TH Basement (for sale, real estate, renting)

[nyc2020]

Wondering what is better when putting a townhouse on the market for sale:

a basement with small den, full bath and bedroom (bathroom is inside the bedroom door), and small recreation area

a basement with small den and larger recreation room and bathroom

a basement with just the recreation room and bathroom

Currently the county real estate web site shows i have 4 BR which is true including the three bedrooms on the 2nd floor. I just care about sellability at the highest price. house was on the market a few years ago and most people seemed to not like the 4th bedroom. The house is 2100 sq ft above ground level with 2 car garage

Your thoughts?

[Grsz11]

I'm not sure with jurisdiction you are in so not sure what regulations apply as far as renting a basement, but seeing as it doesn't have a kitchen, I don't think somebody would be looking at it for the potential of renting. If I were somebody looking specifically for four bedroom houses I would probably not be interested in yours since one is in the basement, however, as a 3BR I would have no problem with any of the set-ups. I would probably prefer a larger open area with a bathroom, that could be used for sleeping if the need arose.

[BT Lover]

It was explained to me by our realtor that a bedroom does not count in the basement unless there is the escape window setup. So, depending on if the basement is a walkout or true basement, that is something to consider. Because, if it is not a walkout or daylight basement, you do not have a fourth bedroom because most basements like that in older homes do not have that.

Personally, I don't think it should be advertised as having a bedroom, but it is best to consult with a realtor as they will know the market and what clients like and don't like better than anyone on here. We veto true basements (a daylight basement is a bonus room - not a basement) because they can have some real issues. Plus, I don't like the tiny windows, I hate the escape hatch (although I appreciate the purpose), and don't like the moisture issues or leaks that may arise.

A good realtor can properly market the house in such a way to attract buyers and sell your house quickly and at a price that you will be happy with.

[acgood]

We looked recently at many TH in the area, split between the ones from the 1980s that tended to have a walkout basement with 4th bedroom vs. newer ones that tend to have the garage but not the 4th bedroom. In my experience there is not much value ascribed to these 4th bedrooms. In my personal opinion I think the optimum is probably the small den (market as an office perhaps, for buyers like me looking for a space in the home for telecommuting) with large rec room. Full bath downstairs is a nice selling point even if there isn't a bedroom

[jillybean720]

I would vote for den, rec room, and bathroom. As mentioned, if I needed a 4-bedroom home and found one of the bedrooms in the basement, that would likely not work for us. I can only see that as being an acceptable 4th bedroom location for a relatively narrow set of potential buyers (maybe those with a teenager they don't mind having in the basement or a separate sort of in-law/grandparent suite type deal). Also, having the bathroom inside the bedroom entrance makes it less accessible as a bathroom for the rec room/den if someone has all their personal stuff in there and you have to enter the bedroom to get to it.

[Middlin]

We had a small rec room, laundry room/storage, full bath and "bedroom" in the basement of our TH. I have to say the shower/bathtub probably got used 5 times in about 6 years. We turned the room into an office, but since it was an interior room it didn't get any natural light and it just wasn't a room I wanted to spend a lot of time in. I would have appreciated a much larger rec space for toys, etc. I would go with small den, powder room and larger rec room. The small den for a lot of people could be office, or just additional storage.

[tysonsengineer]

If you make a proper income suite with permits that boosts the value a lot. Depends on whether you have egress easily available (separated entrance)

[jillybean720]

Originally Posted by tysonsengineer

If you make a proper income suite with permits that boosts the value a lot. Depends on whether you have egress easily available (separated entrance)

But now you're talking about kitchen, too, and I understand getting the permits for a basement income suite can be a huge hassle/challenge. Not to say it's not a possibility, but sounds like much more of an investment of both time and money.

[nyc2020]

We have no kitchen. It's your standard townhouse in northern VA built in the late 90s. Full but tight bathroom. Medium sized non-walk in closet. The bedroom with a glass patio sliding door that leads you to the backyard. The den is barely 8 x 12 closed off by french doors and some drywall. Then there's the two car garage and utlity room for water heater, furnace. And a storage area under the stairs leading to the 1st floor.

Anyhow, it seems the overall preference is keeping the den and knocking down the bedroom wall and door. Getting rid of the closet would make it a little more spacious but the layout would be weird. it already will be a little weird with the den. Sounds like I have a project on my hands.

[leavingwash]

My two cents is the biggest value "for me" is the bathroom, large rec room and the den. The bedroom to me would be a detriment if it came at the expense of the rec room space - for me that downstairs is where the sectional, big tv and playing are done so if the space for that is constricted with walls I personally would choose something else.

Good luck with your project!