GLA or NOT

[Marcia Langley]

Fannie does not require ANSI but some states do.

The thing is to be credible. That's what USPAP asks of you. In normal houses, the size of the stairwell is not going to make a difference in the value. If you can defend your measurements in the off chance you would be called to do so, then why suffer angst over this?

If you are sure you are doing it the way most appraisers in your area do it and the way your assessment authority does it, then you are comparing apples to apples and you can likely defend it.

I find ANSI to be the most defendable measuring guide. It is an industry standard (general housing industry, not necisarily appraisal industry) that at least gives one something credible to point to.

 

[Abzntminded]

If you follow ANSI, you don't subtract for stairs (of course you do for atriums).

The reasoning is that the underlying floor counts on the first level and the stairs, themselves, count on the second level. Think of it as if it were a drop stair. The area and utility are there.

This is the way I do it and it is commonly done that way in my market.

If you don't follow ANSI and everyone else in your market subtracts for stairs, no big deal.

But IMO ANSI is very logical in this regard.

Oddly enough, this is the one ANSI standard that seems the least logical to me. If the use of the stairs is for the second level (as you suggest, thinking of a drop stair), fine. But then the first level starts to lose GLA once you drop the stairs because of the 5' or 7' height rule, and that seems contradictory. With the drop stairs in the "down" position, the utility is there once, but it gets counted twice.

 

[Marcia Langley]

ABZ,

I follow your argument but still favor mine.:icon_mrgreen:

Since we are talking about such a small area and since some stairs have partly usable space underneath and since the labor involved to fine tune the measurements seems wasted, then I think the KISS rule applies.

There are other floor areas that can't be walked on that are still included in GLA, for example under fireplaces, etc. Those areas are counted in GLA and credit is additionally given to the amenity.

And if you look at it from a cost/materials point of view, it is more costly to build one floor and one staircase that to build two floors.

But even if one is inclined to get into minute detail the issue of apples to apples still remains. If the building industry at large including the assessor counts it the ANSI way then all your comps will be the ANSI way.

But the bottom line is to compare apples to apples and I'd be willing to bet that there is not one assessing authority that subtracts stairs from the upper level.

 

[Abzntminded]

ABZ,

I follow your argument but still favor mine.:icon_mrgreen:

Fair enough.

But the bottom line is to compare apples to apples and I'd be willing to bet that there is not one assessing authority that subtracts stairs from the upper level.

L.A., Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino co's (and that's more than a couple dozen homes) assessors use GLA figures that are submitted by builders that subtract stairwells from upper levels. Lawsuits settled this long ago. And that's why it's done that way 'round here. What were you willing to bet?

 

[PropertyEconomics]

L.A., Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino co's (and that's more than a couple dozen homes) assessors use GLA figures that are submitted by builders that subtract stairwells from upper levels. Lawsuits settled this long ago. And that's why it's done that way 'round here. What were you willing to bet?

The simple fact is that ANSI cannot overrule what your market tells you. If market participants dont count the stair on the second floor you shouldnt either.
ANSI says count it ... market participants say dont. Either position is very defendable in court unless they are in conflict .. at that point the market would overrule ANSI in my opinion.

 

[Marcia Langley]

L.A., Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino co's (and that's more than a couple dozen homes) assessors use GLA figures that are submitted by builders that subtract stairwells from upper levels. Lawsuits settled this long ago. And that's why it's done that way 'round here. What were you willing to bet?

Fair enough. Apples to apples.

A feather, where shall I send it?

 

[Abzntminded]

Fair enough. Apples to apples.

A feather, where shall I send it?

Wait for now, you'd probably win it back soon enough...