When searching for new homes one of the first search criteria for a buyer is often the number of bedrooms. Every state is different and because of that the definition people use for determining how many bedrooms a home has can be confusing. In NC the determining factor may not be what you think. This episode we are going to determine exactly what defines the number of bedrooms for a home.
In our market we deal with lots of buyers and sellers who are from other states and I’ve talked with enough of them to realize there’s a good deal of misunderstanding and misinformation.
VARIES FROM STATE TO STATE
Some states allow a room to be counted as a bedroom if it has a window and a closet. This seems logical, but its not necessarily the case here in NC. In NC the number of bedrooms is solely defined on the septic permitting of a home. The system is is engineered for what a specific number of people would require. The number is determined on 2 heart beats per bedroom.
If a home has 5 spaces that could feasibly function as a bedroom, but has a 3 bedroom permit, it legally is only a 3 bedroom and must be advertised that way. In the marketing we can state that there is additional space, we can’t state that there are more than the permitted bedrooms. In this scenario we would say things like “3 bedrooms with flexible rooms that could provide additional space”
FINISHED ROOM OVER GARAGE (FROG)
FROGS are commonly used as a 4th bedroom but it can’t be listed as a 4 bedroom unless the permit states 4 bedrooms. The septic permit details are extremely important so it is critical that you and your agent confirm this information with the health department. Until next time…..
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Chris Whitehurst
Rose & Womble
252 312 2263