Home is where the Real E$tate is by Fergus

INTRODUCTION  I have clients who are currently looking for a home that is suitable for a person who requires a wheelchair following a serious accident which happened a day before a home inspection for a home that they had to back out of.  As a realtor this would be a first for me, and in light of how difficult it is to find a home that requires no modifications, we were going to have to make a compromise or two. With that being said, I thought it would be helpful and or illuminating for anyone who has similar needs/interested in the subject to put together a list of typical considerations and fixes.  But before we get into the nitty gritty, I should point out that it clearly behooves one in situations such as this to look for homes that are on one level such as a ranch or a rambler, or a home with two stories in case of a need for separation/storage/room for house guests. In our case, a condo will not cover us because he and his partner require yard space for their dogs a...

Introduction As a realtor, I'm often asked about the differences between a condominium and a co-operative, the  two principal alternatives  to a traditional home whereby the owner owns the land and any buildings on it.  Like New York City, where I lived for 26 years, there are a relatively high number of co-operatives in the Washington DC area.  Condominiums (condos) and cooperatives (co-ops) are both forms of multi-unit housing, but they differ significantly in terms of ownership structure, responsibilities, and legal frameworks.  For the purpose of clarity I am going to divide the two by the various criteria on which they are beholden.  Ownership Structure Condominium (Condo) In a condo, each unit is owned outright, except the common areas (hallways, amenities, etc.) which are shared with other residents.  The ownership is structured like real estate, where you hold a deed to your specific unit. Cooperative (Co-op) In a co-op, ownershi...