A couple in their 50s are grappling with one of the most confusing decisions they've ever made. They're trying to decide where to live when the husband retires in a few years.

"There are so many variables for this couple to consider, including finances, health and where their three children will eventually land after they're through college," says Dorian Mintzer, a life coach specializing in retirement issues.

The couple engaged Mintzer to help sort through the many issues they face.

"Where to retire is a huge puzzle with lots of pieces," says Mintzer, co-author of "The Couple's Retirement Puzzle: 10 Must-Have Conversations for Creating an Amazing New Life Together."

"People can get a curveball thrown at them at any stage of life, and this is all the more likely during their retirement years," Mintzer says. On her website (revolutionizeretirement.com), she offers pointers for those who are approaching retirement or have already stopped working.

Jim Miller, who writes extensively on retirement and authored "The Savvy Senior Book," says the "vast majority" of older people would prefer not to move far away during their retirement years.

When downsizing proves necessary, often due to ill health, the death of a spouse or a financial reversal, the process of moving can be grueling.

"A house full of stuff is a house full of memories, and that's a big challenge," says Miller, noting that one option for older people who must relocate is to hire a "senior move manager." (To find a move manager in your area, one source is the National Association of Senior Move Managers: nasmm.org.)

Here are a few pointers:

-- Create a holistic retirement plan with housing in mind.

Before deciding whether and where to move in retirement, Mintzer says it's wise to create a plan for volunteer work, paid work or other activities you'll find fulfilling in the long run. That could involve anything from an entrepreneurial business to tutoring disadvantaged children.

Hiring a certified life coach can be helpful in charting your course. One way to find such a coach is through the International Coach Federation (coachfederation.org).

You can also find guidance through books written by retirement planning specialists. A few that are widely recommended include "Encore: Finding Work That Matters in the Second Half of Life," by Marc Freedman and "Don't Retire, Rewire!" by Jeri Sedlar and Rick Miners.

-- Factor finances into your projections.

Jeffrey Wuorio, author of "The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Retirement Planning," says all prospective homebuyers in their 50s or 60s should try to factor finances into their selection of a domicile.

"Unless you're going to live austerely, you may need more money than you anticipate. This is especially likely if you have expensive interests, like traveling," he says.

Wuorio says financial concerns shouldn't discourage those who can afford to buy a different property from doing so in the current economy. For example, given the availability of low mortgage rates, now could be a good time to sell a two-level house in favor of one that spares you the need to climb stairs.

-- Seek out information before making a long-distance move.

Are you considering the purchase of a home in a distant area where you expect to retire in a few years? If so, Wuorio urges you to gain as much firsthand information as possible about your target venue.

One obvious way to learn about a new area is to travel there and talk to local residents. Inquire about opportunities to pursue such interests as sailing, golfing, hiking or volunteering. You may also want to ask about access to educational opportunities, including the chance to audit courses at a local college or university.

In addition, Wuorio says it's important to check out resources of practical importance in a new area where you might be buying a home.

"Find out if the town or city offers quality public transportation. Also, ask about the quality of medical facilities in the area, including clinics and hospitals," Wuorio says.

He says your best guides to the new area are often friends or relatives already living there. Also, he recommends you connect with alumni from the schools or universities you've attended who've lived in your target area for several years or longer.

-- Consider buying a smaller home in the same general area.

One potentially viable option for homebuyers of retirement age is to downsize to a smaller property in the same neighborhood or nearby. For example, you might sell a large family home in a suburban community for a smaller low-maintenance condo in a newly constructed high-rise complex there.

Wuorio says downsizing in the same area -- a common way to handle housing in retirement -- has one significant advantage. This is the approach most likely to keep alive the longtime friendships you've built over the years.

"One of the biggest risks facing retirees is loneliness. That's why staying connected to those who are important to you makes a lot of sense," he says.

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

A couple in their late 30s knew they were headed for divorce. But not long after the husband moved out, he shocked his ex by announcing he'd hired a real estate agent to sell their colonial house and that she'd have to prep the place for showings within a week.

"This created one of the most stressful situations in her life," says Abigail Wurf, the life coach who helped the woman navigate the crisis.

In this case, the move was all the more challenging because the couple's large, expensive home was packed with excess belongings that the homemaker and her two young children had stockpiled. The decluttering process alone which wound up taking a month.

"It took a lot of friends, a big Dumpster and a rented storage unit to clear out that place," Wurf says.

A life coach since 2009, Wurf specializes in helping clients, including those with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, to work their way through crisis situations. But she says many of the same tips that help her ADHD clients handle a sudden move are generally applicable.

"Setting priorities and writing down all the steps, so you don't forget the details, helps everyone who has to move," says Wurf, the author of "Forget Perfect: How to Succeed in Your Profession and Personal Life Even in You Have ADHD."

Here a few other pointers for hurry-up home sellers:

-- Locate an assertive listing agent to represent you.

Wurf recommends you search for an agent with extensive experience selling properties in your particular community. Another key is to rely heavily on referrals from family members and friends who've sold in the same area.

Don't know anyone from whom to seek referrals? Another approach is to call the managing broker of a major real estate office in your area. Ask the broker to refer you to a veteran agent with a substantial track record selling homes similar to yours in your price bracket.

-- Survey the competition before pricing your property.

Before your home is listed and available to the public, your agent will undoubtedly suggest an asking price. But Eric Tyson, a personal finance expert and co-author of "House Selling For Dummies" says that prior to accepting any pricing recommendation, all sellers should do at least a nominal amount of research.

"Ask your agent for a list of properties near your home that have sold recently. Then get in your car and drive by these homes, noticing how they compare with your own," Tyson says.

If your drive-by tour raises questions in your mind about your agent's recommended listing price for your house, request a justification for it.

"At the end of the day, it's the owners, not the agent, who have the final say on pricing," Tyson says.

-- Ponder the idea of pricing a tad below rival properties.

Surprisingly, sellers in a desirable area can often receive more for their property if they price it just slightly below its apparent market value.

"Pricing a little lower than the competition can generate excitement. More people are likely to bid if they perceive the property to be a good value. And this can create an auction effect that could help you at the bottom line," Tyson says.

-- Seek to delegate much of the work of preparing your home for sale.

If you're selling during a crisis time of your life, chances are you'll have no more than a few weeks to get the home in showing condition.

One obvious way to cut back on your home preparation time is to hire contractors for work you might normally do yourself. Tyson says that sellers working against a tight deadline can get a lot more accomplished in a shorter time if they delegate.

"If you're short on money, it's understandable you'd resist paying people to do work you could do yourself, like painting and cleaning carpets. But if you're in a rush and your place must be sold quickly, it still makes a lot of financial sense," Tyson says.

-- Develop a contingency plan for your property's sale.

Sometimes even a home that's in good condition and correctly priced will fail to sell quickly for reasons hard to determine.

To avoid panic in this situation, Tyson recommends that people who must sell in a hurry due to a personal crisis develop a "Plan B" if they must move before their place is sold.

Perhaps you'll arrange for a trusted sibling to take responsibility for your home sale. Or maybe you'll want to "buy time" by renting out the house for six months or so.

Tyson says that developing a backup plan can help you avoid worst-case scenarios and let you focus more attention on the crisis you're facing.

"You've got to look at the big picture. What matters is not only your financial well-being, but also your emotional health," he says.

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

A car salesman and his homemaker wife had long aspired to ownership of their first home near the Catholic school their daughter attends. After a short search, they were thrilled to find a freshly renovated ranch-style house that met their needs, and quickly obtained mortgage approval.

But just days before closing, the transaction came to an abrupt end, recalls Sid Davis, the real estate broker who represented the couple.

"As far as we knew, everything was going smoothly with the car salesman and his wife up until the very last minute, when they breached the sale and lost their deposit," he says.

The lesson is that when it comes to real estate, there are never any guarantees. Even sellers who follow all their listing agent's suggestions to the letter can run into problems, says Joan McLellan Tayler, the author of several real estate books and a former realty company owner.

Still, real estate specialists say there are several strategies that can help homeowners increase their odds of a successful sale. Here are a few pointers:

-- Pick a veteran as your listing agent.

Tayler says too many sellers take a casual approach to selecting an agent.

According to Tayler, sellers should opt for an agent with experience in handling lots of different kinds of deals. Those with a track record, she adds, are most apt to sniff out problems before they happen.

If for personal reasons you're determined to choose a newcomer, she suggests you ask that agent to share the listing with an established pro from the same office.

"With two agents on your side, you'll benefit from both their strengths," Tayler says.

-- Educate yourself on the finances of prospective buyers.

In the aftermath of the real estate downturn, regulators have become exceedingly strict in their oversight of mortgage lenders, resulting in far tighter standards for borrowers.

Smart sellers are careful to check the financial standing of would-be purchasers before they accept any bid.

"You don't want your deal to fall apart because the buyers couldn't get a mortgage," Davis says.

Before accepting an offer, sellers should insist on seeing a genuine "pre-approval" letter from a known lender. This should establish that the prospective buyers have had their credit checked, their employment confirmed and their assets verified.

Also, prospects can be asked to supply other details about their creditworthiness, such as their credit scores. The most common of these, known as "FICO scores," range from 300 to 850. The higher that number, the more likely it is that borrowers will get the loan they need to close the deal.

Buyers can obtain reports on their credit scores from this website: www.myfico.com.

-- Head off issues that could arise during an inspection of your home.

Nowadays, most purchasers exercise their right to a home inspection. And, as Davis observes, many use the findings of their inspector as leverage to renegotiate the deal.

"If the inspector finds anything seriously wrong, the buyers see that as an opportunity to cut you down on price," he says.

Homeowners should never try to talk buyers out of a home inspection. But smart sellers will consider paying for their own inspection even before the property goes on the market.

"The reality is that no two inspectors are likely to find the same minor problems. But both should discover the really huge issues, like water leaks that are undermining the structural integrity of the house," Davis says.

"You're far better off if you can anticipate the big issues with your property before your buyers find them and feel stunned and betrayed that they didn't know about them before they made their bid," he says.

-- Seek to avoid difficult people when doing a deal.

Not all home sellers can be choosy about the offer they select. But if you're reasonably certain you'll have more than one bid from which to pick, Davis says you could seek to avoid cutting a deal with someone who's made nasty comments about your property.

You may not have any direct dealings with your prospective bidders. But your listing agent or others can observe them when they visit your place. And their behavior can be very telling.

"Remember that you can't judge buyers by their superficial behavior and that the sale of a home is a business transaction. It's in your interest to be objective and not subjective. Even so, if you've received multiple bids with essentially the same terms and want to avoid unpleasant people, that's your right as sellers," he says.

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