4-car Tandem Garage

[Mark K]

So there’s no standard for this? My only issue with that is at the end of the day there are 4 stalls. I’m going to park a boat and two cars in it and still have room for another car... doesn’t that make it a 4-car regardless?

Yes it is a 4-car garage. Lender reporting requirements may force the appraiser to call it only 2 car. Just like a driveway that's 2 cars wide but 100' long, big enough for 10 cars, the assignment conditions may force the appraiser to call it only a 2 car driveway.

OTOH, your garage has inferior functional utility to a garage that's 4 cars wide with openings/doors for 4 cars. The extra sq. footage in the garage should have been given value or the reason for not giving value should have been explained and supported. Personally, in the price range you mention, I'm inclined to think the 4 car is an over-improvement but the extra space would warrant some additional contributory value, at least in this area and same price range. Our avg. price is about $170K in this area, FYI. The extra space would be a desirable amenity.

 

[Deleted member 134708]

I think that statement makes it two incorrect appraisers at this point.

Lots more behind those 2. I'd say 40,000 at least.

I'm a betting man. I'd say a computer can be as accurate in sum as 40,000 incorrect appraisers.

 

[Damon]

I got an idea. Bring cash for the difference. Quit blaming the appraiser.

I plan to, thanks for your informative response.

 

[djd09]

I plan to, thanks for your informative response.

You are Welcome.

 

[residentialguy]

So there’s no standard for this? My only issue with that is at the end of the day there are 4 stalls. I’m going to park a boat and two cars in it and still have room for another car... doesn’t that make it a 4-car regardless?

You could add lifts and maybe fit 8 cars in it. A garage car count is not max car storage space but rather immediate accessibility.

Do you think your wife is really going to appreciate that "4 Car Garage" in the dead of winter when she has to move your car (that is parked behind her car) out onto the slushy drive...trudge through the snow to get back to the garage to get in her car...then park her car in the drive...trudge through the snow to your car and move it back into the garage...and trudge through the snow yet again to get to her car parked in the drive way...now with wet frozen feet???

It's a 2 car garage with extra storage space that could stow 2 additional cars. And at $155k - $165k priced homes, I'm guessing that not many have "4 car garages"...and for good reason: Because there's typically not a high demand for them.

 

[gregb]

In some communities $165K is high-end; relatively low mortgage payment means plenty of disposable income left for cars. :

 

[residentialguy]

In some communities $165K is high-end; relatively low mortgage payment means plenty of disposable income left for cars.

You act like that's a magical market thing where you have new 4,000 sf brick homes for $165k. Cost is cost. $165k is not a high-end home...unless you're talking relative to mobile homes. And the fact that OP's getting an appraisal and worried about a garage ruining his financing on an appraisal mean he's not putting down 50% cash.

 

[NachoPerito]

It doesn't take much effort to realize people like to have more storage.

Just look at the booming mini-storage industry in this country. People are driving across town to pay $200/month to store their stuff in someone else's garage.

 

[Riick]

I was under the (mistaken?) impression that like driveway parking spots,
Fannie wanted the garage "stall" count to be the number of cars that can be
parked alongside one another, and *not* the total that will fit in the space
including more than one "deep". 2 cars wide, 2 cars deep = 2 car garage + "bonus room" space.
As most everyone here agrees, the extra space has value, but not the $5-$10k (?)
spread you might find between a 1car -vs- 2car garage.

Are the comparables good/reasonably comparable. Do superior comparables (that support a
significantly higher value estimate) exist. If so, did the appraiser explain why they were not used,
as in superior location, much larger, much newer, very superior condition, superior amenities, etc., etc. ???

 

[Cob]

To me, you can call it a 4 car garage, but there's functional obsolescence, as you can store 4 vehicles, but they are back to back, so to remove one, you have may have to remove the vehicle in front of it, to me a 4 vehicle tandem garage is only a true 4 vehicle garage if there are doors on both ends like I have seen in Texas from time to time, they are a 4 car tandem garage with doors and driveways on both ends and the vehicle can be moved in and out no problem.