House Hunters: Amputee Edition

When our landlord informed me that he planned to put the house we are renting up for sale, I immediately panicked. "I am only a few months post-op! I am not ready for all that moving entails, besides, I love this house! How will I ever find something I love just as much that is also accessible for me? After a few deep breaths, used in place of wine (which was not an option as I was in the car in the middle of a road trip when I got the news) I was slightly calmer and ready to begin my Zillow search!

I made a list of "dealbreakers" which included two-story homes, carpet, and no private yard. I love the area I live in now and was not prepared to venture into another neighborhood. This home has a certain aesthetic that I was really hoping to find again. I quickly found that this might be a bigger challenge than I anticipated, as there just aren't many rental options in this area. After several days of obsessively checking my Zillow app every few hours, I was no closer to finding what I was looking for. The house was about to hit the market and we knew that came along with potential buyer showings requiring us to be out of the house for an hour at a time with our dog while missing work. The clock was ticking and the panic was back. After touring a few rental homes which were far from perfect, I realized that maybe I was going about this all wrong.

My priorities weren't exactly what they should be. I was more concerned with finding a pretty house than I was with how easily I would be able to move around in it. It was this thought that brought me to the realization that my current home was not exactly the most accessible. There are sunken rooms throughout. This means that I have to be extra cautious while on crutches. Particularly If I need to get to the bathroom in the middle of the night as that requires me to go up one step and then shimmy into a very narrow bathroom doorway. Maybe moving wouldn't be such a terrible thing after all...
After I had eliminated a rental home I came across in my online search due to its 90's interior (complete with a fully mirrored wall in the dining room) and location, I decided it might be worth an in-person tour as it did not appear to have any steps. Although it was not exactly the style I had in mind, it was spacious, it did in fact, not have any steps to worry about and it had A POOL with a fully private yard. When I got home, I made a pros and cons list. Pro's - Accessible bathrooms, accessible floor plan, room for all of my devices,  POOL. Cons- 90's (yuck), not in my desired neighborhood. I think you can guess what the consensus was. Even though the home was not my style, I could overcome that with some personal touches and decor, after all, we are not buying, simply renting. The location was not where I really wanted to be but it was actually a bit closer to work for me. This was ideal as I will begin working back in the office soon.

So here is what I learned the hard way: Accessibility is key. If you cannot comfortably and safely move around in your own home, it just isn't a good fit. Find something that works for your needs over your wants. You may find this is a great excuse for some DIY projects. I will keep you posted on what I have planned for 90's house!