Guest Suite

[RustNeverSleeps]

Mike, I prefer to keep my exact location anonymous, but I understand what you are getting at. I can assure you that county and city building codes are not being violated.

 

[RustNeverSleeps]

ANSI
Finished Areas Connected to the House
Finished areas that are connected to the main body of the house by other finished areas such as hallways or
stairways are included in the finished square footage of the floor that is at the same level. Finished areas that are
not connected to the house in such a manner cannot be included in the finished square footage of any level.

Am I missing something?

 

[KenAZ]

We run into this problem in Paradise Valley, where over 90 percent of the homes have a guest house, suite or 2 guest houses or separate studio. The assessor and MLS most of the time just clump these into the livable. Sometimes the MLS will tell us how large the guest house is, sometimes not. I do a lot of reviews in there, and I can't remember the last time an appraiser separated the guest house from the main house in the GLA. I have tried many times to separate it, but it never works on the market grid. I almost always end up including it.

 

[Mike Kennedy]

ANSI
Finished Areas Connected to the House
Finished areas that are connected to the main body of the house by other finished areas such as hallways or stairways are included in the finished square footage of the floor that is at the same level.

Finished areas that are not connected to the house in such a manner cannot be included in the finished square footage of any level.

Am I missing something?

OP: "The subject has an attached guest suite (1 bed / 1 bath same quality) with a separate entrance. There is no access from inside the main entrance. I know this should be considered outside of GLA."

:icon_idea: i.e. finished areas WITH direct Interior Access are included. Those without direct Interior Access "cannot be included".

Does the County Building &/or Zoning Ordinance(s) require INTERIOR access for SFR Extensions/Attachments?

Does the County utilize ANSI (many do, some do not)?

 

[Ken B]

Shuzbut!

"When in Rome..."

Is it really necessary to beat this horse everytime the question is asked?

I live in such a home. The neighbor across the street has the same model. His neighbor has the same model. The guy behind him has the same model. If I drive down my street, I could count a dozen of the model type before I had to stop.

Consistency is important. ANSI is a guideline. Like all guidelines, it cannot account for every possible design or feature of a property.

I consider my semi-attached "guest suite" to be an integral part of my overall gross living area. I bet my neighbor does also. As does his neighbor, as does...

Would this design work in someplace like upstate NY? No, for what should be obvious reasons. Does it work in places like South Florida? Absolutely. I consider the semi-attached space to more desirable than if the same space were simply a bedroom/bath combination off a common hallway. Why? Because of the privacy it provides for guests and my wife and I when those guests visit. As they are known to do. When you live in South Florida. And have a pool. And live a few miles from the beach. And have friends and family that live in places like upstate NY. Or Chicago.

 

[Mike Garrett RAA]

I would include the square footage on one of the blank lines on the grid if it is a big deal to your client.

Wonder how many of those Paradise Valley homes my bother built? Geoffrey H Edmunds.

 

[Lloyd Bonafide]

If these are tract-built homes, (not custom), and if the original builder, the Assessor, and Realtors on resales include the attached guest area in the living area size, then I would also count the guest area in the living area size, with a full explanation. There are medium-sized tract homes like that in this area, with the front entry and the entry to the guest area being off of a central courtyard, and the market seems to accept the guest area as part of the living area.

 

[RustNeverSleeps]

Exactly Ken, these are common and and quite functional in a temperate climate.

 

[RustNeverSleeps]

Mike K, you are relentless. I'm not going to throw common sense out the window to adhere to a "guideline".

If you recall in my OP, the breakdown of s.f. on the comps is not available and it is impossible to do an apples to apples analysis. If I were to guess it would likely mislead the user and not result in a credible report or opinion of value.

 

[Mike Kennedy]

Final attempt to help you CYA.

OP "Fannie Guidelines" Is the current use Legal, LNC, or Illegal? "There is no access from inside the main entrance. I know this should be considered outside of GLA."


Post 11: Does the County Building &/or Zoning Ordinance(s) require INTERIOR access for SFR Extensions/Attachments?

Suggest what may be relevant in NY, California, Colorado, or any other State is irrevelant in whichever County the OP Subject is located in. Further suggest confirmation of Post 11 is necessary for the subject, especially as it is NEWER construction, to avoid misleading the user resulting in a less than credible report or opinion of value.


Good Luck with it.