Mortgage rates, though a tad higher than prior to the presidential election, are still hovering near historic lows. And real estate analysts say fears of rising rates are now spurring many seniors into opportunistic housing moves.

“Seniors are very hyperaware of interest rates these days and how they can lock in low housing costs for their retirement years,” says Daren Blomquist, who tracks real estate trends for Attom Data Solutions (attomdata.com).

Blomquist says one increasingly strong trend involves seniors migrating to cheaper areas to reduce their living expenses.

“For example, some older folks are cashing out properties in high-cost San Francisco and moving to less pricey Sacramento. Others are leaving the New York or Washington, D.C., areas for towns in less costly parts of Florida or Arizona,” he says.

Of course, there are many ways for seniors to take advantage of low mortgage rates. Besides downsizing, they could refinance an existing mortgage to reduce their monthly payments by cutting their interest rate or extending the term. Or they could tap their equity through a cash-out refinance which allows them to rehab their place to prepare for their later years.

“People who want to age in place might need to add a first-floor bedroom so they won’t have to use stairs when they get older,” Blomquist says.

Here are a few pointers for seniors considering their real estate options:

-- Begin with a snapshot of your full financial situation.

Thomas J. Casey, a certified financial planner, says many homebuyers of all ages make real estate decisions in isolation, without first considering how their moves fit into an overall financial plan. But he says it’s especially important for seniors to ponder these implications.

“You need a spending plan that tells you how much it now costs you to live and how you expect that to change going forward,” he says.

One obvious way to develop a comprehensive plan is with the help of a financial adviser. If you choose that route, Eric Tyson, co-author of “Personal Finance After 50 for Dummies,” recommends you hire one compensated on a fee-only basis. That means the planner doesn’t receive commissions by selling you stocks, bonds or insurance products. Also, select an adviser who takes a neutral view of real estate.

“Many financial planners are biased against real estate,” he says.

You can find the names of fee-only planners through the National Association of Personal Financial Advisors (napfa.org).

Alternatively, Tyson suggests you consider hiring a certified public accountant to assist you in the planning process. One way to find a CPA who specializes in personal finance is through the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (aicpa.org).

-- Reduce the cost of doing your own financial planning with some self-analysis.

One key step in financial planning involves an examination of your current spending patterns. You need to know how much you routinely spend -- both in terms of mandatory expenses (like out-of-pocket health care costs) and discretionary outlays (like restaurant bills).

Unless you regularly track these numbers (on paper or with a specialized personal finance tool, such as Quicken), assembling this information can be time-consuming. To avoid paying an adviser to assist with this preliminary work, pull out your credit card statements and checkbook and tabulate these numbers yourself.

“Crunch data before walking into your adviser’s office,” Tyson says. He also recommends you use the free online retirement calculators available through such investment firms as Vanguard (vanguard.com), and Fidelity (fidelity.com).

-- Don’t assume rapid housing appreciation in the future.

Past turmoil in real estate markets has done little to weaken enthusiasm about the investment potential of property, according to Tyson. But he contends that due to high transaction costs, few seniors can expect to make a profit on a home they purchase in 2017 unless they intend to hold the place for at least three to five years.

-- Take into account your favored retirement lifestyle when buying a home.

Through the years, Casey has noticed that his clients vary widely in terms of their expectations for living standards in retirement. Some want to continue dining at expensive restaurants and to travel abroad. But others expect to spend modestly and work part-time as long as possible.

Besides factoring in finances, seniors need to think about where they'll be comfortable living in their retirement years.

“Location is probably the most critical factor," Casey says. In my experience, people who retire near family and friends are much happier than those who move to an isolated place, even if that faraway place is much cheaper.”

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

Consumer confidence is running high. Home prices are still rising, especially in the starter home segment where properties are scarce. What’s more, those with solid jobs are more intent than ever on making a purchase. Yet even now, some wannabe sellers are suffering sleepless nights.

“Selling a house is a tough passage -- ridden with lots of uncertainty, even under the best of circumstances,” says Tom Early, a veteran real estate broker.

Why does selling a home provoke such anxiety? Because so much is at stake. Many homeowners have the bulk of their wealth tied up in their property. Also, their plans can depend heavily on the success of their sale.

But no matter how reasonable, seller apprehensions can undermine prospects for a smooth sale, according to Mark Nash, a real estate analyst and author of “1001 Tips for Buying and Selling a Home.”

“People’s fears make them lose sight of (reality). That can cause them to act against their best interests,” Nash says.

Mary McCall, a real estate broker since 1987, says seller anxieties are not uncommon in all economic times. She says owners who have little equity can be especially nervous about selling.

Even after a buyer is found for a home, many owners worry that their deal could fall through due to financing problems or that the purchaser’s home inspector might discover repairs that could prove costly.

“Buyers today are very nitpicky, and so sellers worry a lot about all the repairs and changes they may need to do to get the sale through,” McCall says.

Staying calm is a challenge for many sellers. Here are a few pointers that could help:

-- Don’t listen to uninformed opinions about your situation.

As many sellers can attest, once a property goes on the market, its owners often receive a great deal of unsolicited advice from neighbors, family members and friends.

But Nash cautions that taking too many opinions into account can jangle a seller’s nerves, especially when the opinions come from people who lack expertise in real estate.

“Hearing all these views will only confuse and frustrate you,” he says.

If you have questions or concerns about what your listing agent is telling you, Nash recommends you seek a second opinion from another professional in the field. For example, you could ask for advice from the managing broker in the same office where your agent works, or call an agent from another nearby office. Or you could hire an independent appraiser.

-- Formulate an action plan to help address your worries.

Therapists who help clients manage their anxieties often make an unusual suggestion: Set aside a brief daytime period during which you can worry actively. In this “worry time,” take pen to paper and itemize your fears. Then list the steps you could take if your fears are realized.

For example, perhaps you fear your home won’t sell before you must move. In that case, you could list steps you could take to convert your place into a rental property, if only for a brief period.

“What you’re doing is generating options for yourself. That way you’ll have a greater sense of control over your destiny and won’t feel hopeless,” Nash says.

-- Take “time out” breaks.

If you’re suffering from a lot of anxiety about your sale, Nash urges you to take a systematic approach to stress management, such as meditation, yoga or formal relaxation training.

“If you can break the stress for even 20 minutes each day, you can come back to the issues with the freshness and focus that should increase your chances for success in whatever you do,” Nash says.

-- Avoid discussing your selling plans in the late evening.

Many people who worry about selling allow the subject to spill over into evening hours, Nash says. But he urges sellers to deal with the matter only in the daytime.

“Selling a house is a business proposition that should be handled solely during business hours. Don’t discuss it with your significant other during the late evening, or it could cost you a good night’s sleep,” Nash says.

Rather than tackling your real estate issues at night, Nash suggests you engage in calming activities during your last “wind down” hour before bedtime. This could include light reading, watching a funny movie or doing a crossword puzzle.

“Before you go to bed, free yourself of any anxious thoughts that could keep you from sleeping peacefully. You’ll need to fortify yourself so that the next day you can handle both your workload and your real estate issues,” Nash says.

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

In many popular neighborhoods, ascending home prices are intensifying pressure on young families who are struggling to attain their first property, according to economists who track housing sales.

"Newly listed properties are being snatched up quickly so far this year and leaving behind minimal choices for buyers trying to reach the market," says Lawrence Yun, chief economist for the National Association of Realtors.

The shortage of attainable homes is making it particularly hard for the parents of young children to move out of a cramped rental apartment to a house where their kids can thrive, according to child development experts.

"These days, many parents face tremendous financial pressures, despite the fact that they're expected to be on the clock for their bosses 24/7," says Julianne Neely, a clinical social worker and child therapist in Chicago.

One financial pressure facing those with young children involves rising health care premiums and out-of-pocket costs. A second involves the cost of repaying large student loans. And a third involves increasing child care expenses -- which can top $500 per week per child in expensive metro areas.

"Some kids are now in daycare from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. With all this craziness, it's harder for young children to form healthy attachments to their parents," says Neely, who's raising two toddlers who are foster children.

Dorcas Helfant, a former president of the National Association of Realtors, says many parents who work in urban areas would prefer to live in a desirable city neighborhood, thereby sparing themselves the kind of punishing commute that costs them quality time with their kids.

Although Helfant says many parents are skeptical about sending their kids to urban public schools -- and can't afford private school tuition -- she urges them to pick a community that's reasonably close to their jobs.

"It's better for parents to buy a smaller or older place than to get a gigantic house in a distant suburb. That's because the kids are better off having you at home rather than sitting in traffic two hours a day," says Helfant.

Here are a few pointers for buyers with young children:

-- Reduce your expectations about yard size.

As Helfant notes, many parents, recalling their own carefree childhoods in suburban settings where big yards were the norm, automatically assume their kids will be happier with a large yard.

"Children are much more scheduled than you used to be," she says. "Once kids reach school age, most are involved in lots of programmed activities, such as sports teams, educational enrichment, and summer camps. There's less spontaneous play."

Also, as Helfant says, neighborhoods where yards are smaller are often friendlier and closer-knit.

"Where yards aren't so big, kids are closer to their friends. They can walk door-to-door. You don't always have to drive them around to see their buddies," Helfant says.

Moreover, a neighborhood with smaller yards is typically less expensive than one where homes are surrounded by extensive greenery.

-- Pick a floor plan that functions well for your family.

Helfant says it's more important for couples with children to have a floor plan that encourages togetherness than a large home.

"You can trade off those big, formal dining and living rooms if you can get a full-sized kitchen that flows directly into a fairly big family room," she says.

For families with working parents, the advantage of this combination area is that it encourages everyone in the household to spend time together.

-- Seek as many bedrooms as you can afford.

Brand-new houses with lots of square footage -- popularly known as "McMansions" -- typically feature spacious master bedroom suites. Secondary bedrooms, designed for children or guests, are also very large, often with their own walk-in closets.

But Helfant insists it's better to have an adequate number of bedrooms than to have large bedrooms or a sumptuous master suite. Children naturally prefer to have their own rooms, she notes, though they'll adapt if your housing budget requires them to share rooms.

"Even more important than the number of bedrooms is that families have at least two full baths -- meaning each has a shower or a tub-shower combination. This is a simple matter of convenience," she says.

-- Assess the advantages of a two-story house.

Many now shopping in the home-buying market want a one-level, ranch-style house. But people with school-age children may wish to seriously consider the advantages of living on two levels, according to Helfant. That's because it's easier to contain the noise and mess of growing children if their bedrooms are separated from the common living space of the family, she says.

"To be honest, many people like to send their children up to bed for the night so they can enjoy peace and quiet downstairs," Helfant says.

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