You can learn a lot from photos of an apartment, and even more from videos or virtual tours that are available for many properties. You can also find information on alarm systems in apartments for contacting emergency services and other disability-friendly features. Read the description thoroughly, watching for mentions of designated parking spaces, access to public transportation and proximity to local businesses. These are highlighted in the example below. The property description is meant to give you a feel for what you could expect while living there, both in terms of amenities on-site and in the surrounding area. Each of these can be useful to learn about different amenities and accessibility features that might be available. In addition to search filters, real estate listing sites offer many other ways to access information about properties, such as highlights, amenities listings, descriptions, photos, floorplans and virtual tours. Use listing page options to focus your search If public transit is important or you'd like to be in a certain neighborhood, you might use a location tool to narrow the range to a more specific location. If you have a service animal, it should be allowed in any public or commercial building - but life may be easier for you and your companion animal in a building that already allows pets and has amenities like dog waste stations and fenced runs. Below, several elements of a filter results page are highlighted.įiltering options can include features such as hardwood floors, front-loading washer and dryer in the apartment, etc. Each filter will reduce the number of results and offer you a clearer picture of what's available for your criteria. Use more filtering options to find your preferred amenities. You can start with terms like “disability access," then get more specific. But once you've got the basics in place, look for ways to filter your results. Narrow search results with filtersįiltering screens look different, depending on the site you're on. To narrow the list, look for additional filtering options. But that could give you hundreds of results. Most searches begin with inputting your desired city, type of property, number of bedrooms and rent prices. A typical search results screen might look like the one below. Specialized searches can save time by letting you filter through the features you want. To see listings for helpful nonprofit and government agencies, go to the More Resources section at the end.Īpartment search sites often yield more options and provide greater specificity about available features. However, they might not have the most updated information on apartments, as real estate markets change quickly and constantly. Nonprofits and government agencies offer help in finding, applying for and paying for ADA-compliant housing. Whether you want a one-bedroom in an apartment building or a townhome with an elevator, online is the easiest place to start searching. Search online for handicap-accessible apartments We'll walk you through the details and more features to look for in the search steps below. There are elements that most accessible apartments share. So start with a list of what matters most to you. However, other items might be dealbreakers. You might be able to make some small modifications yourself - like swapping out doorknobs for lever-style handles or adding grab bars in the bathroom. Amenities: Pools, fitness centers, lounge areas, etc.įrom low counters and hardwood floors to automatic doors and multiple elevators, not every place will offer every accessible feature.Control adjustments: Location of electrical switches and outlets to be within reach, lever-style door handles, Braille or tactile panels near controls, etc.Floorplan accommodations: Wider doorjambs and hallways, flat or low-rise thresholds, roll-in sinks and showers, etc.Common area access: Widened entryways and hallways, automatic doors, ADA-compliant elevators, etc.External accommodations: Accessible parking spaces, ramps, handrails, enhanced lighting, etc.Prepare your list of “must-have" accessibility featuresīefore you start looking, make a checklist of accessibility features that are essential to you, plus others that would be simply “nice to have." These features usually fall into a few categories: If you know a few things going in - which features you're looking for, where and how to look, which questions to ask and what to expect from the application process, plus what rights you have and restrictions you might encounter - the process of finding handicap-accessible apartments gets easier. And it can seem even more difficult when you're searching for handicap-accessible apartments. Finding an affordable, livable apartment can take some effort.
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