Not Measuring Up?

There’s no harm in touting that a home has an especially nice backyard, sits on a large or impressive piece of land, etc.

tape_measureHowever, the term “double lot” ” at least to me ” has a specific, defined meaning.

Namely, it’s a least twice the size of a standard city lot.

In urban neighborhoods in the Twin Cities, that’s most commonly 40′ x 120.’

Ergo, a double lot is at least 80′ x 120′.

Anecdotally, I’d guess that something like 30% — 40% of the lots billed as “double lots” on MLS are in fact smaller than that.

Sometimes by, umm . . . a lot (sorry).

Extra-Deep Lots

While I’ve never seen a lot that was 40′ x 240′, I have seen plenty of lots that were especially deep (up to 180′ with a width of only 40′).

narrowThere are also plenty of oversized lots that are irregular-shaped.

What then?

I don’t know about other Realtors, but as a listing agent I would take one of two approaches:  1) bill the lot as “extra-deep,” and provide the measurements (along with a photo or two emphasizing the same); or 2) calculate the lot’s area, then divide by 43,560 (the size of an acre).

So, a lot that was (approximately) 75 ” x 160′ would be touted as “a sprawling .27 acre lot with room for a garden, kids’ play, and a dog (or two!).”

When the lot’s boundaries aren’t obvious, providing a photo, drawings, or even a copy of a survey isn’t a bad idea, either (practice tip:  get the Buyer’s initials on same).

P.S.:  lots backing up to ponds ” and Minnesota is known for having a few, not to mention a couple lakes  🙂 ” can be especially tricky.

Often such lots look like pie slices that all meet in the middle of the pond.

See also, “That “For Sale’ Lot is HOW BIG?!?”

About the author

Ross Kaplan has 19+ years experience selling real estate all over the Twin Cities. He is also a 12-time consecutive "Super Real Estate Agent," as determined by Mpls. - St. Paul Magazine and Twin Cities Business Magazine. Prior to becoming a Realtor, Ross was an attorney (corporate law), CPA, and entrepreneur. He holds an economics degree from Stanford.

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