Home Buying Tips for Seniors

As people age, their circumstances sometimes change dramatically. For instance, children leave home, income sometimes shrinks, and the body does not seem to function quite as efficiently as it once did. For these reasons, seniors are sometimes better served to leave the large family home and purchase one more suited for their sunset years.

List of Desired Characteristics for the Interior

A good way to begin the search for a new home is through using a checklist of questions to make sure that the new environment will be more conducive to aging than the current one. The following list of questions could be useful in making this determination:

• Can I afford the payments and is it well-insulated so that the heating bills will be reasonable?

• Are the entrances easily accessible, or will ramps have to be made to cover steps?

• How old are the appliances?

• Are shelves and cabinets in the kitchen easily accessible without bending or reaching?

• Are doors wide enough to accommodate assistive devices, such as wheelchairs or walkers?

• Is the home on a single level, or is there potential for a curved stairlift to be installed on the staircase in the future?

• Is the bath equipped with hand rails beside the shower, tub, or toilet?

List of Desired Characteristics for the Exterior

The exterior surroundings and neighborhood of the new home under consideration is almost as important as the inside. Seniors do much better with homes that are centrally located, and safety is always an issue.

• Is the neighborhood safe?

• Is there sufficient lighting around the perimeter for entering the house after dark and deterring criminals?

• Does the porch have railings?

• Are grocery stores, drug stores, churches, hair salons, and doctors nearby?

• Is the yard small enough to manage easily?

• Is there a fenced area for beloved pets?

• Are there other seniors living in the area who could provide companionship?

• Could family members get to the house quickly in an emergency?

While it may be difficult to find a home that fits all of these qualifications, some houses can be adapted quite inexpensively. For example, ramps and handrails are easy adaptations that cost very little compared to the safety they provide.

Modifying a home that fits most of a senior’s needs could make finding the right place much easier. By using the suggested questions and adding any that are a matter of personal preference, seniors can be confident that they are buying a place that will cause less worry during the golden years ahead.

About the Author:
Claire Bradshaw is a writer who has recently helped her grandparents to find a new home more suited to their needs. She writes for a website that offers advice on stairlifts for sale.