To GLA or Not to GLA

[Xavier Hargrove]

I recently did an inspection for a purchase in NC, where it is decently warm out most of the year. The home was a 1 1/2 story home that had been remodeled. The listing agent listed the home as 1240 sqft and put in the remarks that there is a potential 500 sqft of space upstairs. She had it professionally measured (she wouldn't say who) but they considered the space upstairs not livable due to the unit not having ducts that go to the each room. The unit is located in the hallway. Inspectors states that the unit is suitable enough to heat and cool the whole upstairs. The county does account for the upstairs potential GLA.

I am leaning more towards considering this GLA sqft due to ANSI standards of suitable year round use. Would love any other opinion of knowledge as to what to consider. I attached some pictures below for review. Thank you

 

[J Grant]

if it is not heated and cooled now on your eff date then imo it is not liveable as GLA-

But, what is that unit with vents overhead by the door in the third-row photo on the right is that a mini split cooler/heat source? Not every heat/cooling source needs ducts. There is ductless AC (called mini-split) and there is window AC/heat too.

Imo if as of eff date there is no heat/source then it is storage space with a bed in it. It gets cold in NC in winter they need heat there

 

[Terrel L. Shields]

Looks to me like a mini-split. I'd call it GLA or even if segregating it, when making a SF adjustment, I'd lump it with the GLA... seems to be rather typical upper level.

 

[Surf Cat]

Looks to me like a mini-split. I'd call it GLA or even if segregating it, when making a SF adjustment, I'd lump it with the GLA... seems to be rather typical upper level.

Finished attic imo. Use ANSI standards in measuring and whatever you do....don't use the bolded word above in your report! Lol

 

[Mark K]

It would take a special type of idiot to not call it GLA. The very obvious mini-split is adequate for that space. Not calling a space GLA due only to the lack of forced air ducts is moronic.

ANY buyer would consider it living space.

 

[J Grant]

It would take a special type of idiot to not call it GLA. The very obvious mini-split is adequate for that space. Not calling a space GLA due only to the lack of forced air ducts is moronic.

ANY buyer would consider it living space.

Agree, if that is a mini split which it looks like it is then good to go at least for a heat /cooling source.

 

[Mike Ault]

I am leaning more towards considering this GLA sqft due to ANSI standards of suitable year round use. Would love any other opinion of knowledge as to what to consider. I attached some pictures below for review. Thank you

It appears from your photos that the upper level may run afoul of ANSI ceiling height restrictions.

"According to the ANSI Guideline, to be included in the finished square footage count, rooms/spaces/areas are supposed to have a ceiling height of at least seven feet for over half of the space, and no portion of the finished area can have a ceiling height of less than 5 feet."

 

[Brian W Street]

ANSI 2.2 states that the finished area is an enclosed area in a house that is suitable for year-round use based on its location, embodying walls, floors, and ceilings that are similar to the rest of the house. That seems to be the fact but does this area meet the ceiling height requirements? In addition to the 7' rule "If a room's ceiling is sloped, at least one-half of the finished square footage in that room must have a vertical ceiling height of at least 7' and no portion of the finished area that has a height of less than 5' may be included in the finished square footage of any level." In this case, I do not see that but I could be interpreting that wrong.

If were me, I would put the entire floored area plus an estimated 6" for each exterior wall in the additional items field and then I would apply the same GLA adjustments as I did above and add extensive commentary as to why I am forced to treat GLA differently and that the market really doesn't care and would consider this normal living area even though Fannie Mae does not. At least the market does in my area, one-story homes with finished attics are normal.

Again I could be wrong on all this it is just the way that I interpret ANSI.

 

[J Grant]

It would take a special type of idiot to not call it GLA. The very obvious mini-split is adequate for that space. Not calling a space GLA due only to the lack of forced air ducts is moronic.

ANY buyer would consider it living space.

Just to be clear wrt what our role as an appraiser is
ANY buyer would consider it living space, however, as an appraiser for GSE loans ( most of these assignments ) regardless of how a buyer considers it, that space must conform to ANSI ceiling height and for min standards have a heat source.

We can value space as the market (buyers) might see it, yet we have to also report that space the way a client/ANSI/ or FHA agency instructs.

 

[Xavier Hargrove]

if it is not heated and cooled now on your eff date then imo it is not liveable as GLA-

But, what is that unit with vents overhead by the door in the third-row photo on the right is that a mini split cooler/heat source? Not every heat/cooling source needs ducts. There is ductless AC (called mini-split) and there is window AC/heat too.

Imo if as of eff date there is no heat/source then it is storage space with a bed in it. It gets cold in NC in winter they need heat there

Yes, it is, that was what I was thinking. The inspector also said it was efficient enough for the whole upstairs. Honestly the listing agent and measurer not calling it sqft made me second guess.