Second and Third-Time or “Move Up” Home Buyers are paying more attention to how handicap accessible a home may be. While that thought may not concern a younger home Buyer, those of us who will soon be taking care of a parent are giving accessibility a huge amount of weight in our purchasing decision.
And for home Sellers out there, I would think that being able to advertise handicap accessible features would increase their possible Buyer pool. While maybe not entirely ADA compliant, a few features would be helpful depending on one’s situation.
Considerations to a a Handicap Accessible home:
- Narrow doorways and hallways
- Flooring type
- Entry and exit points
- Bathrooms and grab bars
- Counter height
- Railings
My husband’s and my home does not have any entry that is wheel chair accessible, but before we correct that issue, we are remodeling our detached carriage house to be ADA compliant. As we have remodeled inside the house, we have been cognizant of accessibility features, but changing an entry/exit point is going to be a major undertaking.
How Handicap Accessible Is Your Midtown Tulsa Home For Sale?
All doorways have been widened to 36-inches. The toilet is the appropriate height and the sink has minimal exposed plumbing to get in the way of someone in a wheelchair rolling up to it. Although the shower does have a small lip at the bottom, that is something easily modified if we truly need a shower to which we can roll in. There will be no carpet – all flooring will be natural wood, tile or some flat surface.
The carriage house is only about 500 square feet, but will be a good option if we needed to take care of one or more parent – or may be a good option for me or Demetrius at an older age. It’s basically going to be like a large hotel room with a combined bedroom and kitchen, a separate living area and bathroom. There is a main LEVEL front doorway and a second doorway to the inside fenced portion of our back yard.
My Mother is currently in a wheel chair (temporarily) after a major back surgery and she has no entry/exit from her home without stairs. After 4-5 trips to the doctor and going up grueling 8-inch stairs, we finally found an affordable and portable ramp option for the stairs on their deck that do not have a high pitch.
Our older homes in midtown Tulsa leave a lot to be desired when it comes to accessibility. Our doorways are narrow and a bedroom on the first floor is a rare find. As we all remodel, we are adding accessibility features, which truly adds value when it comes time to sell.
If you are selling a midtown home for sale and have accessibility features to advertise, convey that to your Realtor. If you are remodeling your midtown Tulsa home, I encourage you to visit the ADA webs site to see what accessibility features you can incorporate!
Content written and published by Lori Cain.
