Is there a market for handicap accessible properties?

[Pao Prieto]

Hello BP community, I was wondering as a real estate profession, would there be any market for renting out or selling handicapped accessible homes and apartments? Do you think it is a good niche? is or has anyone done this as their specialty?

Thank you!

[Deanna McCormick]

the demand will grow.. as far as apartments,, a 2 br can house the person handicapped and a live in care giver so I wouldn't make changes to anything myself if it wasn't at least a 2 Br unit.

I'm not sure of the laws but we had a handicapped rental unit at a property I managed and I was told if we had an apartment available and anyone applied we would be forced to have the person living in the handicapped unit transfer, to accommodate the handicapped incoming tenant, if we moved in a non-handicapped disabled person into that unit,.. as long as we had a similar size apartment listed to rent.. so nobody in leasing wanted to rent that apartment out to someone that wasn't handicapped, because they knew it would just be a matter of time when they would be forced to transfer a tenant.   If we wouldn't have had a handicapped designated unit then we wouldn't have had to make any accommodation.. A tenant had lived in the building for several years a 1st floor unit,, she had bad accident.. she loved living there, the family hired a contractor to put in everything she needed to assist in her daily living,, including a cement ramp to enter and exit the building... she was disabled, wheelchair bound, yet able to transfer and mentally able to act on her own behalf, and was also able to have a dog, due to companion needs.. 

Research the issues and find out what's required.