FHA Bedroom Windows

[Jeff Horton]

Doing a USDA appraisal. It has to meet the FHA standards so this seems the right place to put it.

The master bedroom has no windows! It has what appears to have been part of the front porch that was enclosed and made into an adjoining room. It is like a big closet 6 x 12? It's on the front of the house and it has a window in it. I suspect the door into this space was a window at one time.

Regardless the bedroom has no window in it. I know that a window is required for egress. So how do you handle these? Not count it as a bedroom?

I am supposed to write up all needed repairs but I don't know if this is a repair or not. Will check in with local office but wanted some input from here too.

 

[Mountain Man]

Yeah, I'd say call it an office, den, computer room, or something other than a bedroom. If it effects the value, so be it. But it sounds like the value could be easily cured with the cost of installing a window, that may have been there previously.

 

[Jeff Horton]

Just talked to the man and said so what ever I had to. They just went by the HUD handbook. So it's Den.

Thanks Mel. I thought I that is what I would have to do but always like to get input just in case. I learn something on FHA everytime I do one.

 

[larryhaskell]

Jeff:

I have experienced this type of problem in the past and I'll share what I did. The house I appraised had three bedrooms (defined by each having a closet) but one of the bedroom's window was blocked by a storage room built on the side of the house. There was no doubt in my mind that this was a bedroom and would likely be used as such. I made the report subject to proper egress from the bedroom and let the underwriter waive the condition if they chose to. You won't be surprised to know that the UW didn't want the responsibility the the condition was corrected. If you simply choose to call this bedroom a den and fundamentally change the house from a 3 bedroom to a two bedroom with a den you may significantly reduce the value of the property. Call the room what it is, a bedroom with a significant safety issue and let the UW do their job. What do you believe would happen in the future if someone sleeping in that room were to die in a fire because they could not escape out the window. Do you think you might have to explain your decision to someone. I'm willing to bet you would.

 

[Pamela Crowley (Florida)]

I have to agree with Larry.

 

[Mike Garrett RAA]

Right, Uh Huh, Yeah, Sure....call it a den and then when they make it bedroom guess who is be the fall guy if the place burns down.

 

[Mountain Man]

Yeah... well, I've seen 'em make a garage into a bedroom. They can use it anyway they want, without your permission after the closing.