Your Home Is A Stage: Tips For Real Estate Staging

4 Things to Look for in a Home You'll Live in During Your Retirement Years

2 December 2020 by Andre George

As you approach your retirement years, it is important to consider your housing situation. You will want to make sure your house is ready to age in place with you so you can continue to live in your home as you age. If you are looking for a new home to purchase, you will want to think about the features you need in a house to live in the home comfortably for the rest of your life.

Thing #1: Look for a Single Level

When you are looking for a home to age in place, you will want to look for a single-level home. You will want to avoid a two-story house and a home with any sunken down levels, such as a sunken living room. Make sure there are no stairs in the garage or patio areas either. Be sure to consider if you can remedy the stairs; for example, you could easily add a ramp to your patio but you can't as easily get rid of the second story in a home. 

Sunken levels and stairs can be more challenging to navigate as you get older, especially if you need to use a mobility device, such as a walker or wheelchair. Try to avoid a home with any stairs.

Thing #2: Look for a Step-in Shower

Next, you will want to look for a home with a shower that you can step into or walk into. Getting into a shower where you have to get in and out of a bathtub to use the shower can be especially challenging as you age. It is okay to have a home with a bathtub, but make sure it also has a shower you can walk into as well. You can make the shower more comfortable to access as well by installing grab bars after you purchase the home.

Thing #3: Look for Wide Spaces

You are going to want to look for a home with wide spaces. You are going to want to look for a home with wide hallways as well as wider doorways. A home with wider hallways and doorways will be easier to navigate if you ever need to use a walker or a wheelchair. A home with more open wide spaces will also make socializing in your home easier as well.

Thing #4: Downsize Your Budget

When you purchase a home, be sure to purchase one that is below your budget. As you age, you may experience medical and other issues that could impact your budget. That is why it is smart to spend less on your housing, so you can afford to meet your different needs.

Thing #5: Minimize Maintenance 

Finally, when you look at homes, you will want to make sure you are minimizing the maintenance you need to do. That may mean purchasing a home with a smaller yard. Or that may mean buying a smaller home with fewer maintenance needs or purchasing a newly remodeled home that will not need a lot of work over time.

When it comes to purchasing a home to live in as you age, look for a home without steps, with wide spaces, and with a step-in shower. Consider purchasing a home that reduces your maintenance needs and allows you to downsize your budget as well.

Talk to a realtor to get help finding the right house.

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