Real Estate Website Accessibility & ADA Compliance Guide

320+

Annual Lawsuits

Up 25% year-over-year

Trend

$18,000-$35,000

Avg Settlement

Property images must have detailed descriptions (room layout, features, condition, view)

Virtual tours must be keyboard-navigable or have alternative tours/descriptions

Property search and filter systems must be fully keyboard accessible

MLS data and property specs must be in text format, not image-only

Price and market data must be conveyed with text, not color alone

Contact forms and mortgage calculators must be fully accessible

Buyers with vision disabilities cannot see property features. Miss critical details about condition, layout, or finishes. Lost sales opportunities.

Buyers using keyboard only cannot navigate through property. Cannot make informed decisions about layout. Disadvantages disabled buyers.

Keyboard users cannot escape complex filter menus. Cannot search for properties. Functionality completely blocked.

Screen reader users cannot access property details (square footage, lot size, features). Cannot compare properties.

Color-blind users cannot identify market trends. Cannot make data-informed decisions about pricing or timing.

Write detailed alt text for all property images (room names, features, views, condition)

Test virtual tour with keyboard-only navigation (arrow keys, Enter to navigate)

If virtual tour not keyboard-accessible, provide alternative property descriptions

Ensure property search and filters work completely with keyboard (Tab through filters)

Verify property specs are in text format, not image overlays

Test mortgage calculator with screen reader (JAWS, NVDA)

Ensure market indicators (hot/cold) use text labels in addition to colors

Check that contact forms have clear labels and error messages

Verify saved property lists are accessible with screen readers

Test with both keyboard-only and screen reader on sample searches