Central TX - Does a room require a closet to be considered a bedroom?

8 years ago

I know the answer is probably regional.

So we will be selling our house in the spring. Possibly might try FSBO - not sure yet. We have a three bedroom home with a bonus room upstairs. Would love to say the house is a four bedroom with the bonus room. It is totally finished out like the rest of the house and has two egress windows but no closet.

I've always been under the impression that a room has to have a closet to be considered a bedroom but recently a friend told me that was a myth and I saw a couple of listings that indicated the amount of bedrooms included a no closet bonus room. So what gives? Do I need to consult an appraiser? If we need a closet to bump up the bedrooms, DH can whip one out - he's a handy guy. However, I don't want to mess with it unnecessarily.

BTW, we have a septic and, as I recall, it was based on a four bedroom house.

Featured Answer

Linda Doherty

8 years ago

I'm in TX and a bdm must have a window and a closet to be a bdm. I'd probably advertise it as a 4 bdm, and put in the ad that there is a 500 sf bonus room upstairs that could have a closet added to make the 4th bdm. I would also put in the ad that you will give a 1000. credit at closing to use to add closet or decorating allowance/whatever allowance.

It's handy to do that way because then if they come up with anything on inspections, or object to an older water heater, or something, you can tell them that they have the "whatever allowance" that they can use for that if they like. Or you can tell them you will add it before closing. Most people take the credit, and use it for something else.

The only caveat, is that if you don't think it will appraise, then you might want to go ahead and do the closet now, to give you a better appraisal.

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Comments (25)

sylviatexas1
8 years ago
As far as I know, a room has to have a closet for an appraiser to call it a bedroom.
gardenerlorisc_ia
8 years ago
last modified: 8 years ago
< We have a three bedroom home with a bonus room upstairs.>

Do you have a basement with an extra room as well? I have always associated egress rooms with a room in the basement that has a window big enough to climb out in case of a fire and that big window has a space outside that is dug into the ground.

I have also heard that the room has to have a closet to be considered to be a bedroom.
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sylviatexas1
8 years ago
gardener, I don't know if OP has a basement, but as a Realtor & a native Texan, I can tell you that we *dream* of homes with basements!

I still love That 70's Show's basement!

I don't know if it's our concrete-like soil or the expense of excavation vs building upward or the availability of bigger lots so more room to spread the house out on one story, but we just don't have basements.

There's an "earth-sheltered" bank building near me, like an above-ground basement with lots of light pouring in, & I love it!

It's beautiful, modern, lots of brick & glass.
lascatx
8 years ago
In a home of recent construction, I would expect a bedroom to have a closet. In a home that's 100 years old, you might not get closets in any of the bedrooms. i think some degree of consistency might be the key....
MagdalenaLee
Original Author
8 years ago
Expectations are important, but that aside, I'm interested in what an appraisal might bear. The bonus room is about 500 sf. If we decide to go that route, what size of a closet would be reasonable? Obviously, the smallest we can get away with. I'm thinking a reach in say, 3x6?

No basements here. I was once told that it's because our soil is clay and rock which makes the ground too unstable to support a basement. It can be done, but the engineering cost would be prohibitive. Or it's just always been done that way and there aren't any basement professionals around.
l west
8 years ago
I'm in central Texas. The room must have a closet to be considered a bedroom. The appraiser won't make any judgements on the size of the closet, but potential buyers will. I've seen several sellers build tiny, odd closets in a bonus room or study and every potential buyer commented on the awkward "closet".
lascatx
8 years ago
Said differently, if you aren't in a 10 year old home or all the other rooms you call bedrooms have closets, I don't think the bonus room will be considered a bedroom without one. By an appraiser or a buyer. If the room is large enough, you could, subject to any restrictions, permits, etc) rather inexpensively take a couple of feet from one wall and make a long closet or closet with built-ins (bookcases, window seat, desk -- whatever fits the space).

Are you using the room as a bedroom? Do you have an armoire? You can stage it that way and market it as a bonus room/possible 4th BR. I see that done a lot -- and if it may be used as a guest room, having a dresser and a hook or rack for hanging clothes may work -- so buyers may be okay with that. I think you will do better to count it as a possible bedroom and stage it to show flexibility than to call it a 4th BR and disappoint buyers when there isn't a closet.
bry911
8 years ago
Few closets here. We have built in wardrobes in most bedroom, and they are bedrooms. Appraisers had no problem counting any of the rooms as bedrooms. They look like Ikea wardrobes simply screwed into the wall.
User
8 years ago
Does not an Ikea Wardroom attached to the wall a closet make?
stolenidentity
8 years ago
No closet is necessary to be called a bedroom. A window is required, though :)
ncrealestateguy
8 years ago
Not considered a BR here either... needs to have a certain size egress window, needs to be finished with like - materials consistent with rest of home, needs to have heating, needs a closet and needs to be accessible w/o having to go through any other living areas. (you can not access it from going through another bedroom, for example)

Also, and more importantly, do not advertise it as a 4 bedroom home if it is a bonus room. Buyers and agents hate being deceived.

Also, if any of that 500 sq. ft. is under a ceiling of less than 5 feet tall, you can not count it as finished space. Most bonus rooms have Jack walls that are not standard height.

And your idea about putting in the smallest possible closet will hurt you. Turn the opportunity into a positive selling point while you have the chance and make it as nice and large as possible.
rwiegand
8 years ago
Lots of houses with no closets at all in our part of the country, so certainly no requirement for a bedroom to have one. Plenty of second story bedrooms with one or more walls less than 5 ft tall as well-- they are generally much more charming and interesting spaces than plain box shaped rooms as well.
lascatx
8 years ago
I like Linda's outlook, but if you do feel you should add the closet and avoid any issues, think about it in terms of cost effectiveness and the resulting room rather than just closet size. It is possible that a larger closet will be no more or even less expensive than a smaller one, and it will likely be more useful. Also, unless you have some odd spaces to close up in making the closet, trying to carve out a smaller close is likely to leave you with some odd space. Plan it as a whole.
MagdalenaLee
Original Author
8 years ago
So I did some measuring and I think we could have a nice, logical closet that's 3x6 or 3x8. I'll leave which size up to DH. It can go on the same wall as the entrance to the room and would leave a nice nook for a desk or dresser.

I've been browsing my local realtor.com and it seems homes are all over the place. Some list bedrooms + bonus room. Some list bonus room included in bedrooms. Some list total bedrooms that include bonus rooms and offices. Some list one story with bonus room. Some one and half stories with bonus room and even still, two stories with bonus room. I'm confused.
zorroslw1
8 years ago
We sold our house 2 months ago. Built in 1902 and 1 bedroom did not have a closet, so it was OK to list it as a 4 bedroom since in 1902 many people used wardrobes or just hooks for their clothes. So I think a lot depends on the age of the house. I don't think you can pass a bonus room as a bedroom without a closet since bonus rooms are in fairly newer homes.
lyfia
8 years ago
In Austin the requirement for what counts as a bedroom is a closet. Windows are not required for it to count. I think just a regular reach in closed would be good. 2ft x 6 ft should be sufficient.
rmsaustin
8 years ago
I'm in Austin and I know that if it (room) has a closet, it is considered a bedroom -- we could not put in a closet in an exercise room because it would then be considered a bedroom and we would then have to have additional parking requirements for a 6th bedroom. I also think that if it is a bedroom, you must have a window large enough for egress (not sure what that measurement is).
Linda
8 years ago
I dont know about the rest of the county, but in my area, you can't just simply make a bedroom out of any room if the septic system doesnt support the extra bedroom. A three bedroom home would have a 1000 gallon septic tank, a four bedroom home would need a 1250 gallon septic tank. Additional lines may also be needed on the fields.
User
8 years ago
Three bedrooms here and ZERO closets. We use wardrobes and dressers.

In this town, if a room has an appropriate window exit, a door between it and the main living area, and is NOT used as a passage to any other room (except a bathroom) it can be called a bedroom.
ncrealestateguy
8 years ago
OP, good advice above... please call the local county to get a copy of your septic permit to see if it is for a 3 or 4 br home. Your buyer will.
MagdalenaLee
Original Author
8 years ago
We built the house and have the septic paperwork readily available. It was sized for a four bedroom.
bry911
8 years ago
The questions become is there convenient access to a full bath, or at least a half bath? Is the room properly proportioned for a bedroom? Is the window surface at least 5.7 square feet, not lower than 22" nor higher than 44" from the floor, and can it be opened without any mechanical device?

Neither buyers nor appraisers will be thrilled about slapping a closet in a room that is obviously not a bonus room. However, if it really could be a bedroom I would probably just throw a wardrobe in it. Like this one from Ikea. Then advertise it as a 4 bedroom, the fourth bedroom shoehorned into a bonus room isn't going to change the appraisal vastly, so you are really just asking what you can advertise it as. There is certainly enough precedent for you to support calling it a bedroom with a wardrobe in it. Also, if you use the wardrobe then people can decide whether to keep it a bedroom or use it as a bonus room on their own.

If, however, you can't live without knowing for sure if they will count it as a bedroom...just call a few appraisers in your area and ask. You have gotten some really good information here, but none of it compares to the people who are actually going to be making the decision.
User
8 years ago
"In this town, if a room has an appropriate window exit, a door between
it and the main living area, and is NOT used as a passage to any other
room (except a bathroom) it can be called a bedroom."

In the early 80's I was staioned in Charleston, SC. A very common floor plan was essentially a 2 story, 4 BR, Colonial with a Room-Over-Garage (ROG.) Access to the ROG typically was thru one of the bedrooms - that bedroom indeed was counted as a bedroom. I do not know if that was by rule, by law, or by practice.
MagdalenaLee
Original Author
8 years ago
Bry, the answer to all of your questions is yes.

It really could be a very nice, big bedroom. We can position the closet so that it will be organic. My concern is not about appraisal, but searching and marketing. DH says he could probably take care of it in a weekend for about $150 since he has most of the lumber needed (will be a great way to get rid of it too!) and I have plenty of paint leftover from a pantry remodel. I think it's well worth the investment.

Central TX - Does a room require a closet to be considered a bedroom?

Linda Doherty

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