Are listing agents breaking the rules?

[Anonymous]

Are there official guidelines for what can be called a bedroom (e.g. at least a certain size and must have a closet). Can you include a basement in square footage if it above ground or partly above ground? What size must a garage be to call it a 2 car garage as opposed to 1 car with storage space?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Are there official guidelines for what can be called a bedroom (e.g. at least a certain size and must have a closet). Can you include a basement in square footage if it above ground or partly above ground? What size must a garage be to call it a 2 car garage as opposed to 1 car with storage space?

Bedroom are defined by building code. Garages are not. There can be a bedroom in basement but the window needs to be a certain size. That’s what matters.

[Anonymous]

I'd be curious if the MLS actually enforces any "rules." I mean, right now, you can get away with:

-- Fictional AI photos without labeling them as such.
-- Advertising floor plans using fake addresses (see Paramount).
-- Removing and relisting houses to reset the days on market counter.

It really seems as though anything goes. It's a very slimy profession.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are there official guidelines for what can be called a bedroom (e.g. at least a certain size and must have a closet). Can you include a basement in square footage if it above ground or partly above ground? What size must a garage be to call it a 2 car garage as opposed to 1 car with storage space?

Bedroom are defined by building code. Garages are not. There can be a bedroom in basement but the window needs to be a certain size. That’s what matters.

I thought there was a difference between bedroom and den and it was based on size and whether there is a closet. Is that not true anymore?

[Anonymous]

The garage thing is funny. If you see dimensions for everything but garage, bring your measuring tape.

[Anonymous]

There are rules for bedrooms (must have windows, door). But other things, like AI use, seem like the Wild West--completely unregulated.

I also wish there was some regulation around pushing staging on customers. There are limited uses for it, like if your furniture is torn barcaloungers. Otherwise, agents clearly make $$$ by charging significantly higher commissions in return for spending a few thousand on rental beige furniture.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are there official guidelines for what can be called a bedroom (e.g. at least a certain size and must have a closet). Can you include a basement in square footage if it above ground or partly above ground? What size must a garage be to call it a 2 car garage as opposed to 1 car with storage space?

Bedroom are defined by building code. Garages are not. There can be a bedroom in basement but the window needs to be a certain size. That’s what matters.

I thought there was a difference between bedroom and den and it was based on size and whether there is a closet. Is that not true anymore?

Bedrooms also need a window to be called bedrooms.

[Anonymous]

It’s all over the place and can be incorrect in either direction. For example our house is listed as 2 beds by the town and all the home sites but it’s got a legal 3rd bedroom and no septic or otherwise issues that would preclude the 3rd bedroom from being legal. Sometimes stuff just gets documented one way or another and never gets updated or checked.

Also everyone in the DC area includes the basement square footage if it’s finished whether it’s a new or old house or whatever. That’s why say a 4000 square foot house with a finished basement doesn’t feel as big as a 4000 square foot house in another state where that isn’t allowed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are there official guidelines for what can be called a bedroom (e.g. at least a certain size and must have a closet). Can you include a basement in square footage if it above ground or partly above ground? What size must a garage be to call it a 2 car garage as opposed to 1 car with storage space?

Bedroom are defined by building code. Garages are not. There can be a bedroom in basement but the window needs to be a certain size. That’s what matters.

Functionally it depends. If there is a bedroom as defined by the building code in the basement, but there is no bathroom, it is still functional as a bedroom? I don't think so.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are there official guidelines for what can be called a bedroom (e.g. at least a certain size and must have a closet). Can you include a basement in square footage if it above ground or partly above ground? What size must a garage be to call it a 2 car garage as opposed to 1 car with storage space?

Bedroom are defined by building code. Garages are not. There can be a bedroom in basement but the window needs to be a certain size. That’s what matters.

Functionally it depends. If there is a bedroom as defined by the building code in the basement, but there is no bathroom, it is still functional as a bedroom? I don't think so.

It really depends on the particular area. Most building codes don’t require a bathroom for a room to be considered a bedroom. Building codes are essentially the bare minimum.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'd be curious if the MLS actually enforces any "rules." I mean, right now, you can get away with:

-- Fictional AI photos without labeling them as such.
-- Advertising floor plans using fake addresses (see Paramount).

Oh boy that brings back memories of when I was house hunting, I hated when I’d click on a listing then it turns out to be one of those bizarre junky Paramount listings.

[Anonymous]

Mine wanted to. We had a very nice basement room with a walk-in closet that did not have enough egress to call a bedroom. She wanted to imply it was a 4th bedroom in the listing anyway. We are lawyers, so we didn't allow it. But the house was going to sell immediately with lots of offers anyway, so it didn't really matter to lose that tiny bit of marketing on that room.

[Anonymous]

Think bedroom has to have window and closet. They are not supposed to include basement in square footage but all seem to around here.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Think bedroom has to have window and closet. They are not supposed to include basement in square footage but all seem to around here.

There are two different total square footage figures - one that populates automatically from the tax record which is square feet above ground, and another one which is total finished square feet which can include the finished part of the basement.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are there official guidelines for what can be called a bedroom (e.g. at least a certain size and must have a closet). Can you include a basement in square footage if it above ground or partly above ground? What size must a garage be to call it a 2 car garage as opposed to 1 car with storage space?

Bedroom are defined by building code. Garages are not. There can be a bedroom in basement but the window needs to be a certain size. That’s what matters.

+1 To be a bedroom you absolutely need a window and it needs to be big enough for a firefighter in full gear to get through it. Generally bedrooms need to have a closet but that’s not definitional, especially in older homes (pre 1950 or so.)