Loft as a bedroom

[Van Gogh]

I was talking with some appraisers about loft living area. The statement was said "a loft is a bedroom if it has a closet" I had issue with this based on most lofts I have seen are in condos or master bedrooms. Master lofts obviously are not a bedroom. The other style I have a big issue. These are the type that are above main living areas with a knee wall or some other form to help with not falling over. They typically have stairs leading from LR, K, or DR, no door, but three other full walls. The other bedrooms in the unit are more traditional with doors, 4 walls and closets.

I have appraised 1 BR with open floor plans where the loft is by utility the br and has a bath and closet. I have seen other cape cods with no doors and but enclosed that I consider a br.

I have always considered these other areas to be living area and not br.

I have set a br as 1: a private room 2: 2 or more exits (window and door) 3: Typically doored 4: typically a closet.

I would like you opinion obviously I am considering Utility, functionality, legality, and marketabilty.

What is your opinion. My other offer of a br or not is if you have a reasonable expectation of privacy if you are having sex. There is no true privacy since the door can not be closed and the forth wall is missing.

BTW the best i could find on internet is a door that closes, a window, and closet.

 

[Van Gogh]

BTW the others insisted the utility or the loft is what it is and if it has a closet its a br.

NAR and IRC have more concise definitions?

 

[Couch Potato]

A loft area may or may not qualify as a bedroom. It certainly qualified in the 19th century with or without a closet, but today it would depend on the exact nature of the loft and typical use. I've seen lofts that were not only bedrooms, they were the master bedroom.

 

[nstanbru]

Van Gogh, this may not apply to your area, but I've seen many lofts as you described them. In my area, they are accepted by the "market" as a BR if they have a closet. Without a closet, they are generally shown as "all purpose" areas (office, den, game room, etc.).

 

[CANative]

I consider it a bedroom if: There is enough room for a bed and enough head room to avoid bumping ones head when going to bed; if access is from stairs instead of a ladder; and there is a least some sort of modesty panel like a knee wall.

 

[Couch Potato]

I haven't seen one with just a closet that I would call a bedroom, but often when they have a full bath along with that closet they easily qualify as a bedroom. The key is what do typical buyers think the area is?

 

[Mr Rex]

A loft is a BR in beach and lake properties because folks walk around half nekkid anyway. A loft is not a BR in suburban areas of the bible belt, where husbands have never seen their wives nekkid, but only imagined what it would be like to do it with the lights on.

 

[Van Gogh]

Is there a USPAP answer for this that anyone has come accross? I could find nothing.

 

[Mr Rex]

Is there a USPAP answer for this that anyone has come accross? I could find nothing.

USPAP does not address walls, closets, etc. ANSI standards and Fannie Mae instructions are your best bet, but neither go into specific detail about Lofts as BRs. What does the average market participant in your market think of loft space?

 

[CANative]

Have you read USPAP?