I have heard different things regarding the requirements for counting a
bedroom as a bedroom.

Mostly I have heard that it must have a closet and a window.

But I have also heard variations on that for rooms that are below
grade.

Some say they must have a window that of a specific type that will
allow a person to crawl out in the event of a fire.

Some say that they must NOT be 100% below grade, that if they are 50%
below grade then they are ok.

What are the rules?
Is it specific to your town?

"cmay" writes:

I have heard different things regarding the requirements for counting a
bedroom as a bedroom.

Mostly I have heard that it must have a closet and a window.

But I have also heard variations on that for rooms that are below
grade.

Some say they must have a window that of a specific type that will
allow a person to crawl out in the event of a fire.

Some say that they must NOT be 100% below grade, that if they are 50%
below grade then they are ok.

What are the rules?
Is it specific to your town?

It's tricky, and it depends on your audience, and your locality.

For instance, here in Illinois, as an owner of a raised ranch style
house (ranch with an english basement -- i.e 60% above grade
basement), with 3 BR upstairs, and I can list my lower level office in
MLS as BR4 and count it in the bedrooms field. MLS rules require a
way to separately close the space from living area (i.e. a door), a
window you can get out of, but no "bedroom" can be in a basement
that's 50% or more below grade. Since I have an english basement, I
can count this as a bedroom, so, for an MLS audience, I have a 4 BR
house. A closet is not required, according to a local real estate
newsletter article I found--their rationale stated that older homes
didn't have closets and used armoires instead, but they still have
bedrooms. I know these MLS rules vary by state though, as I
discovered in my research into the matter.

However, the appraiser counts my house as a 3BR because my lower level
"bedroom" lacks a built-in closet.

That all said, there are realtors who are listing full on basement
bedrooms in mls in the bedroom fields around here and getting away
with it. If they were reported, I assume they'd be fined, but it seems
to happen all the time. I was careful to have the rules followed
closely when listing my home.

Best Regards,
--
Todd H.
http://www.toddh.net/

On 22 Mar 2006 11:03:43 -0600, (Todd H.) wrote:

"cmay" writes:

I have heard different things regarding the requirements for counting a
bedroom as a bedroom.

Mostly I have heard that it must have a closet and a window.

But I have also heard variations on that for rooms that are below
grade.

Some say they must have a window that of a specific type that will
allow a person to crawl out in the event of a fire.

Some say that they must NOT be 100% below grade, that if they are 50%
below grade then they are ok.

What are the rules?
Is it specific to your town?

It's tricky, and it depends on your audience, and your locality.

For instance, here in Illinois, as an owner of a raised ranch style
house (ranch with an english basement -- i.e 60% above grade
basement), with 3 BR upstairs, and I can list my lower level office in
MLS as BR4 and count it in the bedrooms field. MLS rules require a
way to separately close the space from living area (i.e. a door), a
window you can get out of, but no "bedroom" can be in a basement
that's 50% or more below grade. Since I have an english basement, I
can count this as a bedroom, so, for an MLS audience, I have a 4 BR
house. A closet is not required, according to a local real estate
newsletter article I found--their rationale stated that older homes
didn't have closets and used armoires instead, but they still have
bedrooms. I know these MLS rules vary by state though, as I
discovered in my research into the matter.

However, the appraiser counts my house as a 3BR because my lower level
"bedroom" lacks a built-in closet.

That all said, there are realtors who are listing full on basement
bedrooms in mls in the bedroom fields around here and getting away
with it. If they were reported, I assume they'd be fined, but it seems
to happen all the time. I was careful to have the rules followed
closely when listing my home.

Best Regards,

When is a Bonus Room a bedroom?
I've heard (in Florida) that a house with a bonus room is taxed less than a
house where the bonus room is called a bedroom. Such as, a 3 bedroom with bonus
is taxed less than a 4 bedroom, even though they are all under roof and HVAC.

Any insight to this?

Todd,

Seeing as I livein in Illinois too, I bet the same rules apply.

I am guessing that my basement is more than 50% undergrade, probably
like 60%, but I can check.

I am not sure if I WANT it to be a bedroom or not to be honest. I
guess since I just bought it I want the assessor to count it as NOT a
bedroom, but maybe when I sell it I will want it counted.

Thanks for the insight!

My current home (in Michigan) was listed as having three bedrooms (two
on the first floor unquestionably conforming; one in the basement,
probably 70% below grade, with a closet but only a small window, and not
conforming to *current* Code), but at the time I viewed it another
basement room (with no windows at all) was in use as a bedroom as well.

I have read that any room with a closet is *deemed to be* a bedroom
(even if described as something else) and must comply with current Code
for a bedroom.

Perce


On 03/22/06 11:40 am cmay wrote:

I have heard different things regarding the requirements for counting a
bedroom as a bedroom.

Mostly I have heard that it must have a closet and a window.

But I have also heard variations on that for rooms that are below
grade.

Some say they must have a window that of a specific type that will
allow a person to crawl out in the event of a fire.

Some say that they must NOT be 100% below grade, that if they are 50%
below grade then they are ok.

What are the rules?
Is it specific to your town?

"cmay" wrote in message
oups.com...

I am not sure if I WANT it to be a bedroom or not to be honest. I
guess since I just bought it I want the assessor to count it as NOT a
bedroom, but maybe when I sell it I will want it counted.

In theory, municipal ordinances that deal with this sort of
thing seek to be as specific as possible, i.e. leave no
scope for personal judgment. City Hall ought to be able
to give you the definition used for tax assessment.

--
Don Phillipson
Carlsbad Springs
(Ottawa, Canada)

It used to be (before last year) that Maryland state tax assessment does
not count rooms above garage, so I do not pay tax for 400+ sq ft.

MD still doesn't count any floor if there is any part of it below grade
(basement) or in the attic, even if it is finished with heating/air
conditioning.

However, MD count my neighbor's 2-level story rooms (foyer, family
rooms) as 2X of the area.

Those are in state assessment office (public record), and are used by
online apprasalers such as zillow and ditech.

However, the realtors use different methods to estimate my footage.

Then again, the apprasers use another method to count bedrooms and
living areas - I had 4 apprasals done a couple years ago when
refinancing. The two closest one are still 100 sq ft apart.

In article . com,
says...

I have heard different things regarding the requirements for counting a
bedroom as a bedroom.

Mostly I have heard that it must have a closet and a window...

Some say they must have a window that of a specific type that will
allow a person to crawl out in the event of a fire...



Here is a link to the requirements for a egress window to meet code:

http://www.taunton.com/finehomebuild...ges/h00100.asp

Dennis

On Wed, 22 Mar 2006 17:28:14 GMT, someone wrote:


When is a Bonus Room a bedroom?
I've heard (in Florida) that a house with a bonus room is taxed less than a
house where the bonus room is called a bedroom. Such as, a 3 bedroom with bonus
is taxed less than a 4 bedroom, even though they are all under roof and HVAC.

I think you folks are confusing "called" with "is". This "bonus room"
- do you mean the room over the garage that is acessed through another
bedroom? Then the means of access make it kinda hard to be an
independent bedroom. OTOH if it is independently accessible like the
other bedrooms, seems like it wouldn't change its nature to call it by
a different name.

Sometimes the name thing might have more potential - is that room on
the first floor an "office" or a "bedroom" so do you comp the house
against 4 BR or 3 BR houses? BUT BUT BUT - since SF and Room Count
are the same, is an 8 room 3BR + Office house really worth all that
much less than an 8 room 4BR (no office) house, as to be worthwhile
making a stink about? I think people try to put too fine a point on
this stuff.



Reply to NG only - this e.mail address goes to a kill file.

On 22 Mar 2006 08:40:30 -0800, someone wrote:

I have heard different things regarding the requirements for counting a
bedroom as a bedroom.

For what purpose?

Building code legal?

MLS recognized?

What?


Reply to NG only - this e.mail address goes to a kill file.