Are Basements Included In Square Footage?
From the beginning, basements were not built to provide living space but a place to hide plumbing, wires and water boilers. Home buyers are always interested in the gross living area of a property, and many might believe that finished basements are included in the square footage.
When You Buy a House
If you must secure a loan during the home buying process, you may want to look at how Freddie Mae is treating basements. Appraisals are vital for the mortgage industry because lenders always want to make sure that buyers do not request more money than the property is worth. According to the Selling Guide, basements and garages are not included in the gross living area of the property, especially if these are below-grade. So, from their perspective, basements could be regarded as a “free” living space.
Any home improvements will alter your house market value, though, and will require a reappraisal, not only to determine the new property tax but also in the event of a loan refinance.
In short, even if appraisers have to abide by the lender’s rules, and not include the basement in the gross living area, this space is still included in the selling price of the property.
When You Sell a House
Finished basements, even though not included in the square footage, increase the home’s market value. One house with a finished basement next to another one with an unfinished basement will cost more, since it provides more living space, even though the official documents will not specify this. Real estate agents usually make a different appraisal when fixing the correct market price for a certain property, and that appraisal takes into account the benefit of having a finished basement. The destination of the finished basement can also increase the selling price, so highly personalized basements could turn buyers’ interest off. Home buyers usually prefer basements with a more conservative layout: a bedroom, a bathroom and maybe a laundry room. So, from this standpoint, an in-laws suite could be more valuable than a home theater. And a walk-out basement is more appreciated by homebuyers than an under grade basement.
In conclusion, a basement may not be included in the square footage, but that doesn’t mean that the buyer doesn’t pay for it.
Popular Real Estate Questions
Popular Real Estate Glossary Terms
Increase in the value of property arising from holding it. The gain is realized only when the property is sold at which time it is taxable. An example is the increase in the appraised value ...
Past action of a property owner or tenant. ...
The meaning of a guarantee covers a legal and financially-binding agreement signed between three parties involved in real estate or financial transactions. In this document, typically ...
See effective tax rate. ...
In a construction loan, payments made to a contractor as the various construction stages are completed. The contractor uses progress payments to pay the various subcontractors and suppliers ...
Cash outlays required to maintain an investment position. ...
Book value is a quintessential term used in the financial world and the real estate business. Though, there are slight differences in its interpretation in these two areas of ...
An offering of securities, stock and/or debt, directly to investors rather then through the public exchange markets. An advantage of a private placement to a real estate business is that ...
If you are involved with real estate, chances are you've come across the term "convey" or conveyance. But what does convey mean in real estate? This term is crucial whether you're buying, ...
Have a question or comment?
We're here to help.