Apartment hunting decision matrix

[Them Bones]

I start my new job in January.

It's about an hour and 15 minutes from where I live now so I need to move.

I am trying to make the best decision possible in choosing my new place. I'm preparing checkpoints to score apartments that I look at. There are certain amenities that anyone would want, like a washer and dryer in the unit, but I am more concerned with accessibility.

So I am going to try to rank accessibility of the kitchen, bathroom, bedroom, etc on a scale of 1 - 5.


Apart from rolling around and getting a feel for the place is there anything you all think I should look out for? Any input? How would you judge accessibility?

Give me your opinions please!!

[november]

H/C parking/ramps/curbcuts close enough to your apartment (especially if you have bad winters). Also make up sure there are adequate H/C spots so you aren't fighting over them with your neighbors.

I think washer/dryer hookups are very important. Hauling around laundry would be a nightmare. I purchased a front loading washer and dryer.

Another concern would be where the mail is at. I've seen some mailboxes at complexes totally out of reach and unable to get to from a wheechair.

[lynnifer]

Echo November on the parking - make it a priority.

I was lucky enough to be across the hall from a laundry room when I rented ... wasn't so bad.

Also, I made sure generators were hooked to elevators since I was renting from the third floor ... so I would never be stuck.

Apartment hunting is tough from a chair. I wish you luck!

[rcechser]

Bones what area of MA are you looking at?

[Eileen]

Defintely covered parking. I don't even have a clue how I would clear the van of a foot of snow. Look at the bathtub and toilet specifically for the angle of transfer you would have to do, and what you might be bumping into while doing it. I don't have my own washer and dryer anymore, but it is right downstairs and I sort of like the fact that when they break down it is no longer my responsibility to get them fixed or pay for it. Are you moving closer to Boston or further west?

[Them Bones]

I'm looking at the Andover area, as far west as Lowell and as far east as Reading. Also north on I-93 as far as, say, Hudson NH. All this is about 30 mins from Boston.

All the places I'm looking at must have snow removal.

I lived in a condo a couple years ago with my ex, and the snow removal guys were also the landscapers in the summers. As soon as they realized that the green Subaru was a young guy in a chair I would come out in the mornings after snow to see my car all cleaned off!

I can't expect that much special treatment, and cleaning off a car isn't too bad. But I am definitely sticking to places that remove the snow.

[lynnifer]

I can't expect that much special treatment, and cleaning off a car isn't too bad. But I am definitely sticking to places that remove the snow.

I think that's always going to be a battle. I keep a shovel inside and take it with me in the car because I can't depend on anywhere to be removed of snow.

[Them Bones]

I think that's always going to be a battle. I keep a shovel inside and take it with me in the car because I can't depend on anywhere to be removed of snow.

psshhhh what do you know about snow Canada Girl?

[wheeliecoach]

I lived in a condo a couple years ago with my ex, and the snow removal guys were also the landscapers in the summers. As soon as they realized that the green Subaru was a young guy in a chair I would come out in the mornings after snow to see my car all cleaned off!

Pete-

We got a letter in the mail a couple of weeks ago from our condo complex saying the guys will shovel and plow us out when they get here...so do not call the management association complaining. I guess we will have to do what we did last year...shovel our own selves out!

As far as accessibility...make sure in the bathroom you have enough room to transfer to the shower and to the toilet. Not getting your chair close enough could be an issue. Also...make sure some of the cabinets are accessible to you...even if they are the lower ones. My husband and I have all of the the dishes in the cabinets below the counter until we get rich and have the upper cabinets redone so that they are more accessible. Definitely make sure that parking is close...and that there are more than one spot...because you know people will park there because "they will only be there for a second". Make sure the closet doors are not on tracks that they can easily pop off from. We used to have sliding closet doors that always popped off the tracks and fell...one almost crashed onto my head.

Those are some of the things we had changed or that we looked for when we were looking for our condo. Good luck and I hope that doesn't mean you will be transferring teams to those dreaded Celtics now. :)

[lynnifer]

That's funny wheelie about the cupboards. My bottom ones are stacked too ... top ones are empty until I can afford to change it.

[Eileen]

Is south of Boston not an option for your residence. The reason I ask is I live in a condo building, but the top four floors are apartments with no plan of ever changing that. There is covered garage parking, and they do a great job of plowing guest parking and cleaning by the accessible door. Mine is only one of many buildings I know of like this south of Boston, and I am sure they exist on the North Shore too. I am just not familiar with that area much.

[Curt Leatherbee]

That's funny wheelie about the cupboards. My bottom ones are stacked too ... top ones are empty until I can afford to change it.

I use one of those grabber clamp down sticks to stock my upper shelves, works real good, still have not dropped one dish or glass yet, it has little rubber grabbers at the end that holds things real tight until you release, kinda fun using that, I challenge myself to see how fast I can stock the upper shelves when I pull the glasses and dishes out of the dishwasher.

I use to work in Chelmsford MA years ago and never had much luck finding accessable housing around there, but that was like 25 years ago so I'm sure things have changed since there. Last summer I was riding around Lowell, infact got lost there and I noticed a whole ton of apartment buildings there. Years ago Lowell was not a very nice town, but it looks like it has improved a lot.

[Them Bones]

Here are pics of the new place. It was the floors that won me over!

I'm going to get one of those roller sets so I can handcycle in front of the TV!

The double doors don't lead outside there is a rail on the other side, so it's like having a balcony without having a balcony.

33118

33119

33120

33121

[Eileen]

Wow, that place is gorgeous, and the wide-open floorplan has wheelchair living written all over it. Congratulations!

[november]

That is really spacious! :)
You will have to get some cozy furniture and things on the walls to warm the place up.

[SCI-Nurse]

Them Bones, that loft is gorgeous! Is it an old industrial building? Lovely old brick, spacious but functional it looks like. How is the bathroom set up?

(KLD)

[Them Bones]

It was an old mill. The kitchen isn't great for a chair, but it'll work. I can cook well enough without a roll-under range, and the roll under sink isn't as important because I have a dishwasher.

The bathroom is easy enough, the apartment put in a shower hose for me, and the maintenance guy is going to put in a grab bar when I figure out where exactly I'll need it.

There is an over-under washer and dryer in the unit. I can reach the controls easily, but the lint filter is way out of reach. I'm going to have to rig up a tool to grab it and replace it. I'll take a pic when I figure it out.

[lynnifer]

Absolutely gorgeous! Sucks about all that cupboard space in the kitchen and microwave though ... still worth it. The windows are absolutely gorgeous and I love the layout ... the only complaint I would have is heating that place.

That was rather quick ... I thought you'd be hunting for months! Good for you!

[Them Bones]

Yeah, i can reach all the microwave buttons, but cleaning it will be tough. And those cabinets will be empty except for the bottom shelves.

I had to find a place this month, the new job starts after the new year! If I didn't move by then I'd have an hour and a half commute each way!

[WC_Sage]

Them Bones - you surely move quickly!

[wheeliecoach]

Awesome place! Congrats!

[xJdinox]

Wow, I love your new apartment! Congrats!!

[rcechser]

Yeah, i can reach all the microwave buttons, but cleaning it will be tough. And those cabinets will be empty except for the bottom shelves.

I had to find a place this month, the new job starts after the new year! If I didn't move by then I'd have an hour and a half commute each way!That place looks like downtown Lowell? Overlooking the river or canal? Congrats!!

[sjean423]

Yeah, i can reach all the microwave buttons, but cleaning it will be tough.

Put a glass plate on the bottom, so you never put something right on the bottom of the microwave, then you can take it out to wash it. I have a sponge on a stick thing, meant to clean the shower, that works to get to the back to wipe it, especially if you boil some water first, so the microwave is steamy. Just be SUPER careful taking out hot things! (My microwave is up too)

[Curt Leatherbee]

Interesting, lots of old mill space in that area being converted into condos and apartments. That was a huge industrial area going back to the late 1800's and early 1900's. They had a good natural setup in that area with lots of flowing rivers running through the town. Are you on a river? I know the Merrimack runs through that area. Your moving from one old industrial area (Worcester) to another. Looks good, I'll bet the price was right too. Too bad they had not started converting those old mills to apts back 25 years ago when I was working in that area. I quit my job as an engineer as I could not find suitable housing back then as it was hard to come by and big bucks. I was commuting from Framingham MA to Chelmsford MA everyday which got old pretty quick after doing it for a year.

[RAFS]

Hi Pete,
Congratulations on your new apartment. BOY! you sure found a suitable wheelchair friendly apartment in a hurry. You move fast. I suggest you try & get yourself either a mobile standing frame or a power or manual standing wheelchair in order to access your microwave & the upper kitchen cabinets.
The Standing Wheelchair Company makes a standing wheelchair that is power & also make one that is manual w/a hydraulic standing feature. LEVO also makes a power standing wheelchair as well as PERMOBIL. I hope you have many happy years in your new home & best of luck to you on the new job.
Hope to see you at the National Veterans Wheelchair Games this July in Denver Colorado. .

Take Care Pete,
BOB