GLA Dilema For Bottom Floor

[centuryappraisal]

Hi,

I am inspecting a 3-story house(see attached photo) on a hillside. If you look at the bottom floor, you can see that half of it is covered below ground and half is exposed above ground where to red arrow is pointing to. The bottom floor is 800 sf. How many of that 800 sf. should be included into GLA? Is it 50% or none at all ?

Thank for your response.
CA.

 

[Meandering]

ANSI STANDARD
http://wemeasurehomes.com/p2df/ANSI_SINGLE_FAMILY_RESIDENTIAL_standard_ANSI_Z765-2003.pdf


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[Meandering]

 

[centuryappraisal]

View attachment 35137



ANSI STANDARD
http://wemeasurehomes.com/p2df/ANSI_SINGLE_FAMILY_RESIDENTIAL_standard_ANSI_Z765-2003.pdf


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Thank Marion,

So based on your diagram, none of the square footage in the 'Entry Level (where the black arrow points)' is counted into the GLA because a small portion of it is below grade ???
If so, then the only space that are counted into the GLA in your diagram is the finished attic where the ceiling is over 5' high ??

 

[Meandering]

Attics have different considerations for ceiling slope.

I gave you the link to the ANSI standard link, you can download and save it to your hard drive, and in the morning, other appraisers will be here to tell you, you can call it GLA if your market recognizes it as GLA.

But really the only question is, does your market recognize the same value in that lower level as they do in the other levels? If so, it doesn't matter what you call it. If not, borrowers get really upset that their basement isn't worth as much as the fully above grade levels and will want to argue about it, if your value is lower than what they need.

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[Meandering]

You only have to support your values and adjustments.

What you call and label things, can be referred to the definitions of the labels.

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[centuryappraisal]

Attics have different considerations for ceiling slope.

I gave you the link to the ANSI standard link, you can download and save it to your hard drive, and in the morning, other appraisers will be here to tell you, you can call it GLA if your market recognizes it as GLA.

But really the only question is, does your market recognize the same value in that lower level as they do in the other levels? If so, it doesn't matter what you call it. If not, borrowers get really upset that their basement isn't worth as much as the fully above grade levels and will want to argue about it, if your value is lower than what they need.

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Thank, just download the ANSI. So per what you say in essence, it really depends on whether the local market supports it to be included into the GLA or not. If market data supports the 'Entry Level' to be included, then we need to included it into the GLA. That sounds fair.

 

[Meandering]

Just be very careful with how you word your explanations.

This isn't the old days and any number you put on a GSE form is going to be checked against their records, so, if their records say it is below ground, you need a great narrative to back up what you are calling it and why, and if the market has recognized any change of acceptability of that space, recently.

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[Mark K]

If the slope of the hillside in your photo was reversed it would seem pretty obvious that its a walkout basement.

As far as the ANSI photo with the miniscule amount of the first floor below grade.....I'd call it GLA, especially since its built on a crawl space foundation. Actually I'd call it GLA even if it was on a slab. Sometimes common sense has to come into play and a bit more explanation is needed in the report.

 

[Tim Hicks (Texas)]

The area marked with the red arrow looks below grade to me. Why do you think they have a below grade section on the URAR?