As you
prepare for a home sale, one of the things you will need to know is official
square footage. You might be thinking – “Can I just measure the rooms myself to
determine square footage?” The answer is no; when agents list your home in MLS,
we need to provide square footage information from a verified source. Here are
common sources where you can find your square footage:
- Tax records: Your county central appraisal district keeps a record of square footage for your home. They use this square footage to calculate your tax appraised value every year for your property tax bill! You can find these public records on the central appraisal district website. Here links to the major ones in our area: Dallas CAD, Collin CAD, Denton CAD, Tarrant CAD
- Property Appraisals: If you had a mortgage when first purchasing your home, your lender likely required an appraisal to approve the home for financing. Appraisers provide a professional opinion of value by comparing the property to recent sales of similar properties. At the time of appraisal, square footage is measured by appraiser and presented in the report.
- Refinance Packet: Have you refinanced your home recently? As part of the refinance, your lender will require a new refi appraisal be done to determine current home value. Take a look in your refi packet for a copy the appraisal.
If you feel your home is larger than what the tax assessor says or if you know you made additions to the home that may have altered square footage, we recommend sellers to purchase a new appraisal to measure and confirm size as additional square footage can be beneficial in the pricing and marketing of your home.
If you’re having trouble, ask your REALTOR for help! Give us a call at (214) 449-1022 today.
