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]

Originally Posted by Them Bones

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]

Originally Posted by lynnifer

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]

Originally Posted by Them Bones

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.