FNMA bedroom definition

[shrubberyvaluation]

Years ago the San Diego Homeownership Center used to run a forum where you could ask FHA-related questions and get official responses back. It was their position at the time that a bedroom did not need a door or a closet, if someone needed privacy, they could hang a blanket and if someone needed a closet, they could purchase an armoire. I look at bedrooms in terms of functional utility. If a person has to traverse a public area (living room, kitchen, etc.) to reach a bathroom, then it is dysfunctional when used as sleeping quarters. We appraise floorplans in terms of "Highest & Best Use". What would be the most "functional" use for the room? Frequently those orphan rooms that are the result of garage conversions or afterthought additions demonstrate the highest functional utility when used as a "study" or even an "office" (if it has a door to the exterior where people can come and go without disturbing the occupants of the dwelling). Try to think like an architect, not a realtor. I've gotten into lots of arguments over the issue through the years and prevailed in every one of them. YMMV.

I agree. Had one room on a 2nd floor I called a den that had privacy, egress (windows), and a closet, but there was no access to a full bath without passing through another bedroom or going down two stories to the basement. I'm more concerned about how the market treats it than what to call it. I can explain when a subject's 2 bedroom + den markets the same as a 3 bedroom (or does not).

 

[Mike Ault]

I agree. Had one room on a 2nd floor I called a den that had privacy, egress (windows), and a closet, but there was no access to a full bath without passing through another bedroom or going down two stories to the basement. I'm more concerned about how the market treats it than what to call it. I can explain when a subject's 2 bedroom + den markets the same as a 3 bedroom (or does not).

One appraiser I knew had a one-bedroom home with a basement & decided to call the basement a second bedroom. Unfortunately, the new family put their infant in the "basement bedroom" which was also the location for the water heater. The water heater wasn't venting properly, and the child almost died from carbon monoxide poisoning. They alleged future developmental problems for the child during the lawsuit and his E & O company had to settle. The synopsis was that since he called that basement a "bedroom", the family had every right to expect it to be suitable for sleeping quarters. Be very careful what you label rooms as because your decision could have unforeseen consequences.

 

[sputnam]

A door isn't what defines a room... bedroom or not. The furniture that the occupant has placed in the room also doesn't make it a bedroom or not. I've inspected houses where people have a bed in their dining room. It's not always clear but, look at the overall design of the dwelling and consider the legal requirements for bedrooms... like secondary egress... and decide based on what the market would consider the room... as if the dwelling were vacant. You can also take a hint from the tax assessor... although here, the assessor's bedroom count is often wrong.

 

[djd09]

since they do not define bedrooms, the dictionary definition works

 

[Mike Ault]

since they do not define bedrooms, the dictionary definition works

We define "bedrooms". And we are required do so in a learned manner.

 

[djd09]

as long as you measured to the inch, who cares

 

[Mike Ault]

as long as you measured to the inch, who cares

Your E & O provider.

 

[djd09]

When using English measurement
units, the house is measured to the nearest inch or
tenth of a foot;

aye aye aye giving misinformation measuring lessons

 

[Mike Ault]

When using English measurement
units, the house is measured to the nearest inch or
tenth of a foot;

aye aye aye giving misinformation measuring lessons

My bad. 99.9% of us who have been employing ANSI since 1994 measure to 1/10 of a foot because it is much easier. Only the people throwing a fit about it prefer to measure to the inch, so they have grist for their grievance mill.

 

[Terrel L. Shields]

The real impact of measuring to a tenth (or inch) eludes me entirely, but, whatever.