Sandra Koutsopoulos
Senior Member
- Joined
- Jul 13, 2005
- Professional Status
- Certified Residential Appraiser
- State
- California
IMHO all this ANSI and otherwise measuring in pursuit of finding the ACTUAL square footage of a property is a waste of time and effort. I've physically measured new construction houses and new construction condos and found some were off by more than 150sf for example, and in one case buyer sued the builder for not getting the sized building he paid for. And another last year where the building was actually 250 sf smaller than the legal showed, and listing agent didn't measure it, and INSISTED that it was my error (so I measured it again with Seller at the other end of the tape measure) and it was STILL 250 sf smaller; agent continued to represent the house was 250 sf larger. Duh.
So permits and structure and measured size of completed buildings can all vary. Additionally, what about that 2nd floor, and angles, and setbacks from the front and side walls. And, like today's inspection, how about all that junk and debris and plants and soggy mud covering the side and rear yard (not to mention the interior being packed with a virtual hoard of junk) so you can't physically get a good measure by hand nor laser. IMO, it is a lot of huff and puff about nothing. It is whatever it physically is. They are worried about 1/10 FOOT measurements? And how about all the noise you get when what you measured isn't VERY close to the permitted size? Well, I don't make the house, I just measure it, and I'm not responsible for correcting the permitted size nor for creating a lender database, and if its "off", then it is "off".
And if they are all in knots about 1/10' measurements for accuracy, then how can they have nobody, or agents "measure" or "inspect" a house, and we are to take responsibility for what they come up with?! Oh Hell No.
So permits and structure and measured size of completed buildings can all vary. Additionally, what about that 2nd floor, and angles, and setbacks from the front and side walls. And, like today's inspection, how about all that junk and debris and plants and soggy mud covering the side and rear yard (not to mention the interior being packed with a virtual hoard of junk) so you can't physically get a good measure by hand nor laser. IMO, it is a lot of huff and puff about nothing. It is whatever it physically is. They are worried about 1/10 FOOT measurements? And how about all the noise you get when what you measured isn't VERY close to the permitted size? Well, I don't make the house, I just measure it, and I'm not responsible for correcting the permitted size nor for creating a lender database, and if its "off", then it is "off".
And if they are all in knots about 1/10' measurements for accuracy, then how can they have nobody, or agents "measure" or "inspect" a house, and we are to take responsibility for what they come up with?! Oh Hell No.
