Square Footage changes in public records. (Alameda: sales, assessors, mortgage)

[rrrinca]

We are in final stage of sale of our home in Alemeda County, California. Public record shows our sqaure footage little less but all appraisal shows it as it should be. Records shows 3320 and actual it is 3502. Buyer's bank apprisal doen and dd 2 times remesuring to verify and it came as 3502. Buyer are asking us to change it in public record. We gave that form with apprasial but all takes time. Can someone help me to understand what is process. Banl approved loan for buyers and verified real sqaure footage. Changing records should nto be show stopper for buyer. Can someone help me how we can resolve this?

[MtnSurfer]

It really depends. Unfortunately I think you are looking for a quick, easy fix and there isn't one. If the home was once smaller and an addition was made at some point the addition will have to get approved to add it to the public record. And that takes time and sometimes money to verify that the work was done up to the local construction codes.

Either way it probably won't happen in the timeframe you or the buyer are thinking. Cities and counties don't work that fast to change public records. These things take time, if they even decide to do it at all. And a buyer can pull out if he/she decides to. You can't guarantee them it will change unless you talk with the county accessor's office and get it worked out ahead of time.

Derek

[slo1318]

Often the tax assessors numbers are different than actual. The addition mtnsurfer mentioned is one possibility, the other is that they werent that sophisticated when they did their original measurement. In real terms, sounds like they want to pay more property tax, other than that it doesnt mean anything.

[MtnSurfer]

Originally Posted by slo1318

Often the tax assessors numbers are different than actual. The addition mtnsurfer mentioned is one possibility, the other is that they werent that sophisticated when they did their original measurement. In real terms, sounds like they want to pay more property tax, other than that it doesnt mean anything.

Yes, this is a possibility as well. I used to work as a RE Appraiser and found many times there was a difference for a number of reasons.

The only time it really mattered was when there was work done by the owner and it was never approved by the city/county inspector. Many times in these circumstances the work which was done was not up to code. So the inspector provided a report of things which needed to be corrected to comply with modern construction standards.

If no additional work was ever done then its simply a matter of inaccurate measuring. And a couple of hundred SF difference in a 3000+ SF home is not uncommon.

Derek

[DMenscha]

Your buyers are messing with you.

The home is what it is and it doesn't get more or less valuable because someone comes out and measures it. There are 3 (I think) standards for measuring floor square footage in the US.

The Alameda County Assessors Office is going to value the property for tax purposes based on the sales price, not some per square foot formula. Sounds to me like the buyer's mortgage underwriter is looking to make them jump through some hoops. Rather than send the form off and hope, I suggest a visit to the Assessors office explaining the situation. Bring all the documentation with you.

[rrrinca]

Thanks. No construction is done from orginal plan. Talked to county and they said they received all paper work but it takes time to update records. Buyers are trying to negotiate on this looks like. Their bank did appraisal and square footage came 3502. They did remeasure too. Same thing. Now they are asking $5000 rebate as public records are wrong. I think they are messing up. Our agent is suggestingt o give them letter of perform as Friday is date where they remove all contigency else they loose their deposit. Their bank appraised and remesaured sqaure footage which proves that house in 3500 plus not 3320.

Any suggestion what shoudl we do now as county takes long to change.

[slo1318]

Originally Posted by rrrinca

Thanks. No construction is done from orginal plan. Talked to county and they said they received all paper work but it takes time to update records. Buyers are trying to negotiate on this looks like. Their bank did appraisal and square footage came 3502. They did remeasure too. Same thing. Now they are asking $5000 rebate as public records are wrong. I think they are messing up. Our agent is suggestingt o give them letter of perform as Friday is date where they remove all contigency else they loose their deposit. Their bank appraised and remesaured sqaure footage which proves that house in 3500 plus not 3320.

Any suggestion what shoudl we do now as county takes long to change.

I would not give them a credit. If they want the house, this is simple bookkeeping.

[rrrinca]

Thanks! It is so unprofessional to ask $5000 rebate. I think they are trying it on us.

[Ultrarunner]

Just using it for leverage to get a concession.

My one experience took over a year in Alameda County.

In the old days, people would often understate for an edge on taxes... pre prop 13.

I did have one problem where my two bedroom bath home from 1949 showed only one bath on the county online data base and the appraiser would not budge.

I took a morning from work and went to the County Assessor's Office and he said it is 1 bath... then I said both toilets are from 1949 and showed him the 1949 tiled bathrooms...

He pulled the hard copy of the assessor's records from the achieve... took 45 minutes... the original pencil form from 1949 shows two baths

His explanation is that sometimes data was not accurately transferred to digital format and made the correction before I left... he said it could be months before outside sources update their records.

Also, on the square footage... Alameda County would not count ground level on grade "Rumpus" rooms as full square footage...

All the homes in my parents area come in about 400 square feet less because the e-data doesn't show Rumpus Rooms. The hard copy records do show Rumpus as a separate line item.

If you have the time and have not done so, get a copy of the paper original Assessor's Record for your home... last time it cost my less than $6 to get the originals copied. Be sure to bring proof of ownership like a recent tax bill in your name and ID.

[DMenscha]

Originally Posted by slo1318

I would not give them a credit. If they want the house, this is simple bookkeeping.

Ditto. Is the OP represented by an agent?