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It's a beautiful home in an area I love. It looks like it's either take 22 steps to get to the front door or go in through the garage and then basement and up a flight. Would that be a deal-breaker?
Personally, I would not have even looked at a house like that. I have knee problems so the fewer stairs in my life the better. I once lived in a town house that had over 30 steps up to the landing of our unit. Never again! Carrying groceries in was a pain in the rear end. Moving in and out also sucked.
I rented a 3 story townhouse, where the 1st floor basically was a spare living room, with bathroom and laundry, so everything was 1 flight up. I was in fine shape, but hated lugging up groceries. That said, it wouldn't be a deal breaker unless it were the only house in the community that was built that way (because it'd be a huge PIA to sell).
I currently live in a two-storey cape with five steps into the house from either front or back door. The only bathroom is on the second floor. I get plenty of exercise going up and down those stairs.
If I planned on buying at my age, I'd definitely opt for all on one floor with handicapped access. It would be a "hell, no" for me. YMMV
The first time you come home with a load of groceries and a brief case you will be wondering. The first time you unload all your bags from a trip, requiring multiple trips, you will wonder what the in world you were thinking.
We had a split level condo and nothing sucks more when getting into your car and you realize your phone is still by the bed. 4 flights of stairs, 5 if we parked out front.
My house is built on a hillside with a garage underneath. When I bought it, I was healthy and it was intended to be a vacation home/investment property. Ten days after the closing, I was disabled by a back operation gone awry, two months later the R.E. market crashed, and yada-yada, I ended up moving into the house as a permanent residence.
I've had the kitchen and bathroom remodeled and taken care of other stuff to accommodate my disabilities, but the flight of stairs from the garage into the house is a permanent fixture. I have a front and back door that require a short hillside hike but are not accessible in the winter. Besides the difficulties with groceries and pets, I live in fear of having my refrigerator or other large appliance die at the beginning of the winter, as I'd have to live without it until the spring thaw. Furniture replacement can only happen in the summer.
I would never recommend buying a house that requires an entry via a staircase to anyone over the age of 40.
No. I'm a worrier though. I'm always thinking, what if I break a leg? Also I live alone so if I broke a leg its not like someone is going to be taking care of me. (Although there is more grocery delivery avail now than in the past.)
And now that I'm older its a double no. No to living on a cement pad, no to tri's and bi's, under garages, any of that. A few stairs into a ranch, maybe a 2 story with main floor living.
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