HOME BUYING TIPS FOR DISABLED PEOPLE
A home is meant to be a place of comfort. Therefore, buying a home for disabled people means being on the lookout for much more comfort.
WHAT ARE DISABILITIES
Disabilities are conditions that cause limitations in activities. A disability is any condition of the body or mind (impairment) that makes it difficult for the person with the condition to do certain activities.
Two people with the same type of disability can be affected in very different ways. Some disabilities may be hidden or not easy to see. These limitations according to World Health Organization can come in the forms of:
- Impairment
- Activity limitations
- Participation restrictions
TYPES OF DISABILITIES
In the context of people with disabilities, there are different types of disabilities that people live with every day. These disabilities are to be put into consideration when shopping for a new home. These types of disabilities include:
- Vision Impairment.
- Deaf/hard of hearing.
- Mental health conditions.
- Intellectual disability.
- Acquired brain injury.
- Autism spectrum disorder.
- Physical disability
- Locomotor Disability.
Buying a home can be a challenging process no matter your circumstances. In this article, we’ve put together important home buying tips for disabled people.
COMMON REAL ESTATE CHALLENGES OF DISABLED PEOPLE
As part of the home buying tips for disabled people, we have to first understand the common real estate challenges they face. They can come in different categories which include:
- Dealing with physical hazards
- Access issues
- Affordability
- And others
Some home buying tips for disabled people include;
COMMUNICATE YOUR NEEDS CLEARLY
If an agent doesn’t ask about what unique needs you have upfront, you’ll have to communicate them clearly. This is to ensure that there’s no waste of time in inspecting houses that do not align with your unique needs. Explain any specific accommodation needs that you require, and make sure the agent takes good notes.
The ideal time to communicate your needs is likely in your first client meeting with them because most agents can be unaware of the unique real estate needs of disabled people.
BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR SUITABLE ACCESSIBILITY
Another home buying tip for disabled people includes doing due diligence for the suitable accessibility you need. For example, if a particular residential building has steps in the front of the building, someone who uses a wheelchair is going to need to know if there is a ramped back or side entrance.
There are 7 housing accessibility options for disabled people. They are:
- An accessible building entrance on an accessible route
- Accessible and usable public and common use areas
- An accessible route into and through the housing unit like elevators/lifts
- Accessible environmental controls, such as light switches and thermostats
- Reinforced walls for grab bars
- The property’s floor plans (for example, narrow hallways may not be suitable for people in a wheelchair)
- Is parking available close to the entrance of the property
For some, steps to the home or staircases inside or steep driveways will be a deal-breaker.
AFFORDABILITY
This home buying tip is asking you to check in on your budget and ability or inability to stretch it. For example, a person living with a disability can get a perfect house with only the lack of handrails on the stairs as a defect. What can they do at this point?
Now two questions come to play here which are;
- Should I keep looking?
- Or could these be easily installed?
Do you have a budget to do extensive modifications to the house in order to bring it up to a standard that is usable for you as a person with disabilities? These home buying tips should be on the checklist of every home buyer with disabilities to avoid hazards and discomfort.
It is very important to improve the conditions in neighborhoods by providing accommodations that decrease or eliminate activity limitations and participation restrictions for people with disabilities, so they can participate in the roles and activities of everyday life.
Whatever your situation, there’s always a housing option to fit your needs. If you’re in Abuja, Nigeria, and want to have a conversation about buying a home or any other residential situation, click here. How helpful did you find this article? We’d love the feedback! Click here to get in contact with our professionals.
