Remarkable World Commentary Episode #60: Awareness Training for Real Estate Agents

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In this practical episode of Remarkable World Commentary, Donna J. Jodhan looks at why real estate agents need better awareness training to serve clients with disabilities. She connects the dots between a rapidly aging population, the supply of truly accessible homes, and the responsibility of developers and agents to know where accessible properties are and what features they must include. Donna spells out concrete checks. location convenience, step-free entry, kitchens with reachable counters and storage, bathrooms and hallways wide enough for wheelchairs, and space that works with mobility aids.

She urges agents to understand accessible equipment and appliances, from doorbells to washer and dryer setups, and to talk candidly about cost and practical workarounds. The aim is collaboration among developers, agents, and the disability community so buyers can actually find homes that fit their needs. She closes by inviting listeners to share experiences and questions by email so the conversation can drive real change.

TRANSCRIPT

Podcast Commentator: Greetings.

Podcast Commentator: Donna J Jodhan, LLB, ACSP and MBA invites you to listen to her biweekly podcast, Remarkable World Commentary. Here, Donna shares some of her innermost thoughts, insights, perspectives, and more with her listeners. Donna focuses on topics that directly affect the future of kids, especially kids with disabilities. Donna is a blind advocate, author, site loss coach, dinner mystery producer, writer, entrepreneur, law graduate, and podcast commentator. She has decades of lived experiences, knowledge, skills, and expertise in access technology and information. As someone who has been internationally recognized for her work and roles, she just wants to make things better than possible.

Donna J. Jodhan, LLB, ACSP, MBA: Hello, I’m Donna J. Jodhan and I have another remarkable World Commentary podcast to share with you for today. It’s my second remarkable world commentary podcast for November. And you know, I’m really enjoying doing this, sharing my ideas with you. And I want to thank you for sending me your feedback, because it helps me to really sit down and think of what I would like to share with you each time I have my podcast. So for today, I want to talk about awareness training for real estate agents. I think with a rapidly aging population and more and more persons wanting to have homes that suit their needs and requirements. I think that real estate agents really need now to help us make all of this happen. Okay, so. Our real estate agents really aware of the types of homes that persons with special needs or persons with disabilities are seeking. Do they really understand the type of home that, you know, this growing group of clients are really seeking? But then again, it all depends on having accessible homes for real estate agents to show to clients with disabilities. So you’ve got to start from the top and think of how accessible are homes for persons with disabilities. And if there are enough or more and more of these, then real estate agents need to be more aware that they do exist. So you start with the developer. The developer needs to keep this very important fact in their mind. And then you go to the real estate agent who needs to become more aware of homes that are accessible for persons with disabilities. Okay. Where are these homes located? Are they located in convenient areas for persons who, you know, persons with disabilities? All right. And think about the physical Facilities. Do these homes contain the physical facilities that are needed for persons who are persons with disabilities? Okay.

Donna J. Jodhan, LLB, ACSP, MBA: And when I say physical facilities, what I mean is like you shouldn’t an agent shouldn’t really try to sell a home to a person with a disability. If that home contains lots of stairs and the person with the disability or the client with the disability is someone either in a wheelchair or who uses a mobility aid, or someone who is blind slash vision impaired. Okay. So these are things to take into account. And are the facilities suitable, like the kitchen for example countertops and being able to reach cupboards and shelves easily. Right. And the bathrooms are the big enough for wheelchairs to go into, or persons who use wheelchairs or persons with mobility aids. Are they big enough? Is this space big enough in the home to accommodate mobility aids and wheelchairs? Okay, then the real estate agent needs to think about types of equipment that are needed for persons who, you know, persons with disabilities. Types of equipment, you know, adequate dishwashers, toaster ovens, microwaves, washers, dryers, you know, these accessible appliances and appropriate doorbells and things like that. Okay. And then you’ve got to look at cost effectiveness, making sure that your client, if they are a person with a disability, can afford to have all these things or find workarounds. We want to work together agents, developers and persons with disabilities to ensure that accessible homes are made more aware and that real estate agents are made more aware of the needs of persons with disabilities. So that’s my thought for today. I thank you for listening and I wish you a good day. Send your email to me at Donna Jodhan at gmail.com and I look forward to another episode with you very soon. Take care and bye for now.

Podcast Commentator: Donna wants to hear from you and invites you to write to her at Donna Jodhan at gmail.com. Until next time.

Donna J. Jodhan, LLB, ACSP, MBA
Global Leader In Disability Rights, Digital Accessibility, And Inclusive Policy Reform
Turning policy into progress for people with disabilities.