Does HUD have specific regulations on bedroom size?

[James Micozzi]

I read somewhere that it had to have sufficient room for a bed and clothes storage. Or needed to have enough room to function as a bedroom.

Thats the problem. Every appraiser says "I have read somewhere" about what constitutes a bedroom. In reality, they have not are are using their own subjective views on what a bedroom should be instead of letting the market dictate.

 

[J Grant]

Thats the problem. Every appraiser says "I have read somewhere" about what constitutes a bedroom. In reality, they have not are are using their own subjective views on what a bedroom should be instead of letting the market dictate.

Again, the market does not dictate what a bedroom is. Building code has a standard of a window for a bedroom and the lenders expect legal use, lenders have their own minimum of 70 sf for a bedroom.

The market might dictate what VALUE a room has, which might be used as a bedroom, but that does not make the room a legal bedroom for appraisal reporting. We can explain that the market values the den as equivalent to a bedroom, rather than calling a den with no window a bedroom.

 

[TerryRohrer]

Again, the market does not dictate what a bedroom is. Building code has a standard of a window for a bedroom and the lenders expect legal use, lenders have their own minimum of 70 sf for a bedroom.

The market might dictate what VALUE a room has, which might be used as a bedroom, but that does not make the room a legal bedroom for appraisal reporting. We can explain that the market values the den as equivalent to a bedroom, rather than calling a den with no window a bedroom.

So the entire property must meet IRC codes, or just where it might impact the labeling of a room? How long do you spend on each assignment reviewing IRC codes and ensuring your subject meets those? Do you have any "sources" other than AI that reveal where lenders "require bedrooms to meet the local building code standards"? Are those lender requirements restricted to just the labeling of rooms?

 

[Lycabull]

Tell the lender you want to be the best FHA appraiser you can be so would much appreciate them sending you a link to verify (in writing) you're wrong. That's always a hoot.

Quote ANSI or Fannie's regs if needed since you're using Fannie's form to report with. I recommend you call it whatever they want. As long as it does not affect value, who cares? Call it what you think it is. Then, if you have a lender genius on your hands and they want you to call it the green elephant bedroom, give them what they want. In your report, say "At lender request, the office bedroom is labeled as the "green elephant's bedroom. No effect on value from labeling it a green elephant's bedroom is noted in market data" and move on.

Oh snap! Wait, are elephants a protected/unmentionable class now too or just the green ones? Report writing has become so darn hardz. The written info you desire may not even exist in FHA regs. If you have time, send FHA an email and refer to that in your report. I would just refer to it if you have it on hand but would not paste it into the report. Gov types tend to frown on pasting their email comments into a report. If you are lucky enough to receive an answer in time, just say per FHA guidance, blah, blah, blah. Hard to argue with the horse's mouth if you catch my drift.

We are not the label police, but I'm pretty sure the department of label inspections is where all the washed out USPAP police end up.

I'm so old we used to actually call the Master Bedroom, the Master Bedroom. The horror, the horror... No doubt the in-suite label (or en-suite for all you cheese eating surrender monkeys) will eventually go the way of the Master's label. Somewhere there is an official bean counter locked in a secure basement vault, hard at work toiling away coming up with the next correct PC term for that block of the new and improved future UAD 10.8 Thank goodness we have smart people covering the important stuff for us, amiright?

 

[Zoe]

The funny part is you are indicating no extra value whether office or bedroom. I can see that being the case between 2 bedroom with office and 3 bedroom with no office. Especially in some markets.

It does need a door for entrance and separate window or door with window frame heights. Door frame heights and ceiling heights. The door is for privacy. I have required door to be replaced on a bedroom with no door.


If it is not going to change your value opinion between 2 bedroom with an office or 3 bedroom with no office, the point is mute..................

 

[Zoe]

Call it a bedroom if it meets health and safety issues and be done with it. One minor change in your appraisal report? Think about it.

Revision (06/13/2026) Revised to label room as bedroom that was labeled office in prior appraisal report. New signature date. Same effective date. Don't change effective date..

 

[Sandra Koutsopoulos]

Per FHA, minimum bedroom size is 70 sf. Plus it requires a certain amount of natural light relative to the floor space, plus of course in ingress/egress thingy, as well as above/below grade portion and security of the building. You can probably Google the FHA handbook 4000.1hsgh.pdf and see if you can catch it & download. Otherwise DM me and I'll send it to you.

 

[Zoe]

Per FHA, minimum bedroom size is 70 sf. Plus it requires a certain amount of natural light relative to the floor space, plus of course in ingress/egress thingy, as well as above/below grade portion and security of the building. You can probably Google the FHA handbook 4000.1hsgh.pdf and see if you can catch it & download. Otherwise DM me and I'll send it to you.

Yeah, I thought that was right. Think about a bed length (size) and at least room for another piece of furniture. The door and window take up some wall space.

Some new construction bedrooms today are not quite 10 feet on one wall. Some may be 10 x 9 rounded.

 

[lostinthezone]

Per FHA, minimum bedroom size is 70 sf. Plus it requires a certain amount of natural light relative to the floor space, plus of course in ingress/egress thingy, as well as above/below grade portion and security of the building. You can probably Google the FHA handbook 4000.1hsgh.pdf and see if you can catch it & download. Otherwise DM me and I'll send it to you.

I'd love to see the citation in the 4000.1 as I can't find it in the latest edition. Can you post it here?

 

[TerryRohrer]

I'd love to see the citation in the 4000.1 as I can't find it in the latest edition. Can you post it here?

I took a quick look and couldn't find it either. This may be one of those cases where you must want it to say what you want it to say before you can find that it says what you want it to say, even if it does not say what you want it to say.