For years, real estate professionals have recognized that stairs can limit a home's appeal, particularly when the primary bedroom is upstairs.
But something interesting is happening in Florida.
We're raising houses.
New waterfront construction is often elevated to meet flood requirements, and some older homes are being lifted to reduce future flood damage.
Recently, I showed a waterfront property where the living area was approximately six feet above ground level.
The buyer's feedback?
The stairs were a dealbreaker.
Not the price. Not the condition. Not the location.
The stairs.
And it made me wonder about something we aren't discussing enough.
If stairs already influence how buyers evaluate two-story homes, what happens when an entire single-story home is elevated?
We're making important investments in protecting properties from flooding. But are we also considering how those decisions affect accessibility, aging in place, and eventually resale?
A residential elevator or lift may provide an alternative, but that's another expense and another system to maintain.
I don't believe flood protection and accessibility should be competing priorities.
We ought to be designing for both.
Because protecting a home for the next thirty years means thinking about the people who will need to get inside it.
Property & Principle by Whit Watson
Real estate with a little more thought behind it.