Does the size includes basement?
For example this:
http://www.mls.ca/PropertyDetails.as...ertyID=4144345

The same area same price usually around 1200sqf, but this one is 1800...thanks.

i'm sure it will include basement.

my experience of this sort of thing is the realators will include every single bit they can, even the garden shed in the Gross Area to make it look that much bigger... Now there's something the UK agents are far better at, that sort of behavoir here would end up with the agent getting a criminal record..!

I don't think it does include the basement. When we bought our house in Quebec last year, we asked the realtor this question and he said that basements were not included. Things may be different in other provinces.

Hi,

I'm 99% sure this wont include the basement. The realtors can only advertise the developed space and this advert makes no mention of the basement having been developed.

SAW 04

The basement in this place was fully finished and being used as a family room. It still wasn't included.

BTW, I don't think the house in that ad actually has a basement. It's more likely that there is a room behind the garage, above grade, that is being called a basement. It's listed as being 2-storey. I count three levels.

I am certain the size does not include basement. Lived in Vancouver.

I reckon it has a basement, otherwise they won't have included it in the listing. Don't expect it to be a huge basement though, am saying this cos when we were looking around to buy a house, we saw similar townhomes.

Just wondering though, could you not get a detached house for the same price with more space? I mean it looks like you are going to be so close to the house next door, and they might be able to hear all that goes on in your house

I suspect that "basement" may be a functional description. Our house in Oakville was a townhouse, broadly similar to the one in the picture. Our MLS listing used the word basement to describe the area behind the garage.

The square footage of a house listed on the MLS definitely should never include the basement, even if the basement is a walk-out on one of its elevations. It should represent the total living area excluding the basement. Garages, sheds, etc are never included. It's a good idea to clarify with the listing agent how he arrived at the total square footage figure (through the Realtor representing your interests). This is a prime area for buyers suing not only their own Realtor but also the listing agent through their professional body (RECO in Ontario). And it's a favourite subject for RECO to find the realtors concerned guilty of incompetence and of breaking several of the profession's codes of ethics. The fines are heavy and sometimes their licenses are withdrawn temporarily. Hence not many realtors actually give a square footage figure - too risky!

No way! Please read my post below.

Okay, above, then.

You know you can reverse the order of posts if you want, don't you?

Realtors do tell porkies though. My house in Oakville was listed as being on a ravine lot. The ravine was near to but not adjacent to my property. And it was more of a ditch.

...from a realtors perspective, sq footage is usually the amount of living space "above grade" that is above ground level.

ie 1800 sq foot home would be the sq footage above grade

If there was a basement finished and say it was 600 sq feet they could use the description "total living area" 2400 sq ft ....which is the whole liveable parts of the house

Bit confusing but hope that helps

No, I didn't. The word 'Ravine' seems to cover anything from a slight dent in the ground to the real thing. I know what you mean by Realtors telling porkies in describing a property. In the case of 'ravine' they would probably get away with it as it obvious to a buyer. However if the presence of a 'ravine' put, say, $10,000 value onto the property, you might actually have a case. Where abouts in Oakville was your townhouse?

In Oakville, the word "park" is used to describe any patch of grass larger that 10 square feet.

We were in College Park. Not the prettiest part of town, I have to admit. Our house was spectacularly ugly from the outside. Sold incredibly quickly, though.