Zillow Advice: Home Buying - What is usually included in square footage?

There is a frog (finished ...

Sat, 21 Feb 2009 07:54:00 GMT

There is a frog (finished room over the garage but I don't know if it was finished afterwards or not. It measures ~14X19 so I don't think that's it. Oh well, thanks for the responses. I have a contract on the house so maybe I'll find out with the home inspection or appraisal.

The house is in Virginia ...

Sat, 21 Feb 2009 07:50:00 GMT

The house is in Virginia beach so no basements. I think the seller may have "spruced" up the number but I hope not. It has a two car garage but it isn't "finished space."

it may have a basement that ...

Sat, 21 Feb 2009 02:39:00 GMT

it may have a basement that is not finished (which by my understanding cannot be included in square footage unless specified separately as additional space "unfinished." or it may have a basement that has been finished since it was last appraised for taxes. it it was finished without any permitting chances are county tax assessor is not aware of the update and would not have the additional square footage.

I just was trying to figure ...

Sat, 21 Feb 2009 02:39:00 GMT

I just was trying to figure that out yesterday and came to the conclusion that square footage is often calculated from the outside dimensions of the house. There is actually no right answer so best not really consider the square footage number as more than a ball park figure and realize that you can't use it to compare two houses to each other. Best answer if you really care is bring a tape measure to each house you are considering buying!!!

I am assuming that there ...

Sat, 21 Feb 2009 02:35:00 GMT

I am assuming that there is no basement on this home. Was there space in a partial attic or space over an attached garage that was unfinished when the home was built (and has now been finished). Up in Minnesota almost every home has a basement, which is where you can add finished square footage space.

Could possibly be the measurements are or were just plain wrong.