Accessibility Statement

1. Our Commitment

Christina Kalkmann and the brokerage identified in the footer of this site want this website to be usable by as many visitors as possible, including people who use a keyboard instead of a mouse, rely on a screen reader, or need a mobile device to work as well as a desktop. Accessibility was considered throughout this site's design and development, not added as an afterthought, and it remains an ongoing priority as the site continues to grow.

2. Conformance Target

This site has been built with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1, Level AA, as a working target during development. That means AA-level guidance shaped decisions about color contrast, keyboard access, focus visibility, and form labeling throughout the build. It is a development target, not a verified conformance claim — we have not had this site independently tested against WCAG, so we don't describe it as "compliant" or "conformant." If you run into something that doesn't meet that standard, we want to hear about it — see Section 11 below.

3. Accessibility Features Implemented

Measures already built into this site include:

• A "Skip to main content" link at the top of every page, for keyboard and screen reader users who want to bypass repeated navigation
• A single, consistent main content landmark and semantic heading structure on every page, with exactly one page title (<h1>) per page
• Visible focus indicators on links, buttons, and form fields, so keyboard users can always see where they are
• aria-live regions that announce dynamic results — calculator outputs, search results, and a form's success or error message — to screen reader users automatically, without requiring them to go looking for the update
• Descriptive labels, roles, and expanded/collapsed states (aria-label, aria-expanded, aria-controls) on interactive controls like the mobile menu, FAQ accordion, and site search
• Native HTML elements — like <details>/<summary> for the FAQ accordion — used in place of custom-built widgets wherever a native element does the job

4. Keyboard Navigation

Every interactive element on this site — navigation links, the mobile menu, buttons, form fields, the FAQ accordion, site search, the calculators, and the Did You Know knowledge panels — can be operated using a keyboard alone. Overlays and panels (the mobile menu, site search, and knowledge panels) trap focus while open, close with the Escape key, and return focus to whichever control opened them once closed, so keyboard users aren't left disoriented or stuck behind an open panel.

5. Screen Reader Compatibility

This site uses semantic HTML, landmark regions, and ARIA attributes where native HTML alone isn't sufficient, with the goal of working well with modern screen readers such as VoiceOver, NVDA, and JAWS. Dynamic content — calculator results, form validation messages, and form submission status — is announced automatically through aria-live regions rather than requiring a screen reader user to search the page for what changed.

6. Responsive & Mobile Support

This site is built as a single responsive layout that adapts across screen sizes, from mobile phones to desktop monitors, rather than maintaining a separate mobile site. Below tablet width, the primary navigation collapses into a mobile menu that opens and closes reliably, works with touch and keyboard alike, and includes the same ARIA labeling and focus handling described in Sections 3 and 4.

7. Alternative Text for Images

Meaningful images on this site include descriptive alternative text, so screen reader users receive the same information sighted visitors get from the image. Purely decorative images are marked so screen readers skip over them instead of announcing something unhelpful. As more photography is added to the site, the same standard will be applied.

8. Interactive Components

Several tools on this site were built with accessibility as part of the design, not bolted on afterward:

• Educational guides with interactive forms (boat & waterfront compatibility, travel time to open water) — keyboard-operable, with results announced through aria-live regions rather than only appearing visually
• FAQ — a searchable, categorized accordion built with native <details>/<summary> elements, keyboard-operable throughout
• Site search — an overlay dialog with proper focus handling and labeling, closable with Escape or a click outside
• Did You Know knowledge panels — slide-in panels with a focus trap, Escape-to-close, and focus returned to the link that opened them
• Contact form — labeled fields, visible and programmatic error messages (aria-invalid, aria-describedby), and a loading-safe submit button that prevents duplicate submissions and announces its state with aria-busy
• Mobile navigation menu — a labeled toggle button with aria-expanded and aria-controls, a focus trap while open, and focus returned to the toggle button on close

9. Third-Party Content & Known Limitations

Some content on this site is provided by third parties and is outside our direct control:

• IDX/MLS listing data. Property listings are supplied through the Multiple Listing Service's IDX feed. We cannot guarantee the accessibility of listing data, descriptions, or images supplied by the MLS or by individual listing brokers.
• RE/MAX embedded tools. The home value estimate and property search widgets are embedded directly from RE/MAX's own platform and may not follow the same accessibility approach as the rest of this site.
• Google Fonts, and Google Maps if used. These third-party services are governed by their own accessibility practices, not this statement.

We can't guarantee the accessibility of content we don't control, but we choose third-party tools with accessibility in mind wherever a choice is available, and we're glad to help if a specific third-party element creates a barrier for you — see Section 11 below.

10. Ongoing Improvements

Accessibility isn't a one-time project. As new pages, tools, and content are added to this site, we apply the same standards described above, and we periodically revisit existing pages for issues that may need attention. This statement will be updated as the site evolves.

11. Feedback & Reporting an Issue

If you experience difficulty accessing any part of this website, please let us know — we want to hear about it and will make a genuine effort to address it. It helps to include the page you were on, what you were trying to do, and the browser or assistive technology you were using, though none of that is required to reach out.

12. Contact Information

For accessibility questions, feedback, or to report an issue, contact Christina Kalkmann:

You can also reach us anytime through the Contact page.