Accessible rentals are on-demand now more than ever before. Despite the fact that it may seem to be a fuss to create and make updates to your property to accommodate people with limited mobility, the fact is you can widen your potential tenant pool and give your rental home a competitive edge. By making your property more accessible, you easily attract the elderly and also the tenants who use wheelchairs, walkers, canes, and more.
Frederick property managers understand that federal law states you can’t discriminate against people based on their accessibility requirements. You could wait around until your tenant approaches you with an accommodation request. Or, the ideal (and more profitable) option could be to keep accessibility in mind as you update your property and pick options and possibilities that will truly attract disabled or elderly renters. Here are a few hassle-free ideas to help make your property more accessible to those with mobility challenges.
1. Floors
Carpeting can be difficult for people who use wheelchairs, canes, or walkers, but so can slippery hard flooring. This is exactly why, when it’s time to replace the flooring in your rental home, use a sturdy, low-pile carpet. A low-pile carpet provides great traction and won’t snag on the ends of canes and walkers. The right flooring can make your rental easily more appealing to a wider range of tenants.
2. Entryway
One of the top obstacles that people with mobility challenges face is a doorway that is too narrow. As you get ready with your next set of property improvements, consider replacing your entry door, and possibly the interior doors as well, with wider, more wheelchair-friendly versions. Moreover, lever doorknobs are more suitable for people with limited mobility than round knobs. It’s a rather piece-of-cake project, yet it will make a big difference to a disabled tenant.
3. Bathroom
The bathroom holds several drawbacks for disabled tenants. The fixtures that are typically installed there were not made to make it easier for them. But really, you can simply make your bathrooms more accessible by upgrading your shower or tub and your toilet. Right now, the standard tub is too high for people with limited mobility to step over. If you’ve decided to renovate, try picking out a walk-in tub or a shower with a lower threshold. On the flip side, toilets tend to be too low to the ground for many disabled people. When the time comes and you want to replace your toilet, decide on one that is considerably taller. Both of these restorations can help make your rental more accessible to all.
4. Kitchen
The kitchen is another site where challenges abound for people with limited mobility. There are quite a few fixtures that would make things more difficult for them. For example, most standard appliances and countertops are too tall for people in wheelchairs to reach with ease. If you’re remodeling your rental kitchen anyway, think about taking advantage of ADA-height appliances and counter space. With a little ingenuity and planning, you can really do a lot to make your rental property’s kitchen one of the most accessible parts of the house.
5. Bedroom
Home design could prove to be challenging but, as for the bedroom, there are a couple of projects that are easy to do– closet rods and light switches. Both are usually too high for people in wheelchairs or with limited mobility to reach comfortably. By installing closet rods closer to the floor and lowering the light switches, you can substantially improve the quality of life for your tenants.
Would you want more thoughts and insights on how to make your rental appeal to quality tenants? Real Property Management Prime can definitely help! Contact us online today to learn more about all the great services we offer property owners and landlords.
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