If you do not put the walk in closet in that space do you have room somewhere else for a decent sized closet? We faced a similar situation and went with the separate tub and a large shower but we also "found" space to put in a closet someplace else.

I have a decent closet in the master bedroom and in the guest bedroom that i use to switch out winter and summer wardrobes. It would be so nice to have shelves for shoes and purses ,(they always seem to be in a pile on the floor of the closet ) and have all my clothes in the same suite. I doubt I would use the tub more than once a week.The previous owner never got around to putting in the tub but the plumbing is already roughed in in the crawl and just needs to be brought up through the floor. I could put a deeper tub in the hall bath but now i'm remodeling 2 baths instead of one.

I would consider resale. What are the master baths like in other houses in your price range? If the smaller bath/bigger closet option makes yours tiny compared to the competition, then I'd say put in the tub and find more closet space in your spare bedrooms. If some of the comps have 3/4 master baths, then go for the extra closet.

You might be able to add more shelving/organizing paraphenalia in your existing closet too.

7x7 off of 7x18 leaves 10.5x7 after wall thickness. That's not a tiny bath and certainly not so small that you can't fit a tub and have to put in a minimally sized shower for a full bath. You may not be able to have a huge soaking tub and a huge separate shower but you could at the very least have a shower/tub combo (with oversized tub) or a very very very nice sized shower in that space if you forgo the tub.

36 by 36 is *small* for a master shower - I'd go with a walk-in shower (at least 4 by 4) and a linen closet rather than a walk-in. If space permits, you can fit a tub as well....I don't have time now to play with a design, but I can see if I can come up with something (or hopefully some talented GWers will weigh in with some ideas.

thanks so much for all of the help. I wish i could draw a diagram but have no idea how to post it. At one time the master bedroom and the bath were 2 bedrooms of similar size. the previous owner pushed back the master bdr wall 3 feet into the second bdr and turned it into a bath. when you enter the bath there is a closet along the right wall about 60 by 29. straight ahead on the back wall is the 48"vanity. and to the immediate left of the door on the shared wall with the bedroom is the toilet. then there is this long 7 ft unused space to the left and a window on the wall opposite to the closet. If i put in a tub it would go on the 7 ft window wall and the shower would go where the closet is now in the corner as a neo angle next to the vanity. being a shower person i had also thought about putting a really nice big walk-in shower on the window wall but then i dont get a tub or a larger closet i only get a fab shower.
all suggestions are very appreciated.

I'd go with the walk-in closet in a heartbeat, and looking at the house as a buyer , the extra walk-in closet would be a huge selling point for me. We once remodeled a bath to do exactly that and when we sold (quickly) we got tons of positive feedback about it. I would absolutely use the space to do the best shower you can while still doing the closet. Just my two cents!

weedyacres you asked about comps. in this neighborhood the small ranch houses were put up in 62 and were 1.5 baths. mine is now 2.5 baths if i add a tub. the rest of the houses are all trilevels and 2 stories so the ranchs are the entry levels to get in the neighborhood. i bought the house the day the sign went up to get 2 blocks from my parents who are getting up there and refuse to move from their enormous 5 bedroom. this is not my dream house but it is a blessing to be so close. houses in the neighborhood usually sell within 2 weeks.
arialitas mom I have room for a 40 by 40 corner shower but without moving the doorway into the bedroom the tub/shower will not fit in the old closet which is only 29 deep. if i did a tub/shower would i think i would need at least 36" to accomodate a 32"tub.
now my query becomes move the doorway for a tub/shower or do a 40/40 neo angle in the corner?

I'd go for the neoangle. I have a new 3/4 bath and added this corner shower, which is small but amazingly user-friendly and comfortable! It is much smaller and less fancy than th all tile shower in my downstairs master, eyt we are all fighting over this one-- great design makes it feel much bigger. (I did get into the display model at Lowes to check it out before I bought it!)

Here is a link that might be useful: my new corner shower--- love it!