Accessible rentals are most favored now than ever before. It’s true that it may be a nuisance to make alterations to your property to accommodate people with limited mobility, but the truth is, you can widen your potential tenant pool and give your rental home a competitive edge. By making your property more accessible, you attract the elderly and tenants who use wheelchairs, walkers, canes, and more.
North Austin property managers are familiar with the federal law that states that you can’t discriminate against people based on their accessibility requirements. So, you could wait around until your tenant approaches you with an accommodation request. Or, the best (and more profitable) option would be to keep accessibility in mind as you update your property and opt for those choices that will clearly cater to disabled or elderly renters. Here are a couple of easy ideas to set up and make your property more accessible to those with mobility challenges.
1. Floors
Carpeting can be an issue for people who use wheelchairs, canes, or walkers, but so can slippery hard flooring. Precisely why, when it comes time to replace the flooring in your rental home, it would be better to choose a sturdy, low-pile carpet. A low-pile carpet gives superb traction and won’t snag on the ends of canes and walkers. The right flooring can make your rental quickly become more appealing to a wider range of tenants.
2. Entryway
One of the huge 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. Likewise, indeed, lever doorknobs are more suited for people with limited mobility than round knobs. It’s an easy project, but definitely, one that will make a big difference to a disabled tenant.
3. Bathroom
The bathroom holds countless problems for disabled tenants. The usual fixtures you find there are not designed with them in mind. But as a matter of fact, you can really easily make your bathrooms more accessible by upgrading your shower or tub and your toilet. For instance, the standard tub is too high for people with limited mobility to step over. If you are getting ready to renovate, do consider picking 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 improvements can help make your rental a lot more accessible to all.
4. Kitchen
The kitchen is another setting where challenges abound for people with limited mobility. There are many things that make it difficult for them. For instance, most standard appliances and countertops are too tall for people in wheelchairs to reach comfortably. If you’re remodeling your rental kitchen anyway, think about placing ADA-height appliances and counter space. With quite a bit of creativity and careful planning, you can turn your rental property’s kitchen into one of the most accessible parts of the house.
5. Bedroom
Another part of the home design that is quite easy to change is closet rods and light switches. Both are mostly too high for people in wheelchairs or with limited mobility to reach well. By installing closet rods closer to the floor and lowering the light switches, you can seriously improve the quality of life for your tenants.
Are you looking for more practical tips with regard to how to make your rental appeal to quality tenants? Real Property Management Longhorn can totally help! Contact us online today to learn more about all the great services we offer property owners and landlords.
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