Accessibility

Selling or buying a home should not depend on how you use a computer. This page says what works on this site, what we know still needs fixing, and how to reach a person if the site gets in your way.

The standard we are working toward

Our goal is WCAG 2.1 Level AA, the benchmark referenced by the Americans with Disabilities Act. We are not there on every page yet, and the list below says where we fall short.

What works today

• Real text. Content is text, not pictures of text, so it can be enlarged, read aloud, and translated.
• Phone first. Every page offers a direct call and text link, so there is always a way around a tool that does not work for you.
• Phones and tablets. Pages and calculators are built to work on a narrow screen as well as a desktop.
• Labeled forms. Form fields carry written labels, not only placeholder text that disappears as you type.
• Image descriptions. Photographs carry text descriptions, and purely decorative images are hidden from screen readers.
• A skip link. On pages with the main menu, the first press of the Tab key offers a "Skip to content" link that jumps past the menu to the page title.
• A visible focus outline. Links and buttons show a red outline when you reach them with the keyboard.
• Reduced motion. If your device is set to reduce motion, fade-ins, zooms, and other decorative movement switch off. Loading spinners still turn, so you can tell something is working.

What we know is not right yet

We would rather name these than have you find them:

• The map tools need a mouse or a touch screen. Drawing a search area and arranging tour stops cannot be done with a keyboard alone. Tell Michael the neighborhoods or homes and he will set it up for you.

Assistive technology

The site is built with standard HTML and is intended to work with current screen readers, magnifiers, and speech input on desktop and mobile. If something does not work with the tools you use, that is a problem with the site, not with you, and we want to hear about it.

Accessibility of the homes themselves

This page is about the website. If you need help finding a home with particular features, such as single-level living, a wide entry, or a roll-in shower, say so and Michael will search for it. Requests for changes in how we work with you are covered on the fair housing page.

Tell us about a problem

Tell us which page you were on, what you were trying to do, and what happened. If you know your browser or assistive technology, include it, but do not let that stop you from getting in touch.

We aim to respond within three business days and to fix real barriers as quickly as we can. In the meantime we will get you what you needed another way.