Looking at Future Needs When Buying

We've been showing houses to many different age groups and noticing that buyers are doing a good job looking at their future needs before choosing a house. The house might be perfect for where they are in their lives now, but they have to reject the house because it doesn't offer what they know they will need in the future.

Take the case of a recent buyer in her mid-fifties. She wants her next purchase to be her last home. While she is very able bodied now and kayaks, walks, and does yoga, she is looking to a time when as she ages, she might not be able to climb stairs. She is also thinking that her mother may need to live with her some day and wants to accommodate her if that day comes. Thinking further into the future, if one of them ever needs to be in a wheelchair, the doors have to be wide enough for a wheelchair to fit through or the doors will need to be retro-fitted.

The house therefore must be on one level. The bathroom should have a low threshold shower, if possible. And if the door is not wide enough, there has to be a way to widen it.

We found the exact house for her although it took looking at about 20 first -- because it's not just about future, but it's about present needs too. It's a balance. And she also had location requirements. The price obviously has to work also! Oh, and she did not want to have to put in a ton of money to fix it up, so condition had to be satisfactory.

I surfed the MLS for listings one day and the perfect house came on while I was on the computer. Just popped right up! I called her, we saw it within the hour, wrote the offer and got it accepted!

One level, wide doors and hallways, great condition, right price, and the perfect location!