Does everyone lie about square footage?

anonymous · February 2007

I have lived in the same apartment for the last 7 years and I know for a fact that it is 450 sq ft because I have measured it.

I went out to few open houses this weekend, to look at places claiming to be 800 sq ft or more. I saw four places and not one of them could possibly have been more than 650 sq ft 700 tops.

So is it just a given that brokers and owners will lie about the sq ft of the place they are selling?

bswarts2 · February 2007

Square footage is the penis size of the real estate world.

lostingreenwoodhts · February 2007

LOL!

Real estate brokers and architects must be coming up short then...

captain salty · February 2007

my last place was 494 sqft. when searching around, many people told me their places were 800-1000 sqft, but were more like 550.

it's kind of funny, and i call them out on it. i would bring a tape measure with me, it was a fun game to play "catch the broker in a lie."

veggiequeen · February 2007

I think it depends on what they 'count'... livable space vs ALL space (closets, etc).

jamzer · February 2007

To answer BC's question - the answer is no. Some do, but not our broker.
When I bought my place, I was told by the sellerâ€™s broker that it was 1,000sqf. When we went to sell it, our broker measured and it came up as much closer to 900sqf. Truth be told - I wanted our broker to list it as 1,000sqf, but she would not. We got a great price for it anyway.
I also don't think you are supposed to count closets or basement storage, etc.

droppingshadows · February 2007

During my last apartment search this summer, I noticed that nearly all brokers count every square foot they can into the apartment. What surprised me is that most brokers counted the all outside my front door. Counting closets is one thing but including the area of stairs leading to my front door is criminal. Luckily, like you, I knew enough about square footage to call them on it.

hermitage68 · February 2007

As a rule of thumb take 20% off the listed sq footage and you will arrive
at the net area inside the walls of the actual apartment.
co-ops count the common areas such as : basement storage, laundry, decks, yards, parts of hallway.

linusvanpelt · February 2007

If everybody "lied" about square footage -- i.e., included everything out to the exterior wall line -- it would fine, IMHO, because all comparisons would be apples to apples. You'd know that every apartment had less liveable space than advertised, and you could compare them all accordingly.

Not to excuse lying, but I think people get too fixated on the absolute number of sf when looking to rent or buy. A well laid-out 650 sf apartment can be more liveable--and thus worth more--than a poorly laid-out 800 sf. A place is either big enough and well-designed enough or it isn't.

What's much more important is to actually see the place, if it's roughly in your size ballpark, bring a tape measure and see if it's big enough for your stuff and the way you want to configure your home. SF is just a way for people to play mine-is-bigger, or a crutch for people who aren't good at visualizing a space and don't want to take the time to make a floorplan.

jamzer · February 2007

Well said Linus. The place I spoke about that turned out to be 900sqf was very well laid out. That is why I did not care when I found out I was lied to and that is also why it made no difference when I sold it.

antje · February 2007

Subject: recommandation

just to be sure on your end - always take a measurement to viewings - it is always better to go and see things yourself and get a sense of the place. That's what I do when I take a listing!!

All common areas of the house like stairecases and storage in the basement are of course not part of your apartments squarefootage!!
I've heard statements like that!!

Does everyone lie about square footage?

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