It’s the dream. A house, a car, a dog.
Well, we have a rental, we walk to our jobs, and we have a cat. But that hasn’t stopped my girlfriend an I from looking for a place to call our own. 10 years of renting, and we’re starting to hope that we can find somewhere to settle in and call our own. However, the journey has come with a few bumps and hiccups.
Most houses are, by design (though not intentionally), not the most wheelchair friendly. Many have several steps up to the front door, and inside are mazes of steps up, down, and crazy twists and turns. Thus our house hunting endeavors have been thwarted with an unsurpassable set of barriers.
Yet, we have found a few hopeful properties. One such condo, which is conveniently near our apartment, had great promise, requiring a few minor modifications to the bathroom (though such modifications for a roll-in shower can cost upwards of $20,000). But the price was outside of our purchasing range. Others were on the opposite side of town, but the transport options, as neither one of us presently drives, would make for lengthy commutes and difficulty in winter weather where caregiver delays could make me miss my rides entirely.
Recently, a realtor presented us with a golden opportunity. A series of new condos are being developed in our neighborhood, and as the bathroom is unfinished, installing a roll-in shower would be extremely easy and cost-effective. While the property isn’t as nice as others we’ve seen, it is an interesting opportunity. The realtor informed us, however, that there were some barrier free properties in the complex, but they’ve already been sold to tenants without any need for such accommodations (as they’re not required to sell the units to individuals with disabilities).
We’ll continue to think over the unit in development. Regardless, we remain hopeful and on the hunt.
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