Question: 4 bedrooms or 3 bedrooms + 1 office? (price, value, furniture, buying a house)

[MetroWord]

We are in the process of buying a house. The house is about 2600 square feet. One of the previous owners put in a windowed door between the master bedroom and one of the rooms upstairs to make it an office accessible from the master bedroom. So, right now it is effectively a 3 bedrooms and 1 office in the 2nd level.

Should I get rid of this windowed door and turn that smaller room back into a bedroom or keep it the way it is? I'm thinking strictly in term of desirability of the house, of course. Which setup do you think will give the house more value or more desirability?

Added by edit.

In response to WendyK, I need to be more clear.

Which setup do you think will be easier to sell at a higher price?

[WendyK]

If you don't need a 4th bedroom, I'd say to keep it an office. If you don't have kids yet, that sounds like it would be an ideal nursery at some point, too.

[emm74]

Is this a door cut into a wall where there would not ordinarily be a door? Does the office have a separate door from the hallway as well as a door directly from the master bedroom? Is there a decent sized closet in it? How big is the house overall and what size is this room?

[AlaskaErik]

A lot of people use one bedroom as an office. Since you already have three bedrooms, I would just leave it as is and enjoy the office. That's assuming you don't need four bedrooms.

[MetroWord]

Originally Posted by emm74

Is this a door cut into a wall where there would not ordinarily be a door?

Yes. It was professionally done, so it looks nice.

Does the office have a separate door from the hallway as well as a door directly from the master bedroom?

Yes

Is there a decent sized closet in it?

Yes.

How big is the house overall and what size is this room?

2600 SQFT. It's a typical bedroom size of 12x11.

[dblackga]

1. Are you planning to live in the house, or to flip it?
2. If flipping: What are the average number of bedrooms in the rest of the neighborhood? If they are 4-5, then make it a 4
3. If you're planning to live there: Who cares? What works for YOU? If you need an office, keep it. If you have three kids and each wants their own bedroom, or you need a spare guest room, turn it back into a bedroom

I've seen several 4 BR houses where an adjacent 4th bedroom to the master was turned into an amazing walk-in closet/dressing room.

[marksmith15]

Hi,
In my opinion, the idea of 3 bedrooms with office would be great for you.
Thanks!!

[LifeIsGood01]

I would leave it as is, it can still be used as a bedroom assuming it has another door leading out to a hallway, plus it can be used as a nursery and the baby will be right next to the parents and they can keep the common door open. Plus it can be used as an office.

[WouldLoveTo]

I turned my master bedroom into an office (it gets the best natural light).

IMO a room is mostly defined by what you do with it and what furniture is in it. When you sell, you have a house with 4 rooms upstairs? I'd say you have a 4 bedroom or a 3 bedroom with office.

Since it does have a door into the hall already, I don't know why they would have put an additional door in through the other bedroom, unless someone used it as a dressing room or nursery in the past.

[cully]

So you're already committed to buying the house?

But it as a 3 bedroom. (For one thing, only you know how you want your mbr and your office to function.)

See what the market wants when you go to sell. You may be able to sell it as a 4 bedroom.