If you are purchasing Louisville real estate, or are putting your property up for sale, you may not understand how square footage is calculated in the home. A real estate agent will be calculating the square footage for you if you’re selling your home, and there are some parts of the house that may not be included in the calculations.
Measuring the Exterior
The first thing that gets done when calculating Louisville real estate square footage is an exterior measurement. The exterior walls are measured and then sketches are made showing the home’s perimeter. Depending on the landscaping that surrounds the home, this can be the easiest or most difficult step.
Unfinished Areas
Unfinished areas such as a garage or unfinished utility area will not count as part of the overall square footage. They are not considered as part of the living space so this square footage is deducted from the overall total.
Closets and Hallways
These areas will be included in the final square footage total if they are part of a room that is finished and heated. There may be a time when a closet is only partially completed and in these cases, they aren’t included as part of the total.
Sloped Ceilings and Bay Windows
If you have a bay window in your Louisville home and the height of the ceiling is 7 feet or more, this area may be included. The area for sloped ceilings will only count if the ceiling is 5 feet high or more.
The square footage of the house reflects the living space that is finished and ready to be occupied by a person. Heating must be done by a permanent conventional system and you must be able to access this room directly from another part of the living space.
You may have been wondering why your figures on square footage did not match up to the figures you see in your Louisville real estate listing or the PVA. This is probably because steps were skipped or guesses were made.
Conclusion
If you follow these easy steps, you can determine the accurate square footage of your Louisville home. Just remember, if the space is not finished or the ceilings are too low, don’t include it in your calculations.
