Homes with same layout, but different square footage - how? (duplex, mortgage)
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I have also run across houses listed with 'inaccurate' measurements. When we bought our current house our agent warned us not to trust measurements listed in the MLS listings if a particular room size was of a particular importance to us. Some local agents were known to have a 'short tape'. A room that measured just over 12' (12'3") were listed as 13'. Garages listed as 2 car garages had a bumb out into one bay of the garage and unless your car was a 'SMARTCAR' you couldn't put it in the one side (even by Chevy Cobalt won't fit in one side of our Garage.
Since I never believed in buying a house like I buy lunch meat ( so much per sq ft) it didn't bother me too much but I became very leary of any measurements presented
Who do I call to get my home officially remeasured and have the square footage updated in all official places? I'm not selling but I just want to know what comparable houses are selling for.
If your area has a Building Code Authority, start there. They will of course come out and tell you all the codes your home is or isn't in violation of. I recall having our home having to be inspected by the Building code after we finished each stage of the Builders permit. Sometimes they will work then with the Taxing authority to revise or update the information.
Who do I call to get my home officially remeasured and have the square footage updated in all official places? I'm not selling but I just want to know what comparable houses are selling for.
Be careful what you wish for. Updating your square footage “officially” may result in your taxes going up.
Thanks for all the tips. I was just worried that it could negatively impact me when I sell. For example, if my house is listed at $500,000 for 2,000 square feet ($250/sq. ft) and the neighbor's house which I'm pretty sure is a mirror of mine is listed as $500,000 for 2,400 square feet ($208/sq. ft) then buyers who are going off the info on listing sites would think they're getting a better deal on my neighbor's house. And in competitive markets like today people are making offers just based on seeing the listing (before even visiting the property). So I was figuring this listing difference would hurt me.
But after seeing everyone's comments I think it's best that I don't get my house remeasured officially for the reasons you all listed (e.g. my taxes could go up and building violations could be found).
Who do I call to get my home officially remeasured and have the square footage updated in all official places? I'm not selling but I just want to know what comparable houses are selling for.
Appraiser can do this for you. Or, a site surveyor. But, with an appraiser, you can get what it's worth also. Because, we know that'll be your next question...
EDIT~ Regarding "discrepancies" from actual, to "official entities..."
I sold my mom's house in 2018. My folks custom built the place, in 1976. Anyway, per the plans, the house measures out at 3600' + 400' for the garage. The County Tax Assessor (Big Dan McAllister,) has the house at 3287'.
I'm not going to say anything to Edith (the new owner) as her prop taxes will likely bust $17,000 this year...($16,670 last year...)
Last edited by NORTY FLATZ; 12-29-2020 at 11:51 AM..
It's pretty easy to get variations just by rounding measurements taken by an inch or two. Some people may take exterior measurement s and call it a day. others may take interior measurements, but leave the interior walls in the mix. Others may take net floor measurements and only measure the inside dimensions of rooms. Even measuring inside of rooms could vary between measuring against walls, or measuring at the floor against the quarter round at the baseboard. That alone would reduce the room by 1.5" on each measurement.
It's pretty easy to get variations just by rounding measurements taken by an inch or two. Some people may take exterior measurement s and call it a day. others may take interior measurements, but leave the interior walls in the mix. Others may take net floor measurements and only measure the inside dimensions of rooms. Even measuring inside of rooms could vary between measuring against walls, or measuring at the floor against the quarter round at the baseboard. That alone would reduce the room by 1.5" on each measurement.
How is that legal, though? It sounds like it's a free for all, that people can make it whatever they want depending on what they want the outcome to be (more square footage or less). Seems like there's no benefit to being honest and no penalty for being dishonest with this measurement. I used to put a lot of stock in that number, but now I know better.
OP~
There was a trend with new construction around here, a few years ago. They'd make the hallways/stairways and landings, 8-10' wide. They do this, at the cost of making the bedrooms 9' X 10'. Instead of 13 X 14ish. These homes were >3000' but they showed, as 1300'.
So, don't put a lot of stock into the #'s.
Some houses are very efficient, and can show much larger than they really are. And some, as I explained above, show much smaller.
So, the goal (for me) is to find a floor plan that's very efficient.
I don't see climbing 6 steps to a landing with a Concert Grand Steinway, then turn 90 degrees and climb another 7 stairs to the next floor...(unless an audiophile found the acoustics favorable there.)
Don't laugh, the best acoustics for guitar music was on the toilet in the water closet, for Sir Paul McCartney...
...When we bought our current house our agent warned us not to trust measurements listed in the MLS listings.... it didn't bother me too much but I became very leary of any measurements presented
Exactly. The method for measuring square footage is not set in stone. Exactly what is counted as living space? When buying a house, the purchase contract will explicitly say that the square footage is not something "guaranteed," and it's the buyer's responsibility to check and/or make that determination himself. If the buyer has the property appraised, the appraiser will give you a good estimate.
Quote:
Originally Posted by sockruhtese
I was just worried that it could negatively impact me when I sell. For example, if my house is listed at $500,000 for 2,000 square feet ($250/sq. ft) and the neighbor's house which I'm pretty sure is a mirror of mine is listed as $500,000 for 2,400 square feet ($208/sq. ft) then buyers who are going off the info on listing sites would think they're getting a better deal on my neighbor's house.
Correct! If the plan for the houses is really identical, a 400sf difference is unlikely, but some discrepancy IS likely, and yes, that certainly changes the price per square foot, which real estate agents typically give a lot of consideration to. Buyers, maybe not so much.
Quote:
Originally Posted by NORTY FLATZ
Appraiser can do this for you. Or, a site surveyor. But, with an appraiser, you can get what it's worth also.
Yeah. If a buyer is getting a loan, the bank will have the place appraised, and square footage is one of the things an appraiser will measure.
Quote:
Originally Posted by sockruhtese
How is that legal, though? It sounds like it's a free for all, that people can make it whatever they want depending on what they want the outcome to be (more square footage or less). Seems like there's no benefit to being honest and no penalty for being dishonest with this measurement. I used to put a lot of stock in that number, but now I know better.
There's no "law" regularing this, but it's going to be somewhat reasonable. As I said, a buyer's appraiser will check this number. If it's grossly different than what the seller claims, that's a red flag, and the price per square foot will be quite a bit different. It's usually a matter of what is counted and added to the total. Do you count a stairway? A partially finished basement? Attic space?
But good that now you know better!
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
