If you're running a real estate website in New York, you've probably heard the term "web accessibility" thrown around. Maybe you've even received one of those scary demand letters. But here's the thing — accessibility isn't just a legal checkbox. It's about making sure everyone can use your website, including the people who need it most.
Let me break this down in a way that actually makes sense.
The Real Reason Accessibility Matters
Before we talk about lawsuits and compliance standards, let's talk about people.
About 1 in 4 adults in the United States lives with some form of disability. That's not a small number. These are people looking for apartments, browsing property listings, trying to download your offering memorandum, or filling out a contact form to schedule a viewing.
When your website isn't accessible, you're essentially putting a "closed" sign in front of a significant portion of your potential clients. Not because you meant to — but because nobody told you the door was locked.
Making your website accessible means:
- A person using a screen reader can navigate your property listings
- Someone with limited mobility can use your site with just a keyboard
- A visitor with low vision can actually read your content
- Anyone can download and read your PDFs with assistive technology
This isn't about compliance. This is about treating people with respect and giving everyone equal access to your business.
Okay, But Let's Talk About the Legal Side Too
I won't pretend the legal landscape doesn't exist — especially in New York.
New York has become one of the most active states for web accessibility lawsuits. Law firms actively scan websites for accessibility issues, and real estate companies are frequent targets. Why? Because real estate sites typically have:
- PDF documents (offering memorandums, brochures, lease agreements)
- Contact forms
- Property search features
- Image-heavy listings
All of these are common failure points for accessibility.
The standard that courts look to is WCAG 2.1 Level AA — a set of guidelines that define what makes a website accessible. If your site doesn't meet this standard, you're potentially exposed to litigation.
What Actually Works (And What Doesn't)
Here's where I need to be direct with you: accessibility widgets don't solve the problem.
You've probably seen those little accessibility icons on websites — tools like accessiBe, UserWay, and others. They promise one-click compliance. It sounds great, right?
The reality is different. Courts increasingly reject these overlay tools as proof of compliance. Multiple lawsuits have explicitly named websites that already had widgets installed. Why?
- Overlay tools don't fix the underlying code problems
- Screen reader users often disable or avoid these overlays because they interfere with their assistive technology
- They create a false sense of security
Installing a widget and claiming compliance can actually increase your legal risk because it shows you were aware of the issue but chose a shortcut instead of a real solution.
What Actually Reduces Risk
Real accessibility comes from building it into your website properly. Here's what that looks like:
In the code itself:
- Proper heading structure (H1, H2, H3 in logical order)
- Alt text on every meaningful image
- Keyboard navigation that works throughout the site
- Forms with proper labels and error messages
- Sufficient color contrast
- Focus indicators for interactive elements
For your documents:
- PDFs that are properly tagged and readable by screen readers
- Accessible forms that can be filled out with assistive technology
For your process:
- An accessibility statement on your website with a contact method for reporting issues
- Regular audits (at least annually, and after any major redesign)
- Documentation of your accessibility efforts
- A remediation process when issues are reported
This is what defense attorneys actually want to show in court — evidence of ongoing, good-faith effort to maintain accessibility.
The Tools We Use
You don't need expensive consultants to get started. Here are practical tools that help identify issues:
- axe DevTools — browser extension that catches many WCAG violations
- WAVE — visual feedback about accessibility issues on your page
- Lighthouse — built into Chrome, gives you a basic accessibility score
- NVDA / VoiceOver — actual screen readers for manual testing
The key is making accessibility part of your development workflow, not an afterthought.
A Better Way to Think About This
Here's my perspective: accessibility and good web design are the same thing.
A website that's easy to navigate with a keyboard is also easier to navigate for everyone. Clear headings help screen reader users, but they also help every visitor scan your content. Proper color contrast isn't just for people with low vision — it helps anyone viewing your site on a phone in bright sunlight.
When you build with accessibility in mind, you build a better website. Period.
What This Means for Your Business
If you're a real estate company in New York, accessibility should be part of your website strategy — not because you're scared of lawsuits, but because:
- It opens your business to more potential clients
- It demonstrates that you care about all members of your community
- It protects you legally (yes, this matters too)
- It results in a better website for everyone
The good news is that proper accessibility isn't prohibitively expensive or complicated. It requires attention and expertise, but it's entirely achievable.
Moving Forward
If you're concerned about your website's accessibility, here's a practical starting point:
- Run your site through an automated tool like WAVE or axe
- Try navigating your site using only your keyboard
- Check if your PDFs can be read by a screen reader
- Review your forms for proper labeling
- Look at your color contrast ratios
These simple checks will tell you a lot about where you stand.
Accessibility isn't a one-time fix — it's an ongoing commitment. But it's a commitment worth making, both for your business and for the people you serve.
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