how is a bonus room handled? Is this a room?

Profile picture for RAGMAN44
My home is 3 BR and 2.5 baths with a Bonus Room.  The bonus room is not showing up as a room in my Zestimate.  Shouldn't it at least be a room?
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January 02 2011 - Fuquay Varina
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Answers (10)

Profile picture for descrs
But to answer your question RAGMAN44, the room should be counted as a room IF it is accessible from the inside of the home and it is finished (heated, cooled, and finished walls, floors & electrical).  I believe someone pointed out that the Zestimate pulls info from the tax records and tax records often have errors in them.  If you notify the tax office to make the change, Zillow may pick it up BUT you might also see an increase in your taxes (not sure about that, but possible).
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February 14 2011
Profile picture for descrs
You must be very careful about calling a bonus room a bedroom for anothe reason.  If the property was built with 3 bedrooms and it has a finished bonus room, the sewage system may come into play.  If the home has a septic tank and it was built as a 3 bedroom home, then the septic tank was designed for 3 bedrooms.  If you advertise the property as a 4-bedroom property and there is ever a septic tank issue because of the number of people living in the home, there may be an issue then.  Simply put, the septic system was probably designed for a 3 bedroom home.

Additionally, I have a hard time calling a bonus room a bedroom if it does not have a window, a closet, and access to a bathroom on the SAME floor.  Wouldn't want to be the agent who sold a home advertised as 4 bedrooms when that 4th bedroom (bonus) was upstairs, no bath, and an elderly person or child fell down the stairs in the middle of the night getting to a bathroom.  This is a very litigous society we live in.

Nothing is more annoying than to go show a home advertised as 4 bedrooms only to find it is 3 bedrooms on one floor with a bonus room upstairs and no bath.  The remarks section of MLS leaves plenty of room to put that the home has 3 bedrooms PLUS a finished bonus room.  I have all ideas a builder would call it a 4th bedroom instead of a bonus room if indeed it was a 4th bedroom.  It is usually the resale market that calls a bonus room a 4th bedroom.

Just some thoughts....
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February 14 2011
Profile picture for tjplace
If the bonus room is unfinished space, then no.
If it is finished and heated space that is LEGAL, then it counts as living space.
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February 14 2011
Profile picture for kathyhomebuys
Yes it is considered a room if it is heated and cooled.  You can contact zillow aand change your information to include your bonus room.  This is an attractive selling feature if you are considering selling your home. 
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February 13 2011
Profile picture for Helen Edwards
It is a room if accessed from within home. More than likely it was unfinished at time of sale or county records. Many builders leave this space unfinished to help make the price of home more affordable so buyers may decide if they would like to finish at later date.
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February 13 2011
Profile picture for Sharon Lewis
We have been told that a bedroom must have a closet.....appraisers? Lets hear your answers.....
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February 12 2011
Profile picture for TheNelsonGroup
Claim your house and change the information. Zillowmates are taken from tax records.
In North Carolina, a bonus can be a bedroom if that is it's intended uses. If it has sloped walls or ceilings, you can only count it as heated living space if the ceilings are 7 feet and to the point of the sloped wall at 5 feet. 
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January 04 2011
Profile picture for DrewLudlow
I actually had a conversation with my real estate commission here in NC and was told that it is a myth that a bedroom can only be counted as such if it has a closet and window.  They told me that a room can be a bedroom if that is the intent.  I am not sure if this is the case in other states, but I got it straight from the Commission.  For us, it is a myth.
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January 04 2011
Profile picture for Kevin Kieffer
A bonus room is considered a room generally if during the original construction or subsequent any additional permited work was completed it recorded it was as such. That is a very general rule that is used in California but not sure about other markets.
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January 03 2011
Profile picture for BryanDunaway
If it is heated and directly accessible from the main part of the house without having to use outside stairs or a garage entrance then it is a room. It cannot be listed as a bedroom unless it has a closet. If it was finished after the house was built it may not have been recorded.This would keep it from being included in the HLA.
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January 02 2011
 

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Questionhow is a bonus room handled? Is this a room?
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