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As usual, my input reflects the area in which I live and work.
I have no interest in ANSI or AMS, as those standards are not cited in my measuring training.
Measurement here is based on rules expressed by the real estate commission to create commonality in practice.
It is instructive to me to see how a skill that is considered basic and fundamental to licensing requirements is not required in other states.
Vive l'difference!
Mike, I appreciate your comments as always. Again, I encourage caution as the real estate mortgage industry isn't local. It's operated under Federal guidelines with both Federal and State oversight.
HUD/FHA is pretty specific about what they consider Gross Living Area ("square feet"). If your referenced "real estate commission" isn't embracing and teaching to the HUD/FHA standards, I'd suggest that this may create some problems for realtors in your area come January 26th.
It could also be just that the tax records are WRONG. It's the case around more often than not, permitted renovations or no. The tax department just doesn't get around to it for a few years. I've been in my house for 25 years, and they have NEVER noted our completely finished daylight terrace level basement as anything other than 'basement', where it actually adds almost 1,500 SF of finished living area. They know about it, if they don't want to tax me on it, that's fine with me. :-) I would have no hesitation in including that sf in any sales materials if I were to sell the house.
"Real Estate professionals need to be accountable to each other and the consuming public. Your “professional” duty as the listing agent/firm of a Single-Family property is an expectation to personally measure the properties that you list and accurately calculate its square footage. The listing agents potential exposure to civil liability is greatly increased if they do not measure and accurately calculate the square footage in the properties they list. This potential exposure is extended to the listing firm when reporting the square footage and the source of such data is adopted from a source other than themselves. The more unreliable the source of square footage information adopted by agent, the greater the potential exposure of the agent.
YEESH! Here in Georgia, for the longest time, we weren't even allowed to PUT the square footage on the MLS listing, because there were too many variants to make sure that it was accurate, and probably as the result of several lawsuits where the number wasn't correct. Only in the last four or five years does the sf appear on the MLS listing, and those are almost 80% fed from the tax records through Realist. If we have an appraisal with a different number, or a builder's estimate, we can use that, too. But I don't know of a single agent who is willing to take on the liability for measuring a home themselves.
YEESH! Here in Georgia, for the longest time, we weren't even allowed to PUT the square footage on the MLS listing, because there were too many variants to make sure that it was accurate, and probably as the result of several lawsuits where the number wasn't correct. Only in the last four or five years does the sf appear on the MLS listing, and those are almost 80% fed from the tax records through Realist. If we have an appraisal with a different number, or a builder's estimate, we can use that, too. But I don't know of a single agent who is willing to take on the liability for measuring a home themselves.
Our tax records are so inaccurate, I would measure about anything before I would take on the liability for that data.
Similarly, builders' plans.
We can hand off liability by using a licensed appraiser for measurement. I do on some complicated homes. And, I enter exactly what the appraiser has on the report. If it is a fraction, I round down to the whole number.
It could also be just that the tax records are WRONG. It's the case around more often than not, permitted renovations or no. The tax department just doesn't get around to it for a few years. I've been in my house for 25 years, and they have NEVER noted our completely finished daylight terrace level basement as anything other than 'basement', where it actually adds almost 1,500 SF of finished living area. They know about it, if they don't want to tax me on it, that's fine with me. :-) I would have no hesitation in including that sf in any sales materials if I were to sell the house.
Above! There are THREE glaring errors about our house on the tax records. Says for flooring we have carpet plus 30% vinyl. We have not a speck of vinyl in the house....all ceramic tile. Then it says we don't have a fireplace......wrong again! It was built with a gas fireplace. And lastly it says we have 2.5 baths. Unless they are counting the laundry room sink as a 1/2 bath, we only have two baths.
We are currently getting ready to list our house for sale and our agent brought in a professional to measure everything as she says she has to have a "trail" for anyone who questions the square feet. That protects her and her listing, as well as us. She doesn't use the tax records or the builder specs.
If is very apparent, you want out of the purchase and are justifying a reason saying the measurements were not accurate. Just admit you don't want the home, and are blaming the measurements for being off, saying it is the listing that is off, and you really don't know if it is or not. "You are trying to justify your not wanting the home, and not willing to admit the truth.
This and similar comments in this thread seem really uncharitable to me. The OP says he doesn't want the home anymore, and he's given his reason for this. I don't see any reason to second guess this. I don't see any reason to even care whether there's a "real reason," but even given that, I don't see any evidence that there's a "real reason." He gave the reason. The house is not as advertised. Basically, he feels he's being cheated. Many people do not wish to be cheated. It is reasonable not to want to be cheated. Nothing to see here!
Mike, I appreciate your comments as always. Again, I encourage caution as the real estate mortgage industry isn't local. It's operated under Federal guidelines with both Federal and State oversight.
HUD/FHA is pretty specific about what they consider Gross Living Area ("square feet"). If your referenced "real estate commission" isn't embracing and teaching to the HUD/FHA standards, I'd suggest that this may create some problems for realtors in your area come January 26th.
Big changes happen on that day. Big changes.
What's happening Jan 26?
And where can I find out the HUD/FHA standards on counting square feet? We are looking at a house that's listed at 3096 square feet, but adding all the rooms up (and estimating hallways and stairs) we only get about 2000 square feet. (County records--if that's what homeowners insurance companies are all looking at when I call them--think it's only 1500 square feet! And they think it has three kitchens! (There's actually just one.)) I'm curious to get to the bottom of this.
Either way it's basically fine but it could come up in negotiation.
To the person who wrote on my reputation page "You don't sound like you know enough about the homebuying process to be buying a house. You really need a better agent and to ask more questions," I really appreciate this comment and would earnestly like to learn. Can you help me out by telling me some of the things about homebuying I've shown I don't know, which I should know, and also some of the things about my realtor that show I should be looking for a better one?
Thank you so much for offering your help!
ETA (BTW I found the reputation by seeing a notice about it when the new rep message came in, but now I can't see how to get back to that page. I don't see anything in my CP that links to it. Where can I go to find it again?)
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