# House listings with no square footage
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-listings-with-no-square-footage/940235
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion
**Created:** [April 18, 2021, 6:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-listings-with-no-square-footage/940235 "2021-04-18T06:10:18Z")
**Posts on this page:** 3
**Page:** 2
### Author:  [@jnglmassiv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jnglmassiv)
#### Post date: [April 19, 2021, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-listings-with-no-square-footage/940235/21 "2021-04-19T20:19:33Z")
> [@sitchensis](#):
>
> An after-the-fact finished basement would never be discovered by the tax man.
Or various municipal inspectors.
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### Author:  [@PoppaSan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PoppaSan)
#### Post date: [April 20, 2021, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-listings-with-no-square-footage/940235/22 "2021-04-20T17:42:17Z")
Some time back in my house hunting days, I was told that if there is no emergency egress, window escapes, or other avenues then the below grade basement could not be considered a living space. I never learned what my in-laws house built on a slope with the walk out basement was calculated at.
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### Author:  [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)
#### Post date: [April 20, 2021, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-listings-with-no-square-footage/940235/23 "2021-04-20T18:18:13Z")
Everything varies by state, but a lot of walk-out basements will calculate that space as living space and the other side without the easy egress as not living space.
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