Many thanks to all for your very valuable feedback!!!

Additionally, bedrooms are not supposed to have doors to the garage as this is a safety issue (exhaust fumes entering bedroom). The boro has a variety of homes and values vary dramatically based on location. True comparables may be hard to find. A good appraiser should know how to appropriately value the house.

Feel free to contact me for more information. I don't make money for referrals, just my inspections.

Rafi Footerman
Mid Jersey Inspections
732-906-4100
NJ Home Inspector Lic. #076900

Under all circumstances an appraiser does not consider it a bedroom unless it has a closet..

The building code does not mandate that there must be a closet to consider it a bedroom. However, the FHA code does mandate that there must be a closet to consider it a bedroom.

Annmarie Howley

In general the lack of a closet does not always mean a room cannot be considered as a bedroom. It basically depends on your market area and if it is typical for a bedroom in a similar vintage and style house to lack a closet. In this specific case the location of the room directly off of the kitchen (no access hall?) and containing interior access to the garage lessens the privacy and utility of the room as a bedroom. While most ranch style dwellings of 1970's vintage would afford a bedroom closet, shore towns/summer housing sometimes afford some non-functional/funky layouts maximizing sleeping arrangements. I would try to convince the appraiser to consider 3 bedroom comps with a negative adjustment for the costs to construct a closet with door.

Lamilanc,

The appraiser will use two bedrooms as comparables to determine the value of the home. To answer your question that room will not be cosidered a 3rd bedroom. Hope this helps.


Annmarie Howley
Coldwell Banker Flanagan Realty
Toms River, NJ
732-330-8903

The building code does not mandate a closet to make it a bedroom. This is a real estate practice that no one has ever provided documentation or reasoning for such. Perhaps, it is traditional.

As a former appraiser and a REALTOR with several decades in re-sales. It's gota have a closet, to be a bedroom. Makes a difference if there is no hallway to the bathroom either.

It is my understanding on the newer homes it must have a closet to be considered a bedroom - the older homes weren't buit with closets and they used wardrobes - but newer homes that have rooms without closets are considered living areas.