I have been very blessed and fortunate to be able to own property in Florida for about seven years now. I would spend my summers up in New York at my parents’ house and then during the winter, I stayed at my property in Florida.
It has taken three years to make my home in Florida fully accessible for my needs. And due to the cost of the renovations, I could only convert one bathroom to an accessible bathroom. During that process, I learned a lot about what it takes to renovate a property when you have a disability.
The Value of My Accessible Home
My realtor contacted me and asked if I would ever consider selling my property? I told her no, because I use the property during the winter to stay warm. Also, I had put a lot money into the property to make it fully accessible for my needs. She persuaded me to have an appraiser come in to appraise the property. Due to current real estate market and because of my wheelchair accessibility renovations, the value of my property had almost doubled!
There are a lot of older individuals who are retiring and looking to move to Florida. They require property that is accessible. So, after some thought and talking with my parents, I decided to put my house on the market. After the first day, I had two offers for the full asking price. I waited a few days and received more offers. Eventually, I chose one and sold the property.
Moving On
It was hard for me to sell the place. When you spend six months or more in a certain place, you really get comfortable there. I chose the location I was in because I could take my power wheelchair everywhere. All the local restaurants, bars and parks were fully wheelchair accessible. I never worried about transportation! Also, a lot of the people in my neighborhood that I met were amazing. and I still keep in touch with them!
About Josh McDermott: Josh is a brand ambassador for Quantum Rehab®. He is a public speaker and has served as a goodwill ambassador for the Muscular Dystrophy Association. Josh lives in New York and loves to travel. Click here to learn more about Josh.
Click here to read part two of this blog series.