Homes with same layout, but different square footage - how?

[davebarnes]

Zillow:
our house = 2760 sqft
our duplex neighbors' identical house = 2800

County Assessor
our house and our neighbors' = 1917
The County does not count basements.

[johngolf]

Originally Posted by johngolf

In one new build home I owned, there was an option for a finished room over the garage (FROG) that added about 300sq ft. Well the builder filed plans for my house using his standard plans as in not showing the FROG. Thus the tax records showed the house being some 300sq ft less. I did not know this until it came time to sell. The house was listed at the larger sq ft and several prospective purchasers asked about it. Fortunately I had saved a copy of the builders original model floor plans which showed the FROG sq ft. I do not know if my buyer ever changed the tax records. It has since sold again.

If one had say a one room house and measured sq ft from the outside then the inside, there would be a difference due to wall thickness. Someone do the math............LOL

I got curious myself. Outside measurement of 12ft x 12ft for 144sq ft. Assume 4 inch thick walls. 11ft 8in x 11ft 8in inside measurement. Remember 11ft 8in is not 11.8 ft. It is 11.66ft. so 135.95sq ft so let us say 8sq ft less. 11.8sq ft would be 139.24sq ft.

Say the structure sold for $50K thus $347 per sq ft at 144sq ft versus $367 per sq ft at 136sq ft. $20 per sq ft difference fo the same structure depending on how measured and how computed. This is one reason I do not like cost per sq ft.

Hpe my math is correct........LOL

[charmed59]

The builder in our community has a portfolio of house plans and then if you are building the house allows you to stretch it in certain directions. From the front two houses of the same model may look the same, but one my be stretched and is two feet wider or four feet longer or both. Our friends have the same model as ours but ours was stretched two feet wider, so every room along an exterior wall is a foot wider. Our house is 400 square ft larger than theirs.

[Hollytree]

Originally Posted by sockruhtese

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).

When you sell your house, if the buyer is getting a mortgage, there will be an appraisal done which will tell you square footage among many other things.

Plus a lot more goes into a house sale than sq ft- it's condition, aesthetics, etc etc