The Knee Wall – The measurement that works.
What is a Knee Wall? A knee wall is simply any wall that slants down from the ceiling to 4 ft or even to the ground. These are often found in Cape-cod, Gambrel Colonials, and Bungalow style homes. This wall tends to report differences in your gross living area. An appraiser may measure only where the wall is greater than 7 feet tall. This often the discrepancy when it comes to reporting GLA in comparison to what is on public record. As of April 2022, Real Estate Appraisers must adhere to ANSI (American National Standard Institute) measuring guidelines for all Fannie Mae loans issued. When inspecting the subject property, real estate appraisers are looking to find the area that has a ceiling height of 5' or more. There are some more catches to this as well. Ceiling Height To be included in the finished square footage calculations, finished areas must have a ceiling height of at least 7 feet except under beams, ducts and other obstructions where the height may be 6 feet 4 inches; under stairs where there is no specified height requirement; or where the ceiling is sloped. If a room's ceiling is sloped, at least one-half of the finished square footage in that room must have a vertical ceiling height of at least 7 feet; no portion of the finished area that has a height of less than 5 feet may be included in finished square footage. Living Area Discrepancies Between Public Records and Appraiser Values This is generally more common for homeowners who have multi-level properties where the 2nd or 3rd floor do not match the base level. Local assessors typically do not measure upper levels of living space within residential properties. Instead they commonly approximate. An example would be that you may find your local assessor approximating… Continue Reading
F.A.Q.’s – Frequently Asked Questions
I am a local realtor and would like to give specific contact information where I can be reached if the appraiser has a question on a listing of mine. Where can I submit this? We love establishing a good rapport with realtors. Please visit https://pilgrimcolonial.com/realtors/ The appraiser's GLA is different that what I have recorded with my town/city. Why is that? The town or city card is often an approximation. This is common with many Cape style homes or homes without a full second story. It is common to see assessors data to simply multiply the ground floor by 1.5 or 1.75 depending on the dormers on your home. Another common issue is the "Gross Living Area" considered in the basement. Although your home may have a finish to the lower level with quality is similar to the rest of the home, if that level is below grade then the appraiser will count that as basement space with a finished area. This is fairly common in raised ranches or split-level homes. Value is still considered but not on the living area line. I am an appraiser not in your local area but would like to be a part of your network. Can I join? Yes, Pilgrim Colonial Appraisal Services works with both local and national clients. We are constantly seeking new relationships and broadening our reach. Please apply here. Why is my shed, solar panels, sprinkler system, above ground pool not mentioned or given value in the appraisal report? Appraisers are giving an opinion of market value of your home. Simply stated, what is someone likely to pay for your home on a specific date in time. These items can be omitted on an MLS (multiple listing service) listing. When your home is being appraised, the lender requires the appraiser… Continue Reading
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Why Order Home Measuring Services
Order a Home Measurement Today The size of your home matters whether it be for a prospective buyer or for the local assessor. You may have too little gross living area reported and deterring these prospective buyers or you could be paying more in property taxes for being charged square footage you don't have. Knowing the size of your home is important. If you go to sell your home and a buyer finds out it is far less than what was reported, it could lead to a dead deal. On the other side you could also be saving money in property taxes if you are over reporting your living space. Feel better knowing that your Gross Living Area is accurate and you can offer a floor plan of your home. With our home measuring service, our sketches provide accurate exterior wall measurements and room space.Order today
