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Old 12-02-2013, 07:37 AM
 
Location: The Triad
34,090 posts, read 82,716,942 times
Reputation: 43659

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Quote:
Originally Posted by yousah View Post
The problem is that there isn't one agreed upon standard for measuring.
There used to be (and it is still agreed upon in most places). LINK and LINK

Quote:
So you'll get differing amounts based upon who does the measuring, and for what purpose.
There is Gross Living area and Gross Building area.
The difference between them is marginal and limited to the exterior wall measurement.

The problem is when portions of homes not usually considered to be a part of the GLA or GBA...
like basements (regardless of how or how well they may be finished) get included with GLA number.
It just doesn't belong in there.

Where this obfuscation and misrepresentation gets practiced (like NC and iirc 3 other states) the agents
are quite fully aware of the problem and how it impacts buyers. That most of their buyers are from OUTSIDE
those states, from areas without the practice and by that are known to have differing expectations of the data
presented in their listing is what makes the practice reprehensible.

Last edited by MrRational; 12-02-2013 at 07:57 AM..
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Old 12-02-2013, 03:34 PM
 
936 posts, read 2,198,059 times
Reputation: 938
The Fannie Mae guidelines you reference only apply when their guidelines are to be used as part of the scope of work. There are ANSI guidelines too, but those are voluntary. And there are differences between Fannie guidelines and ERC guidelines. My point stand- there is no one agreed upon standard, and that's why anyone wanting to know how large a house is really needs to measure it themselves.

GBA has nothing to do with single family residential properties. The difference between GLA and GBA is huge. GBA includes common areas which can be significant in multi-family buildings and it also includes below grade area. So there's really no comparison between the two.
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Old 12-05-2013, 09:03 AM
 
6 posts, read 23,958 times
Reputation: 18
My thoughts: Check for any un-permitted work! Call the building codes office and see if there were any work permits on the house and see if it was approved, inspected and closed.
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Old 12-05-2013, 09:33 AM
 
Location: St Thomas, US Virgin Islands
24,665 posts, read 69,572,713 times
Reputation: 26727
Quote:
Originally Posted by Rakin View Post
If it measures for more Sq Ft than advertised, will you pay more ?


Sorry, and I don't mean to offend but this thread is pretty hilarious overall. I've not been an owner for many years now but was an owner of many and varied residential properties during one long period of my life and square footage was something which didn't even cross my mind. There were way too many other important things to consider. Structural solidity, plumbing and electrical stability, roof stability and age; general area depending on my particular wants and needs and to be taken into consideration where future resale was concerned. Square footage and whether it had been accurately measured? No. I have eyes.

But if a listed 200 sq feet difference really makes that big of a difference to you then fight the good fight and knock your socks off but don't malign me for opining that getting one's knickers in a twist over something so trivial is plain daft.
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Old 12-05-2013, 10:12 AM
 
Location: The Triad
34,090 posts, read 82,716,942 times
Reputation: 43659
Default once more into the breach

Quote:
Originally Posted by STT Resident View Post
There were way too many other important things to consider. Structural solidity, plumbing and
electrical stability, roof stability and age; general area depending on my particular wants and
needs and to be taken into consideration where future resale was concerned.
All of which can only come into play AFTER you have taken the time to look at the house.
--which for most buyers is usually limited to properties that meet their other basic criteria
--which in turn depends on accuracy and consistency with listing descriptions.

Quote:
Square footage and whether it had been accurately measured? No. I have eyes.
No; it's not about how it's measured. It's about what is included in the measurements
and how those measurements are presented. On the listing.

For example... if you saw the following phrases on a listing:
"2000SF 4BR 3BA rancher" and "large master bedroom with walk in closet and full bath"
what sort of home would think was involved? Would your first thought be "mid century modern"
or would you think "1200SF 3BR 1.5BA tract rancher with a remodeled basement"?

As an out of area buyer looking at a listing online and not knowing the peculiarities of every local
market would you expect a heads up from the informed parties that something other than the
commonly understood standards of HUD GLA is being used there?

Or would you expect an active bias by agents and brokers to support the obfuscation?

The used car salesman thinking knows that uninformed buyers are using a simplistic $/SF as their
first search filter which makes the $200,000 they want to ask for that house look more attractive to
them when divided down to $100 per sq foot. The only thing less appealing for them to start a conversation around than "remodeled" or "basement" (even after they get the buyer inside looking at the house) is trying to explain pricing by anything other than the simplistic $/SF that the buyer thinks they understand.

Last edited by MrRational; 12-05-2013 at 10:26 AM..
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Old 12-05-2013, 10:51 AM
 
Location: St Thomas, US Virgin Islands
24,665 posts, read 69,572,713 times
Reputation: 26727
Quote:
Originally Posted by MrRational View Post
All of which can only come into play AFTER you have taken the time to look at the house.
--which for most buyers is usually limited to properties that meet their other basic criteria
--which in turn depends on accuracy and consistency with listing descriptions.

Oh.

No; it's not about how it's measured. It's about what is included in the measurements
and how those measurements are presented. On the listing.

Oh.

For example... if you saw the following phrases on a listing:
"2000SF 4BR 3BA rancher" and "large master bedroom with walk in closet and full bath"
what sort of home would think was involved? Would your first thought be "mid century modern"
or would you think "1200SF 3BR 1.5BA tract rancher with a remodeled basement"?

If I was looking for a 4/3 ranch in an area I'd already narrowed down as a possibility then I'd go and take a look at it without giving much thought about whether it was "mid century modern" or, "1200SF 3BR 1.5BA tract rancher with a remodeled basement".

As an out of area buyer looking at a listing online and not knowing the peculiarities of every local
market would you expect a heads up from the informed parties that something other than the
commonly understood standards of HUD GLA is being used there?

I have no clue (and never knew) what " HUD GLA " is.

Or would you expect an active bias by agents and brokers to support the obfuscation?

I probably wouldn't have seen any obfuscation unless I were specifically looking for it. I wasn't, didn't. If a place I looked at just didn't suit my purpose then I moved on to the next one but didn't lose sleep over misrepresentations of square footage or whatever HUD GLAs are.

The used car salesman thinking knows that uninformed buyers are using a simplistic $/SF as their
first search filter which makes the $200,000 they want to ask for that house look more attractive to
them when divided down to $100 per sq foot. The only thing less appealing for them to start a conversation around than "remodeled" or "basement" (even after they get the buyer inside looking at the house) is trying to explain pricing by anything other than the simplistic $/SF that the buyer thinks they understand.
You can throw out endless complicated parameters but they never applied to me in my property-buying days. I made some excellent purchases I thoroughly enjoyed and never lost money reselling but made a reasonable profit.
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Old 01-02-2014, 10:42 AM
 
645 posts, read 704,035 times
Reputation: 170
hi guys I am getting a house in Las Vegas (first time home buyer) and how do I found out about the exact and accurate square footage for the house and lot? I got the info from county record as well as MLS, is that good enough?
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Old 01-02-2014, 10:44 AM
 
Location: NJ
17,574 posts, read 46,063,218 times
Reputation: 16273
Quote:
Originally Posted by LVguy View Post
hi guys I am getting a house in Las Vegas (first time home buyer) and how do I found out about the exact and accurate square footage for the house and lot? I got the info from county record as well as MLS, is that good enough?
Good enough for what?
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Old 01-02-2014, 10:47 AM
 
Location: Portland, Oregon
10,988 posts, read 20,512,261 times
Reputation: 8261
The county record of the house square footage may not be accurate.

The best way to determine square footage is to use a tape measure at the foundation. Keep in mind that not all spaces are equal. Garage doesn't count the same as finished living spaces, for example. Likewise an enclosed patio/sunroom may or may not count.

Listing square footage is always an estimate.
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Old 01-02-2014, 10:56 AM
 
645 posts, read 704,035 times
Reputation: 170
good enough for accuracy I mean, if it's off by a little then it's ok, but if it is a lot then I need to find out before buying it!

so measure the foundation, and it got a 2nd floor as well. not sure if I can measure it well, if not I need to find someone to get and find out about the exact square footage.

When you guys buy a house do you just go by the square footage in county record and MLS, or you take more accurate steps?
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