I saw this article on an appraisal blog written by a colleague. It’s good so I thought I’d pass it along.

1. Entrance: A bedroom needs at least two methods of egress, so it should be accessible from the house (commonly through a door), and then have one other exit (window or door).
2. Ceiling Height: A bedroom ceiling needs to be at least 7 ft. tall. It is okay if some portions of the ceiling are below this level, but at least 50% of the ceiling needs to be a minimum of 7 ft. in height. Most ceilings tend to be at least 8 ft. tall, so ceiling height is not usually an issue (R305.1).
3. Escape: A bedroom must have one other method of egress beyond the entrance point. A door to the exterior works as an exit point, and so does a window. According to the International Residential Code, a bedroom window can be between 24 and 44 inches from the floor, it needs at least 5.7 square feet for the opening, and it must measure no less than 24 inches high and 20 inches wide (R310.1).
4. Size: The room should be at least 70 sq. ft., and more specifically the room cannot be smaller than 7 feet in any horizontal direction (sorry, that 1’x70′ room won’t work) (R304.2 / R304.4).

What about closets?

NOTE: The International Residential Code does NOT mandate a Bedroom must have a closet.

My Comments: The local city or county codes may indeed mandate a bedroom have a closet. In my judgment as an appraiser and a broker, if a buyer would expect a closet to be there, it should be there. As an appraiser, I’d check to see if it’s physically and financially curable. Meaning, can I build or add a closet. If it’s incurable, then you have depreciation in the form of obsolescence, or inferior functional utility.

BBQ: “Real Estate cannot be lost or stolen, nor can it be carried away. Purchased with common sense, paid for in full, and managed with reasonable care, it is about the safest investment in the world” – Franklin D. Roosevelt

BLT: “Let’s Get it On” by Marvin Gaye

If you are having trouble viewing this video click here.