Minimal Room Size per Fannie Mae?

[Kevin A. Spellman]

The secondary market is not the authority to label a room as sleeping quarters. The appraiser should recognize who is the authority in the service area and report the findings. Here in MA the minimum requirement is 70 square feet and one dimension has to be eight feet and a means of egress such as a window no greater than 41 inches from the floor. The labeling of rooms as sleeping quarters must respect the septic design also.

If you had to defend a report for the labeling a room as a bedroom, the courts would not accept a FNMA or secondary market regulation or statement. With all assignments identify your subject and report the facts from reliable sources. FNMA is not a reliable source to identify your subject.

 

[Mike Garrett RAA]

This thread is a classic example of those who call themselves appraisers assuming what happens IN THEIR STATE applies everywhere.

First, we are guided by the Standards of Professional Practice (USPAP). Ethics and Competency are the primary considerations found here.

Next, we need to know the requirements of our intended users such as Fannie Mae, FHA, VA, ERC, etc. While some get really upset with me using the term "supplemental standards" that is exactly what they are. If we not follow those...the appraisal and loan can be rejected.

Lastly, there are regulations, laws, or statues issued by various governing authorities that pertain to minimum housing standards. We, as appraisers, need to be aware of them also. What might be an illegal use in one jurisdiction isn't in another. We all can be pretty much on the same page as far as USPAP is concerned and we can also be fairly knowledgeable as far as Fannie Mae guidelines, FHA rules (4105), and VA requirements but there is no way we all can know all the nuances of 50 different states and hundreds of thousands of building authorities nationwide.

Even within my state, appraisers treat the gross living area (GLA) differently. I was taught and also consider anything below grade as not GLA. In some areas, especially in the mountains, appraisers included below grade in the GLA. So, who is right?

What is a bedroom? It's a room where there is supposed to be a bed and is intended as sleeping area. I think it is our obligation to our clients, intended users, and anyone reading our appraisal report to understand the logic in our determination of that. What is the market reaction to the feature?

My opinion? There is no clear cut answer to your question.

 

[Pam Wyant]

Your state does not require Building Permits? I am sure they do If you see any New construction in your area. Look in what ever they call a Permit box in you area. and On the Permit it should have an address and or phone of that dept. Then contact them, for local answer.

Tops2 is correct. Many areas in West Virginia do not require a building permit and do not even have building inspectors. You can pretty much build what you want. The exceptions are most incorporated towns and a few counties. There is also little zoning outside of incorporated areas. "Mountaineers are always free" is the state motto, and that says a lot.

They darn near had a lynch mob around here when the county tried to enact 'zoning'.

 

[Ray Christ]

Minimum Room Sizes

Fyi - Somewhere Sometime In The Past 20 Years I Came Across The Attachment. Want A Guideline Here's One.

 

[Deuce of Spades]

Local markets and what is acceptable and customary is the key. Older homes are always the exception - my current home is a 1925 Craftman style and depending on the way YOU want to count rooms, you can go from 2-4bdrms. Of course a real estate agent would probably go for the 4th bdrm, which is really (in my mind and use) a sitting/dressing room w/ closets, connected to the master (which does not have a closet). Depending on which doors you open and shut (hallways have multiple doors) you can redesign the house anyway you want. My TV room could be a front bdrm that can be closed off and added to the master suite. Love my house.

Where the real line is drawn is w/ newer construction. I see people trying to claim the den with a very minimal or no closet as a bdrm. That is not standard for newer construction and therefore does not count. I love getting the call from an agent claiming that the 4th or 5th bdrm which is a den w/ a 2x6 closet when the bdrm closets are 6x6.

 

[Riick]

Fyi - Somewhere Sometime In The Past 20 Years I Came Across The Attachment. Want A Guideline Here's One.

I knew I'd seen that 5'x8' for a bathroom somewhere -- back in the 1970's,
those were I think the FHA minimum standards for new construction - to be exact.
Why did I remember? Back then, was living in a house that had a 5'x6' bath.
You could literally wash your hands without getting up from the pot.

 

[Doug Meyer]

This has probably been stated. Just explain why or why not you are calling it a bedroom, for what ever reason and move on. You are the professional, so make the call.