2 foot 3 inch wide hallway to bedroom

[Tim The Enchanter]

Saw this house today, it has a bedroom and bath addition to the rear.
Measured GLA matches records within 2 SF, and bedroom and bath count 4+2 match so apparently it's permitted. Obvious addition, 2 steps down to reach it in the hall.

The hall is 27.5" wide give or take a tenth or 2. Didn't think to measure length, but maybe 15 feet or so. I seriously doubt it is economically feasible to widen the hall. So, it's incurable. Maybe a mirror the length of 1 wall? J/K.

The bedroom does have an exterior door to the back yard. The hall I don't see as a huge problem, but it is weird, and could be a turn off for XX large size folk I suppose.

So, I'm enjoying thinking about how to deal with this, what to write. Yes, I'm fishing for some ideas and thoughts.

I already know how to deal with the garage that the RE agent claims is built with too narrow roof beams and not to code. And I know how credible he sounded making contradictory statements about permits and things. "I have not checked permits at all, liability". "The permits don't show the bath in that place in the house footprint".

Making the appointment he told me the place was severely neglected, the owner was touchy, had 25 guns, 19 cats, hoarded, and basically the place was a dump. The kitchen was updated somewhere a few years ago it looked like. Baths too. Lots of new drywall to be skimmed and painted. Outside needed paint. Needs carpet. Lots of electric junction boxes and stuff with no covers, switches, fixtures, but wires inside too. Call an electrician.

Owner was friendly, saw only 1 cat, place did not smell, not too much stuff. Agent did not want to let the owner talk to me. Maybe I'll try and call him direct tomorrow.

So, to the agent, Why am I digging in the trash? I'm looking for your credibility. :icon_lol:

A big DIY project I guess. Online Building and Safety permit site has nada on this place, so who knows. Venting too, but let's get back to the hall. What to say and do? You can see they have new recessed lights in the ceiling and unfinished paint. Presumably no plans to widen the hall.

 

[Michigan CG]

Dude, that sucks.

At my last class reunion I saw many folks that would not fit down that hallway, sideways. I am a pretty thin guy and I couldn't fit down that hall unless I was sideways.


Ask the listing Realtor for her CMA when she listed and ask the selling agent for their CMA that was given to the buyers saying this house is worth the contract price.

On a final thought, better you than me. :icon_mrgreen:

 

[Randolph Kinney]

Saw this house today, it has a bedroom and bath addition to the rear.
Measured GLA matches records within 2 SF, and bedroom and bath count 4+2 match so apparently it's permitted. Obvious addition, 2 steps down to reach it in the hall.

The hall is 27.5" wide give or take a tenth or 2. Didn't think to measure length, but maybe 15 feet or so. I seriously doubt it is economically feasible to widen the hall. So, it's incurable. Maybe a mirror the length of 1 wall? J/K.

The bedroom does have an exterior door to the back yard. The hall I don't see as a huge problem, but it is weird, and could be a turn off for XX large size folk I suppose.

So, I'm enjoying thinking about how to deal with this, what to write. Yes, I'm fishing for some ideas and thoughts.

I already know how to deal with the garage that the RE agent claims is built with too narrow roof beams and not to code. And I know how credible he sounded making contradictory statements about permits and things. "I have not checked permits at all, liability". "The permits don't show the bath in that place in the house footprint".

Making the appointment he told me the place was severely neglected, the owner was touchy, had 25 guns, 19 cats, hoarded, and basically the place was a dump. The kitchen was updated somewhere a few years ago it looked like. Baths too. Lots of new drywall to be skimmed and painted. Outside needed paint. Needs carpet. Lots of electric junction boxes and stuff with no covers, switches, fixtures, but wires inside too. Call an electrician.

Owner was friendly, saw only 1 cat, place did not smell, not too much stuff. Agent did not want to let the owner talk to me. Maybe I'll try and call him direct tomorrow.

So, to the agent, Why am I digging in the trash? I'm looking for your credibility. :icon_lol:

A big DIY project I guess. Online Building and Safety permit site has nada on this place, so who knows. Venting too, but let's get back to the hall. What to say and do? You can see they have new recessed lights in the ceiling and unfinished paint. Presumably no plans to widen the hall.

OSHA really does not apply here but the standard for a hall with is 28 inches minimum width of any way of exit access.

Since there is also an exit from the bedroom, maybe it is not a safety problem.

 

[Tim The Enchanter]

Thanks for that info Randall. It's only 1/2 too narrow by that.
Still the skinniest hall I can recall seeing.

Mich, re read the part about the agents credibility.
The list price is $450Kish, he told me he had a cash offer for $210.
I am somewhere in between those numbers. :laugh:

 

[23Degrees]

There could be some value in a skinny hallway entry to the bedroom. Might have been a good thing a few times back in the day when the beer goggles developed a powerful setting.

 

[sputnam]

I'd have to look to be sure, but I think most building codes say 3 feet paint to paint.

But I'm not clear why you are having to deal with the agent. Inspect the property, research public records, research the market, develop the appraisal, write the report. If something you see or discover that is different than what the agent tells you, then...well...the agent is wrong.

 

[Randolph Kinney]

Thanks for that info Randall. It's only 1/2 too narrow by that.
Still the skinniest hall I can recall seeing.

Mich, re read the part about the agents credibility.
The list price is $450Kish, he told me he had a cash offer for $210.
I am somewhere in between those numbers. :laugh:

The question is, who is the likely buyer of the home? Owner-occupant or investor-developer? $210k cash deal would be the liquidation value that an investor-developer would offer. $450k is what an uninformed owner-occupant would offer with FHA or VA financing. I haven't look to see what FHA has for specific requirements but they do have a catchall called health, safety and soundness or minimum property requirements.

 

[J Grant]

It's an addition. It sounds funky. Likely was not permitted.

I'd mention the hall is narrower than typical, however, the fact that it only leads to this one bedroom which was an add on makes it not a big deal...(jmo). I'd consider it as part of a package of an addition not built to quality of main dwelling. Some buyers would likely only use the rear entrance to this bedroom anyway, maybe use it as a home office or guest room etc. A teenager wouldn't care about a narrow hallway nor would a child to reach their bedroom.

 

[J Grant]

It sounds like RE agent is trying to trash talk the house to get your value opinion lower...that offer sounds low, must be an investor buddy or he is buying it as a silent partner in an investment purchase.

Realtor comments are what suits their agenda...one or two kernels of truth are somewhere inside the exaggerations and nonsense, the trick is to ferret them out.

 

[Mark K]

"Lots of new drywall to be skimmed and painted. Outside needed paint. Needs carpet. Lots of electric junction boxes and stuff with no covers, switches, fixtures, but wires inside too. Call an electrician."

IMHO, these items are more of a concern than the narrow hallway. Yes, unlike the hall, they can be cured but I think the typical buyer would react more negatively to the above conditions than to the hall.

Like many issues that appraisers tend to obsess over, this narrow hallway will affect the marketability for a few potential purchasers (they won't buy it at any price) but not at all for many others.

I'd note the hall in the comments, reconcile to the low end of the range, and move on.