage in their favorite neighborhood, a place with just two bedrooms. They bought the house and accommodated all their kids -- dormitory style -- in a single bedroom.

"The couple obtained the house for a fair price. Had it been overpriced, they could never have bought it, nor could others in the same price range. The sellers would have eliminated a lot of well-qualified buyers," says Tayler, who formerly owned a realty firm.

"Price too high and you'll be sorry, because you won't fool anyone. Don't forget that the defects really pop out in the overpriced house, giving people lots of reasons not to buy it," she says.

-- Give your front yard priority attention.

Though you can't list your property for as much as more spacious and better-appointed homes in the same community, Nash says you nevertheless need to make your turf look nearly as appealing.

"People are competitive, and ... a great yard is a status symbol for many folks," Nash says.

He recommends you hire a landscape designer to create an overall plan for your yard, emphasizing bushes and trees that flower when the season is right. Then to save money, you can do your own installation of the plants chosen by your designer.

In addition, make sure all your greenery, old and new, is pruned below window level, so as not to hide the intrinsic beauty of your home.

-- Focus on interior detailing.

Real estate agents rarely recommend major renovation work in advance of a sale. For example, they wouldn't say a petite house with only a very small den should have a large family room added on. The reason is that sellers usually don't recoup the cost of such a major remodeling job, even in a prestige neighborhood.

But Nash says you can better than recoup the money you spend on most interior detailing.

"Though your house is much smaller, you still want to give buyers the visual clues that it fits within your high- status neighborhood. Your buyers will be attuned to the right paint colors and specialty wallpapers," he says.

As sellers, he recommends you invest in quality workmanship for your interior finishes.

"Look for painters who do a superior job. When it comes to painting, the prep work is extremely important. To obtain the best results, the painter should do extensive preparation of walls and trim and use a primer, along with at least two coats of paint," according to Nash.

-- Invest in your flooring.

Many upscale homes -- including brand new properties -- still feature wall-to-wall carpeting in bedroom areas. However, Nash says homebuyers are increasingly likely to favor hardwood floors.

"Hardwood is elegant and architectural. In contrast, much wall-to-wall carpeting seems tired and dated," Nash says.

Nash urges sellers who already have hardwood floors to consider getting them refinished. Those living in upscale communities may even wish to replace wall-to-wall carpeting with new hardwood in very visible parts of their property.

-- Seek guidance through a design professional.

In attempting to improve the look of a home you're selling, you undoubtedly have the best of intentions. But Nash says few sellers have the good taste and skills to pull off the best possible look.

He recommends that sellers planning a redo seek help through the American Society of Interior Designers (www.asid.org). In many areas, interior designers are willing to work on an hourly basis, says Nash, who contends that getting professional advice to select the right fabrics and paint colors can make a major difference.

"Look for a designer who does a lot of business in your neighborhood. That way you'll not only enhance your house, but also find someone to talk it up to people hoping to live in your area," he says.

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

As the executor of a relative's estate, it fell to a busy middle-aged woman to oversee the sale of a ranch-style house near San Diego. So she flew there to meet with the real estate agent handling the listing.

"She was in a big rush and hoped to put the house on the market without doing any work to the place," recalls Jeff Dowley, the agent who handled the listing.

But Dowley -- who's sold homes since 2002 -- told the executor it would be folly to put the place up for sale without addressing at least a few basic cosmetic concerns to enhance its salability.

"The kitchen cabinets were chipped and badly needed repainting, along with new hardware. Also, the harvest gold stove -- which dated back to the 1970s -- was absolutely awful-looking and had to be replaced," remembers Dowley, who's affiliated with the Council of Residential Specialists (www.crs.com).

After a lengthy discussion, the woman accepted Dowley's logic. The total cost came in under $1,000, including just $1.15 for each new knob for the kitchen cabinets.

"Because of that work, the house sold in just a few days at full list price," Dowley says.

Dowley stresses the importance of making such improvements before putting a home up for sale, even though many sellers have to be talked into doing so. What stubborn sellers don’t understand, he says, is that very few buyers can imagine how well a property could look once the cosmetic work is completed.

Here are a few pointers for sellers:

-- Repaint brilliantly colored rooms.

Dowley says that in recent years many homeowners have become fans of home-decorating TV shows. Such shows embolden owners to experiment with their decor. For example, he's recently seen many rooms painted in robin's egg blues, eggplant purples, pistachio greens and fuchsia.

"The problem is that buyers can't get past your weird decorating to see how good your rooms would look in a light, neutral shade," he says.

Fortunately for those willing to do their own painting, Dowley estimates it typically costs no more than $200 for paint and other supplies to redo a mid-size room. And he says a professional contractor can be hired for that paint job for about twice that price.

"Painting over bright colors in a soft off-white tone can make a tremendous impact on your sale," Dowley says.

-- Consider doing a few minor bathroom improvements.

Improvements to the kitchen usually give sellers the greatest payback. But bathroom improvements also help homeowners maximize their potential gain from a sale, according to Sid Davis, a real estate broker and author of "Home Makeovers that Sell."

"Figure you'll get back at least five dollars for every one you spend in your bathrooms," Davis says.

For instance, for a small sum you can replace a dated-looking bathroom light fixture with a new one in a more contemporary style. Or you could replace a small mirror with a larger one that's more appropriately proportioned for your bathroom.

Davis also urges all home sellers to make sure they remove any mold that's accumulated in and around their bathroom tub or shower. If you're unwilling -- or unable -- to do this annoying job yourself, he says you should hire a professional tile cleaning company to do so.

-- Add luster to your laundry room.

"If you've got a dark, dingy laundry room with peeling paint and bad flooring, this leaves a terrible impression about the overall condition of the house," Davis says.

What are some low-cost steps that will make your laundry room more appealing? Davis recommends you hire a carpenter to install built-in shelving. Also, repaint the laundry room, replace worn flooring and upgrade the lighting.

-- Think of cleaning as your most cost-effective project.

You won't need a bundle of cash to achieve the kind of sparkling interior that can have a powerful effect on prospective homebuyers, Davis says.

"It's astonishing how many houses go on the market in an unclean condition, which is a massive turnoff for buyers. They'll assume the worst about your upkeep of the entire house if any part of it is filthy. Conversely, they'll think the best of sellers who've cleaned like crazy," he says.

If you're the sort of person who's oblivious to dust bunnies and cobwebs, you may need others to point out areas of your home that need cleaning.

"Invite a few relatives over. Ask them for a candid critique of your housekeeping," Davis suggests.

If your family members are harsh, which you want them to be, and say your place needs a major cleaning, don't hesitate to hire a professional company to do the work.

"It's not that costly to hire people who really know how to do in-depth cleaning. And it's always money well spent," Davis says.

-- Finish all your upgrades before hitting the market.

Many would-be home sellers assume it's fine to put their property up for sale while remodeling work is still underway. But Davis says you should wait until the painters' ladders and drop cloths are gone, the carpet has been cleaned and all the other projects are done.

"Until the dust settles, you don't want people trooping through. When work is still underway, people can't envision themselves living there," he says.

However, the minute the upgrades are complete, you and your agent should feel free to open your property to interested prospects.

"For most people, the smell of fresh paint is a positive, not a negative," Davis says.

-- Don't rule out borrowing for minor makeovers if you're tight on cash.

Does your home cry out for remodeling work, yet you lack funds for the improvements? If that's the case, Davis recommends you consider taking out a loan rather than trying to sell the property in "as is" condition. Though not ideal, he says it's better to borrow the funds than to put the property on the market without essential upgrades.

"A house that's offered for sale without important cosmetic improvements rarely attracts anyone but vulture buyers. And you can bet they'll expect to pay no more than a rock-bottom price for your house," Davis says.

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