North Carolina is one of the most popular retirement destinations in the country. People come for the coast, the mountains, the golf and the mild winters. Many buy a house in their early sixties without thinking much about how it will suit them at eighty. A little foresight makes a big difference.
If you are still looking
- A primary bedroom and full bath on the main level are worth a great deal
- Count the steps from the car to the kitchen
- Look for wide doorways and a walk-in shower
- In a multi-story home, ask whether closets are stacked for an elevator
If you are building
- Ask the builder to frame an elevator shaft, even if you fit the elevator later
- Request blocking in bathroom walls for future grab bars
- Specify at least one entrance without steps
If you have fallen for a house with stairs
The view from a three-story beach house or a mountainside home can be hard to resist. It can still work.
- A home elevator makes a multi-level home livable at any age
- A stair lift handles a single staircase economically
- A platform lift deals with a raised entry
If you are already settled
Make changes before you need them. Start with lighting, handrails and the bathroom, then look at the stairs.
Location matters too
- How far is the nearest hospital?
- Is there family or a support network nearby?
- What is the plan during hurricane season or a winter storm?
The cost of getting it wrong
Moving a second time in your seventies is expensive and tiring. Adapting the home you chose is usually the better path.
Ask before you buy
We are happy to look at a house you are considering and tell you what could be added and roughly what is involved. Call Nationwide Lifts of North Carolina on (910) 377-7643 or contact us.