Comments on: Listing Square Footage — How hard can it be?

By: Gordon

Gordon — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 22:01:23 +0000

I’ve written some more on this topic…
http://blog.seattlehouses.com/2008/06/06/square-footages-do-the-right-thing/

By: Leanne Finlay

Leanne Finlay — Sun, 01 Jun 2008 06:37:10 +0000

Every time I’ve taken a class from an attorney, they all say “do not measure yourself, and do not have your seller measure square footage, it is too easy to be wrong and be sued, have the buyer measure if he wants to know”. So, square footage is often left off when the square footage doesn’t match the County info, such as from a remodel.

Sellers and agent are not encouraged to measure, due to lawsuits for inaccuracies, but if there is a source with a written sq footage, such as an appraisal or an architect plan, then that is reasonable and quite valuable to use.

Lot sizes are not so likely to be wrong, as the square footages are from platted or survey records, written dimensional proof, unlike homes which often are remodeled and changed.

These new construction townhomes pose a problem, since the square footage may not show yet on the County records. The MLS does need a rule that says garages cannot be included in living space square footages, that would be very helpful.

By: ARDELL

ARDELL — Thu, 29 May 2008 04:26:10 +0000

I remember listing a townhome in Bothell a few years back where EVERY listing, both Active and Sold, had included the garage in the square footage. This created quite a dilemma as the owners did not want their home to be presented as 400 feet smaller than all of the others, when it was the same size. I put the floor plan on the mls and on the flyer so people could see where the number came from, which was the original builders notations on the floor plan.

I couldn’t blame the sellers with three or four on market showing total square footage with the garage included.

By: ARDELL

ARDELL — Thu, 29 May 2008 04:18:53 +0000

biliruben,

I put an offer in today for clients and I was able to send them the listing and photos from three years ago when the current owners bought it. It was helpful for them to see the “before” and “after” shots in determining an offer price.

By: Deborah Burns

Deborah Burns — Thu, 29 May 2008 04:09:40 +0000

Hi Chris,

Yes, that’s true, it has been improved and I usually do use it to see the property I am looking at, but the Redfin one I can more easily see other properties.

Thanks for telling me about the stuff on the right hand side, I never noticed that when the new mapping debuted!

One thing I do prefer on the mls site is the size, the field is larger, so you don’t feel as cramped….the Redfin map is too small.

By: Chris

Chris — Thu, 29 May 2008 03:58:57 +0000

Oh and another thing, if you click on a parcel it pops up the owners name and offers a link to the Realist info… which we’ve already discussed this thread could very well be incorrect…. HA!

By: Chris

Chris — Thu, 29 May 2008 03:54:38 +0000

Deborah- From the MLS site: If you click on “See Map” on the listing it will launch a map. Then on the right side you can click on Map Layers (not the “?” mark, click to the left of that on Map Layers). It gives you the option to show parcels, other MLS listings and FSBO sales. VERY NIFTY. Also you can click on “Birds Eye VIew” in the told left corner to get the satellite pictures. I was told in the Locator class that its the same pix as Google Earth. Very nice and clear. Fun features. Hope this helps.

By: Deborah Burns

Deborah Burns — Thu, 29 May 2008 02:37:52 +0000

Hi Biliruben,

The mls has lots more that can be searched for, the listing sheets cover a lot of information and you can search for properties very specifically for something a buyer is intersted in. Last Sunday I did some searches for a buyer couple for view condos, and a balcony was a “must have”. So I can refine my search on the mls to include only view condos with balconies.

I can also search by housing styles, especially good when you have a client who dislikes a style like split level, which was a request by clients last year.

Redfin does the best job of showing properties on their mapping feature than any site I seen, the mls cannot even compare. Whenever I want to see the property in site, with property lines etc., I go to Redfin. The bonus is that I can also see neighboring properties for sale too.

Redfin’s mapping feature for properties is wonderful and I have been referring to it since 2004 (maybe 2005?). I am not a GPS girl…I LOVE maps! So seeing properties this way is wonderful.

Gordon, I’m with you on the geometry, I had difficulty with algebra, but geometry was fun! That is why the Redfin mapping is so cool to me, and why I love my Thomas Bros. maps….all maps!

By: biliruben

biliruben — Thu, 29 May 2008 00:04:37 +0000

Deborah – try Redfin. I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised. It allows you to put in search parameters as well, with the exception of true combined DOM. Is there anything else NWMLS insists on keeping to themselves?

By: Kary L. Krismer

Kary L. Krismer — Wed, 28 May 2008 23:46:27 +0000

Chris wrote: “I’d have a lot more respect for those who put down the SF as per the county records and note that an addition has been done and county records are wrong, than those who leave it blank entirely. It always makes me think the LA is trying to pull a fast one.”

I think blank makes everyone think the LA is pulling a fast one.

The reason some agents do it (I think) is because when agents do a search there’s an option to include zero square feet properties in the result. Thus, you can search for properties between 1,200 and 1,700 square feet, and either include or exclude those that don’t say anything. I think most agents include, just so they don’t possibly miss something.