Where to Put Aging-in-Place Dollars

Bankrate's "How do aging-in-place remodels affect a home's value?" (https://bit.ly/3CeAKPT) is worth reading, especially if you're about to renovate your house.
 
When you weigh what aging-in-place modifications to make, a significant consideration is the effect your changes will have on the resale value of your home.
 
Will they help or hurt?
 
To find out, Bankrate talked with certified aging-in-place specialists.
 
One takeaway: Look to universal design modifications -- hands-free faucets and dimmer switches, for example -- that benefit multiple generations. Those won't hurt resale value. 
 
After all, institutional-style designs and permanent features like exterior metal ramps may make a home less attractive to future buyers. 
 
The other universally appealing modifications that can improve your home's value include a full bathroom on the main floor, lever door handles, smart lighting systems, and doorways at least three feet wide.
 
Those that detract from resale value include permanent exterior ramps (if you need a ramp, look for a temporary one that can be removed easily), an elevator, and walk-in bathtubs.
 
Another consideration is money, and the piece outlines the potential cost of incorporating aging-in-place features, including converting a first floor living space into a bedroom and bathroom ($100,000-plus), installing grab bars in a bathroom ($600 to $750), and installing a temporary ramp ($1,500 to $1,800) or a permanent one ($22,000-plus).
 
For more about universal design principles, see: 
 
· National Association of Homebuilders (https://bit.ly/3SCL5KI) 
· The Universal Design Living Laboratory (https://bit.ly/3y2Sc7p)
· The Universal Design Network of Canada (https://bit.ly/3E7EvrJ)