Technical vs. Functional Definition
Test your knowledge of residential real estate by answering this question:
Who defines what constitutes a legal bedroom?
A. The county where the home is located;
B. The city where the home is located;
C. The local multiple listing service (MLS);
D. The listing agent representing the Seller.
Answer: “A.” or “B.”
If you got that wrong, you’ve got lots of company: my hunch is that most people (including Realtors) would’ve guessed “C.”
So, what does local code (and the county assessor) require?
Generally, to be a legal Bedroom, it must have the following attributes: minimum size (typically about 80 square feet); an egress window that’s big enough for a fireman get through; a heat source; minimum height (usually 7′); a closet in the room (or very nearby); and finished walls, ceiling, and floors.
Practical Test
Fortunately, there’s a simpler, more practical test: does the room feel like a Bedroom?
If “yes,” prospective Buyers are likely to give the homeowner/would-be Seller credit for a Bedroom.
If not, it can be smart to instead bill the room as an Office or Exercise Room.
P.S.: some readers will recognize this as the “duck” test: if it walks, sounds, and looks like a duck . . . it usually is.