The Condo - Path to the front door

A major concern was access.  It was simple: avoid steps.   For a time that criteria barred us from some very nice condos.  Second story and third story walk-ups were out. Our future might include a walker or even a wheel chair.  Sales of first floor condos were less common and when they did show up stairs would surprisingly be part of the access.

There is an external foyer and locked hallway door.  People need to be buzzed in.
This is not a feature I wanted particularly,
but it has is uses.  We don't get door-to-door sales anymore.

Then this 55+ community 2nd floor condo showed up.  It had an elevator.  Finally!

The elevator is, of course, a safety feature for my husband.  Yes, all those townhouse stairs kept our legs strong for 31 years.  But in the last year the stairs caused my husband some problems.  Just like my elderly mom before, the positive effect of stair climbing turned on us - they became a risk.  This elevator was the answer to that problem.

Our elevator
... a requirement if we were going to be on an upper floor.

Another unexpected plus to interior hallways are protection from the weather.  From a cleaning perspective, this hallway buffer to our front door is worth its weight in gold.  For years we tracked in the dirt, leaves, water, snow ... you name it ... from the community directly into our house.  Having the luxury of a carpeted hallway - no outside mess in the condo ...  is wonderful.

The community streets and the hallways are well lit.  I spent almost 2 years trying to get improved lighting on the townhouse common area steps near our townhouse with no success.  No amount of reasoning would move the board of directors to improve lighting for anyone - even someone who was disabled.  Go figure.  Now that problem is solved as well.

Our front door.

But we don't live in hallway, so next time we will go beyond the front door.

The condition of the condo was another major consideration.

Next time ...