Where Does Finished Basements Count As GLA?

[KenAZ]

I have done some deep research on this and the main reason there are not more basement homes is because of the cost. Some new home builders offer basements, but they charge a fortune. You are right that there are very few basement homes, but when one goes on the market it is sold immediately. Ask anyone in Phoenix if they prefer a 2 story to a basement, about 90 percent would want the basement.

 

[CindyR]

Ask anyone in Phoenix if they prefer a 2 story to a basement, about 90 percent would want the basement.

Ha ha - ask anyone in phoenix and they would probably say 'what's a basement?' But to your original point, yes they cost more, but if people really wanted them they would pay more to build them.

 

[gregb]

808 Active Listing AZ Basement Homes

http://www.azbasements.com/

 

[Elliott]

Name one dismemberment that didn't happen in a basement.

 

[CindyR]

Name one dismemberment that didn't happen in a basement.

Exactly.

FWIW, of the 2,864 homes currently listed for sale in Phoenix in MLS, only 74 are reported to have a basement.

 

[KeyWhiz]

I think you might be seriously exaggerating that 'most' people prefer a basement. If most or lots or even some people preferred basements there would be a heck of a lot more of them. Of the approximately 6,000 homes I have appraised in the Phoenix market area less than 1% have had basements.

And generally the realtors can give you an estimate of below grade area and rooms included down there.

Never really thought about it until now, but considering that KenAZ is right that basement areas ARE cheaper to cool, I'm surprised you don't see more of them out here in the desert areas. There are a lot of basements in the older, early 20th built homes in downtown Reno, but get out to the newer areas, and in almost all areas of places like Las Vegas and, like you note, in Phoenix? Almost none unless it's a built-in-the-hillside partial basement.

Of course, a lot of the ground around here is ridiculous hard-rock so maybe that's the reason they don't like to dig too deep when building homes?