Marketing the user-friendly house

by Gil South   Marketing barrier-free or wheelchair-accessible houses challenges REALTORS® to fight negative buyer perceptions. Many potential homebuyers regard the features of barrier-free homes as impractical for the average person and view the homes as less appealing because of them.

Special modifications are usually found in bedrooms, bathrooms, and kitchens, facilitating access to these rooms for wheelchair users. Some common modifications include the following:

• Lowering kitchen counters
• Expanding hallways and doorways to a 36-inch width
• Creating a barrier-free shower with room for a wheelchair and a wide bench for sitting
• Raising electrical outlets to at least 15 inches above the floor
• Lowering electrical switches and wall-mounted phones to no more than four feet above the floor
• Lowering closet hangers

While different from the standards used on most houses, these features rarely result in any loss of utility. Indeed, many of these modifications would be a plus for some–especially older homebuyers who want to remain independent as long as possible. Some barrier-free home modifications can actually be seen as advantages:

• Wider doors and hallways provide easy access to rooms–especially when moving furniture.
• Handrails and non-skid surfaces in the bathroom help prevent falls.
• Threshold-free entrances, doorways, and showers, discourage tripping and falling.
• Substituting ramps leading to outside doors for steps decreases chances of accidents.

These and other barrier-free home modifications help prevent accidents in the home, which should be presented as a positive to any potential homebuyer. Promoting the positive aspects of a barrier-free home, rather than attempting to downplay their existence, may help change buyers’ misconceptions of these user-friendly features.

Gil South is a residential appraiser and REALTOR® at Keller Williams Realty West in Houston.

Illustration © 2001 Artville.

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