Real estate company Orchard, which specializes in helping homeowners to move into their next home before selling their current one, has published new research showing the positive impact of adding accessible features to homes. The research, which focuses on single family homes in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, finds that accessible features increase property values by an average of more than $30,000 with some features such as in-home elevators increasing property values by $67,000 or more.
“Improving accessibility in private homes is a massive step towards ensuring that more people are able to comfortably live and work from home. This research is a positive signal for those homeowners who are considering upgrades and renovations to take accessibility into account. By spending energy making their home usable by a wider range of people with various needs, homeowners can increase their property value and ultimately attract more buyers in the future,” said Rachel Bennett, Licensed Orchard Realtor in Texas.
Orchard found that the average sale price of Dallas-Fort Worth homes with accessibility features comes out to $378,000, vs $344,000 for homes without accessible features included. In a competitive housing market, it is refreshing to find that making home modifications that cater to a wider range of people is one of the many ways that homeowners can maximize their investment.
For homeowners considering making upgrades to their home, here are some of the most common modifications that can greatly improve the lives of people with disabilities:
- Widening interior doorways to a minimum of 36 inches
- Adding grab bars near toilets or modifying shower entries to include lipless access
- Replacing door knobs and handles with levers
- Lowering light switches and countertops to wheelchair-height
- Building ramps, stair lifts, and elevators to accommodate those with limited mobility
- Introducing technology that supports individuals with hearing disabilities
To read the full report, which analyzed over 640,000 home sale transactions from the past 10 years (2012 to 2021) in Dallas-Fort Worth, visit https://orchard.com.
