EDMONTON - When home size matters, shoppers should measure everything says Edmonton realtor Sheldon Johnston.
Especially with private sales, claimed square footage is fraught with error. "Every house that I have dealt with in a private sale has had it wrong," he says. "In every case, it has been exaggerated."
Realtors' fact sheets, with dimensions of each room and the total home size, must follow Edmonton Real Estate Board guidelines for proper measurement.
Husband and wife team of realtors Sheldon Johnston and Sara MacLennan emphasize that home buyers should confirm all inside measurements that they consider important to ensure they are getting what they pay for.
Private sellers, however, may ignore standard practice and include areas such as finished basement rooms, unheated porch space or air above a stairwell, Johnston says. In condos, advertised size may even include balconies.
A prospective buyer, or buyer's agent, should confirm every measurement that really matters, Johnston says.
Total square footage often is emphasized but, even when accurate, can be misleading, he says. "I have shown properties that were 1,500 square feet and looked like 1,000 square feet -- and others that were the opposite."
