Accessibility at Home: How Disabled Buyers Can Buy, Build, or Create Their Perfect Home
Are you searching for an accessible home and struggling to find a house that meets your needs? Accessible homes add freedom and mobility to life whether you have a disability or are simply getting older. Unfortunately, between stairs, cramped floor plans, and inaccessible bathrooms, most homes present barriers to accessible living.
All is not lost, however. Your accessible home is out there. However, it may require more work to get exactly what you need. Here’s how you can create your accessible dream home.
First, get ready to buy a home
You want to move quickly when you find the right house. But first, you need to get organized. This is especially important for first-time buyers, who are new to real estate terms like down payments and PMI. Before you start shopping for a home you should know your budget, be familiar with mortgage types and rates, and have your credit score cleaned up and your documents in order. Once that’s done you can get preapproved for a mortgage and start working with a real estate agent to find your home.
Disabled, senior, and low-income buyers should also research assistance programs that can help with buying or modifying a home. These may include:
HUD Housing Choice Voucher program homeownership program.
USDA Single Family Housing loans and grants.
VA Specially Adapted Housing and Special Housing Adaptation grants.
State-run home financing assistance programs.
Down payment assistance programs.
Know what an adaptable home looks like
You may love the look of a classic Colonial or quaint Craftsman, but not all homes are equally adaptable to accessible living. When shopping for an accessible home it’s best to focus on single-story homes with open floor plans, although multi-story housing is an option as long as a home elevator is in the budget.
Open floor plans boomed in popularity starting around 1990, so you'll have the most luck shopping for newer homes. However, buyers can also find open layouts in the midcentury homes and ranches of the 1950s and 60s.
Budget for accessibility remodeling
Whether you’re moving to Arizona or Colorado, fact is if buying an existing home, expect to invest in renovations to get exactly what you need. While adaptable homes have fewer barriers for people with disabilities, most still need modifications to become fully accessible. This includes small projects like raising electrical outlets and lowering thresholds to big projects like kitchen and bath remodeling, as well as roofing. For the latter, Angi can be a big help; just search for “roofing contractors near me” to get the job done right.
Bathroom remodeling is one of the most important projects for disabled homebuyers. While a spacious bathroom offers plenty of space for a wheelchair user to navigate, you may need to swap a tub for a roll-in shower or add knee space under the vanity. No matter your needs, it’s worth working with an expert bathroom remodeler to achieve a beautiful and functional space. The kitchen is another big project for disabled buyers. To keep costs manageable, Home Depot suggests a focus on functional updates like installing accessible appliances, cabinets, and countertops. A minor remodel can cost less than $25,000 depending on your needs.
Consider new construction
Searching for a home, vetting remodelers, waiting for construction to finish ‑ if all of this sounds like too much hassle, consider new construction instead. When you build a home, you’ll have the peace of mind of knowing your home is move-in ready and perfectly customized to your needs. That’s a big benefit in a real estate market with stiff competition for turnkey homes. However, NerdWallet notes new construction homes do tend to come with a bigger price tag ‑ about $85,000 higher on average.
With the tips above, you’ll be able to live comfortably and safely. Still, accessible homes can be hard to come by. So if you decide to start from scratch with the designs you need, contact Vacant Land of the Free to get started!
