Property Journey
My journey started back in early 2022 when I decided I was ready to purchase and move out of where I currently lived. For the first few properties, I was optimistic but as time went by, I started to notice all the issues with the property market, especially for a lot of disabled people.
Tight hallways, small bathrooms, lack of manoeuvrability and steps where there shouldn’t be any, coupled with the competitive property market at the time, meant there was little to no chance of me getting my first-ever property so easily.
As a first-time buyer, it’s a lot more difficult to get on the property market due to the high costs of general properties, including new builds, and while schemes exist, you’re still getting an inadequate-sized property. What makes it worse is that I fit into both these groups, meaning my chances to find a suitable property would be exceedingly more challenging.
Start of BuildMyAccessibleHome
When considering my own needs, I’d need a large sum of money, considering properties that do have accessible features, like a big enough bathroom or hallway are often priced at bank-breaking prices. All of these issues are why I created this blog, to document and write about these issues and to learn along the way too. So what are some of the things I have learned?
What Is an ‘Accessible Property
An accessible property is designed and built to be usable by people with disabilities. This typically includes features such as wheelchair ramps, wide doorways, and grab bars in bathrooms.
Additionally, the property may have specific features such as raised electrical outlets and lowered light switches to make them more easily accessible for people with mobility impairments.
Other features that could be included in an accessible property include visual fire alarms for people with hearing impairments and roll-in showers for people who use wheelchairs.
Property Challenges / Observations
Throughout my time searching for properties, I’ve faced many challenges regarding the property market. I’ve also experienced and discussed many different topics here on this blog – below is the output of this experience and knowledge I’ve gained while on the search for the perfect property.
Lack of Affordable Housing
The property market is hard to get on as a disabled first-time buyer. With the ever-increasing prices and mortgage rates, there is no wonder first-time buyers are struggling to get their property, without saving an even larger sum of money to even be able to afford the repayments.
That said, it’s always important to pay as much as you can upfront before fees and what you may need for renovations and decorations, due to the cheaper rates.
In addition, with all the accessibility features missing from properties, it’s even harder for a disabled person to get on the market if they haven’t got a large amount of money somewhere to buy a large bungalow at eye-watering prices.
Developers Don’t Get It!
Developers don’t get what disabled people need in their properties. It’s clear from the number of new build bungalows how out of touch developers are regarding accessibility build requirements. Not one newly built bungalow I’ve viewed has come with a decent-sized bathroom or wide enough hallway.
While it may work for some, it definitely won’t work for disabled people who have more specific needs but want to move out after saving up for a deposit. I have worked full-time for countless hours, which at least gives me some hope of buying my property!
Adaptions are Expensive
Accessibility isn’t built into the property. To further my last point, not a lot of properties are built with accessible features already in place. Considering that a lot of disabled people will require adaption grants, this takes the cake! Why not have purchase options with new builds where you can remove bits of the property, you intend to rip out and rebuild later anyway? Doing things this way might save money on building and give those looking to renovate anyway the option to make the space their own.
Retrofitting existing properties to make them suitable can also be very costly and complex due to the amount of work and support required to achieve it. This would not only ensure more affordable housing but enabled a ‘blank canvas‘ style approach and ensure people can make the property their own if they choose to. It may also help developers speed up the building process since they won’t need to spend as long decorating, hence can focus on building more properties!
Lack of Smart Technology Integration
Smart technology makes your property a much more accessible space and it’s getting better. By utilising technology, we could create properties that enable a more independent and safer lifestyle for those with accessibility issues. It enables better cleaning, better lighting and smarter heating might help you save on gas due to its ability to efficiently adapt to the environment it’s in.
Furthermore, it gives us all a chance to try out new ways of living, test solutions and enhance the world around us to be a more autonomous and accessible place. Some technology I have come across has been great but there is still plenty of technological growth in the future, as we go deeper into the digital age. Some examples of how smart technology can be used to make properties more accessible include:
- Voice-controlled devices/assistants: These can allow people who can’t reach or press the light switches to control lighting, temperature, and other aspects of their living environment with just their voice. Smart speakers and other virtual assistants can be used to control all of the smart devices in a home, and also provide helpful information, such as the weather forecast, news, or even reminders for things like events, medication and medical appointments.
- Smart doorbells: These can include features such as automatic door opening, facial recognition, and voice commands, making it easier for people with mobility impairments to enter and exit the property. Amazon ring is among an example of smart doorbells available to make answering the door that much easier, it also comes with a membership if you require data to be stored in the cloud.
- Smart appliances: These can be controlled remotely using a smartphone or other device, allowing people with mobility impairments to easily operate appliances such as ovens, washing machines, and dryers without having to physically interact with them. Eufy and Roomba is a good example of smart technology, which can hoover and clean your floor automatically, making it much easier to keep your property tidy in between cleaning.
- Smart lighting: Automated lighting systems can be programmed to turn on and off at specific times, or be triggered by motion sensors, making it easier for people with visual impairments to navigate their living space. Philips Hue is one of the examples of products that enable the consumer to easily create a light eco-system that can turn on easily by a press on an app or voice, which those with mobility issues will likely be able to use independently.
When considering all the various options listed above, properties can be built with smart technology integrated within them or at least measures to enable easy installation if the buyers choose to do so. If the property is already being built to support those with disabilities then this would make a lot more sense.
To the next viewing!
Beyond this post, I will still be looking out for potential properties and keep you all informed of my progress. I already have a collection of blog posts on my property hunting progress and different topics on the many rooms and technology in the property, so make sure you give the other posts a read. I am grateful for all the support and help everyone has given the blog, so all I want to say is thank you.