Finding a home that’s accessible for wheelchair users can be difficult. When it comes to what questions to ask, modifications to look for or make, or even who to work with, our brand ambassadors have experience, which they share in some of their articles. We have compiled a list of resources for finding an accessible home.

Questions to Ask Yourself

Doing your research is one of the most important steps in the process of finding your new home. It’s important to know where you’re going, who you’re working with, what the place looks like and even visiting it, if possible. The worst part is, just because something is listed as ADA accessible doesn’t mean that it fits all the criteria.

It can be overwhelming to keep track of all the questions you want to ask or specifics you want to look into. Bryan Anderson shares some helpful questions that he asks when he’s looking for a new place to live. Check out his article on relocating tips for some questions you can ask when you look for an accessible home.

Qualities to Look for in a Home

From the doorways to the amenities, it’s important to know if a home can accommodate your wheelchair. Jesse Cuellar suggests looking into the parking options if you plan on living in a city. Jesse also suggests living close to an accessible parking spot because it saves time and is extremely convenient. However, he advises to make sure that the space is big enough for you to get in and out of the space and that there’s enough room if you have a wheelchair ramp in your car. Your other option is public transportation, in which case it’s imperative to make sure the city has buses and taxes that are wheelchair accessible.

Other features to look out for are lower sinks, countertops and appliances. Much like parking spaces, it’s good to know ahead of time whether your power wheelchair can easily fit through the doorways and in the rooms. To learn more, read Jesse’s article on finding an accessible apartment.

Working with a Realtor

Realtors can be very helpful in buying an accessible condo. Josh McDermott shares his experiences working with realtors when he was trying to purchase his first accessible condo. He also gives his best advice when working with them, including doing research on your disability rights under the 1988 FHAA and not limiting yourself to one realtor.

He says that realtors are commission based, so you can hire as many as you want. The reason he did this was because of how difficult it was to find a place that truly accommodated his needs. They sent him information for multiple options through email, including pictures. It’s good to request a meeting with each of the agents as well so that they can see your chair and get a better sense of your needs. It’s also beneficial to see the place in person, because unfortunately pictures can be deceiving. In visiting the locations, you can see if your chair can navigate the hallways.