# My bedroom is 11 ft by 12 ft, but the listing says 11ft by 13ft. **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [April 15, 2019, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-bedroom-is-11-ft-by-12-ft-but-the-listing-says-11ft-by-13ft/832560 "2019-04-15T01:27:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![scarface54345](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/90ced4/32.png) [@scarface54345](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scarface54345)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2019, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-bedroom-is-11-ft-by-12-ft-but-the-listing-says-11ft-by-13ft/832560/1 "2019-04-15T01:27:10Z")
I moved into an apartment recently. I decided to actually measure it, and it turns out that the length of it is actually a foot shorter than what the listing said. ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2019, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-bedroom-is-11-ft-by-12-ft-but-the-listing-says-11ft-by-13ft/832560/2 "2019-04-15T01:43:16Z")
Are they including closet space in the bedroom? Its a difference of 11 square feet, I’m not sure how much of a different it would make honestly. ---
**Author:** ![excavating\_for\_a\_mind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e8c25b/32.png) [@excavating\_for\_a\_mind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/excavating_for_a_mind)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2019, 6:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-bedroom-is-11-ft-by-12-ft-but-the-listing-says-11ft-by-13ft/832560/3 "2019-04-15T06:40:53Z")
> [@Wesley\_Clark](#): > > Are they including closet space in the bedroom? > > Its a difference of 11 square feet, I’m not sure how much of a different it would make honestly. Honestly, I suspect it would make a difference of about 11 square feet.🙂 They probably just rented the OP the wrong apartment. That is, I would guess that some of the apartments they have do have a bedroom that measures 11 by 13, but due to building design, some are smaller. As far as how much difference it makes, nearly all real estate is priced by the square foot. That’s how real estate appraisers operate. Find out the number of square feet a property has and multiply that by the $/sq ft for that market and you have the value of that property. So, if it’s a small apartment, the rent might be inflated by 3% or so. Another issue might be if the renter had a bedroom suite that was meant for a larger room and could be cramped in the smaller one. Things like this annoy me. The management has an error in the description of the property that results in their overcharging. They aren’t likely to do anything about it, though, since correcting it would cost them rental income. There is no penalty for overcharging, and the cost to sue them to force them to be honest in their description isn’t worth the benefit, so management is just going to take the money and put it in the bank. ---
**Author:** ![kambuckta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/53a042/32.png) [@kambuckta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kambuckta)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2019, 7:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-bedroom-is-11-ft-by-12-ft-but-the-listing-says-11ft-by-13ft/832560/4 "2019-04-15T07:28:26Z")
Just for comparison purposes, properties in Australia are never listed by house size, but by bedrooms and bathrooms and land size. So you will pay less for a 3br house with one bathroom than you will pay for a 4br house with 2 bathrooms…even if the 3br house is LARGER than the 4br house. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2019, 11:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-bedroom-is-11-ft-by-12-ft-but-the-listing-says-11ft-by-13ft/832560/5 "2019-04-15T11:05:51Z")
How many times has the room been painted? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Crotalus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crotalus/32/41_2.png) [@Crotalus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crotalus)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2019, 11:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-bedroom-is-11-ft-by-12-ft-but-the-listing-says-11ft-by-13ft/832560/6 "2019-04-15T11:57:39Z")
I think there must be a secret eleven square foot compartment filled with treasure and corpses. Look for a hidden door. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2019, 1:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-bedroom-is-11-ft-by-12-ft-but-the-listing-says-11ft-by-13ft/832560/7 "2019-04-15T13:08:37Z")
> [@Crotalus](#): > > I think there must be a secret eleven square foot compartment filled with treasure and corpses. Look for a hidden door. Or wait for the ghost to show it to you. ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2019, 1:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-bedroom-is-11-ft-by-12-ft-but-the-listing-says-11ft-by-13ft/832560/8 "2019-04-15T13:23:13Z")
Go out into the hallway and mark off an 11sq ft area with masking tape. Is it exactly 12’? My guess is that it was 12’ and change and they rounded to their benefit. ---
**Author:** ![Mikkel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mikkel/32/13151_2.png) [@Mikkel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mikkel)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2019, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-bedroom-is-11-ft-by-12-ft-but-the-listing-says-11ft-by-13ft/832560/9 "2019-04-15T14:42:14Z")
Could the owner have measured to the outside of the wall? I have rented where they did that. I don’t know if that is allowed where you are. It seems strange that you are only paying for two of four walls, though. ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2019, 10:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-bedroom-is-11-ft-by-12-ft-but-the-listing-says-11ft-by-13ft/832560/10 "2019-04-17T10:46:24Z")
Have you calibrated your tape measure recently? mmm ---
**Author:** ![Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de053/32.png) [@Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackknifed_Juggernaut)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2019, 10:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-bedroom-is-11-ft-by-12-ft-but-the-listing-says-11ft-by-13ft/832560/11 "2019-04-17T10:57:00Z")
Could the difference be a load factor being applied? [What Is the Difference Between Usable and Rentable Square Feet?](https://42floors.com/edu/beyond-the-basics/usable-vs-rentable-square-feet) ETA: we deal with this in commercial real estate, but I have no idea if it’s something considered in apartment leases ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2019, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-bedroom-is-11-ft-by-12-ft-but-the-listing-says-11ft-by-13ft/832560/12 "2019-04-17T21:21:56Z")
> [@Crotalus](#): > > I think there must be a secret eleven square foot compartment filled with treasure and corpses. Look for a hidden door. Good, I’m not the only one who’s seen _Inside Man_. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2019, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-bedroom-is-11-ft-by-12-ft-but-the-listing-says-11ft-by-13ft/832560/13 "2019-04-17T21:38:05Z")
> [@scarface54345](#): > > I moved into an apartment recently. I decided to actually measure it Shouldn’t you have done that before you moved in? One trick is to count a bay window. ---
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2019, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-bedroom-is-11-ft-by-12-ft-but-the-listing-says-11ft-by-13ft/832560/14 "2019-04-17T22:40:04Z")
It does not seem the OP is going to be coming back, so what does the one foot short matter? ---
**Author:** ![wguy123](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wguy123/32/3161_2.png) [@wguy123](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wguy123)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2019, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-bedroom-is-11-ft-by-12-ft-but-the-listing-says-11ft-by-13ft/832560/15 "2019-04-18T14:31:22Z")
> [@Baker](#): > > It does not seem the OP is going to be coming back, so what does the one foot short matter? Maybe his rent is by the square foot? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Saintly\_Loser](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saintly_loser/32/4045_2.png) [@Saintly\_Loser](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saintly_Loser)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2019, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-bedroom-is-11-ft-by-12-ft-but-the-listing-says-11ft-by-13ft/832560/16 "2019-04-18T21:37:19Z")
> [@scarface54345](#): > > I moved into an apartment recently. I decided to actually measure it, and it turns out that the length of it is actually a foot shorter than what the listing said. Shocker. Landlords and real estate brokers lie. ---
**Author:** ![doreen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/858c86/32.png) [@doreen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doreen)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2019, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-bedroom-is-11-ft-by-12-ft-but-the-listing-says-11ft-by-13ft/832560/17 "2019-04-18T22:40:01Z")
> [@kambuckta](#): > > Just for comparison purposes, properties in Australia are never listed by house size, but by bedrooms and bathrooms and land size. > > So you will pay less for a 3br house with one bathroom than you will pay for a 4br house with 2 bathrooms…even if the 3br house is LARGER than the 4br house. Okay, maybe I’m missing something. Listings I’ve seen in the US generally include the number of baths, BRs, the square footage of the house and the square footage of the lot. The price for each house is determined by the person selling or renting it and the number of bedrooms ,bathrooms and square footage are not the only factors involved in the price. Are you talking only about houses that are being custom built or something? - I found a listing in my neighborhood - 4BR,2 bathrooms, 1366 square feet, lot 1999 square feet. The listing price is $620K. Four blocks away there is a 3BR, 2 bathroom 1352 square foot house on a 1999 sq foot lot \*. Listing price for this slightly smaller house with 1 less bedroom - $625K. My guess is that both lots are actually 2000 square feet, because lots here are generally 20x100 or 30 x100 … ---
**Author:** ![MeanJoe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/meanjoe/32/5693_2.png) [@MeanJoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MeanJoe)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2019, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-bedroom-is-11-ft-by-12-ft-but-the-listing-says-11ft-by-13ft/832560/18 "2019-04-19T17:51:11Z")
> [@doreen](#): > > Okay, maybe I’m missing something. Listings I’ve seen in the US generally include the number of baths, BRs, the square footage of the house and the square footage of the lot. The price for each house is determined by the person selling or renting it and the number of bedrooms ,bathrooms and square footage are not the only factors involved in the price. > > Are you talking only about houses that are being custom built or something? > > - I found a listing in my neighborhood - 4BR,2 bathrooms, 1366 square feet, lot 1999 square feet. The listing price is $620K. Four blocks away there is a 3BR, 2 bathroom 1352 square foot house on a 1999 sq foot lot \*. Listing price for this slightly smaller house with 1 less bedroom - $625K. My guess is that both lots are actually 2000 square feet, because lots here are generally 20x100 or 30 x100 … A “selling” price is defined by the seller but that does not mean it is an accurate price in terms of fair market value. A realtor is going to look at square footage, comparable recent sales (similar square footage, # of bedrooms, nearby location, etc.) and they may recommend a different price to list it for sale. Conflict, if you watch some of the many real-estate shows, comes from sellers usually have an unrealistically high opinion of the selling price vs. what the market actually dictates through recent sales of comparable properties. I think a very common metric is to look at the comparable sales in the area and based upon square footage come to a per square foot price. Then apply that to the new home for sale and -maybe- have an adjustment up or down based upon condition, number of bedrooms, and what the seller or realtor thinks people will pay. . My wife and I like to play a fun fantasy game where we watch what houses within a few blocks of ours that are comparable sell for then do the math at what the sold for per square foot. We then take that figure and multiple times our square footage and realize (based upon that metric) our home is worth nearly $1M dollars. HOWEVER… no home near us has sold for $1M dollars and it is unlikely there would be a buyer for this location willing to spend $1M. Lastly, it is highly unlikely if the buyer has to finance that a bank will appraise the home at $1M. But “in theory” we own a $1M dollar home! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![doreen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/858c86/32.png) [@doreen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doreen)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2019, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-bedroom-is-11-ft-by-12-ft-but-the-listing-says-11ft-by-13ft/832560/19 "2019-04-19T19:35:55Z")
> [@MeanJoe](#): > > A “selling” price is defined by the seller but that does not mean it is an accurate price in terms of fair market value. I understand that, and don’t disagree with anything you said - but what I don’t understand is how it’s possible to determine that > [@](#): > > So you will pay less for a 3br house with one bathroom than you will pay for a 4br house with 2 bathrooms…even if the 3br house is LARGER than the 4br house. as if the price of a house depends **only** on the number of bedrooms and bathrooms and the square footage, location ,“bonus rooms”, storage space ,whether or not there is off street parking and what kind, whether it’s a ranch or a townhouse and so on don’t matter one bit. You’d have to find two houses right next to each other that were the same in every way except that one was both less expensive _and_ a little larger with had fewer bedrooms and bathrooms. I don’t think you’re going to find enough of those situations to come up with a general rule. Unless I’m missing something- which is always possible. ---
**Author:** ![Aspidistra](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspidistra/32/3894_2.png) [@Aspidistra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspidistra)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2019, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-bedroom-is-11-ft-by-12-ft-but-the-listing-says-11ft-by-13ft/832560/20 "2019-04-19T22:22:31Z")
I think what you’re missing is just that the housing market is way more fragmented and non-professionalised in Aus than in the US, and nearly all rentals are a side-gig by some ordinary bread-and-butter couple who have some completely different occupation as their ‘real’ job. So when you’re Bob and Sue trying to decide how much you’re going to lever out of your next lot of tenants, the very first thing you do is pull up [realestate.com](http://realestate.com) and say “hey, what are all the other 3br townhouses going for in my suburb?” Then after that, bathrooms, car spaces, main road yes-or-no … and so on and so forth. “Number of bedrooms” is a metric that both landlords and renters have access to - floorspace just isn’t talked about. You really have to go digging for comparable information. Whereas I imagine if you’ve got a management company that owns ALL the flats or units in a block, it’s a pretty good distinguisher between your different properties, and they’ve probably got a number on a spreadsheet somewhere, all nice and tidy [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-bedroom-is-11-ft-by-12-ft-but-the-listing-says-11ft-by-13ft/832560.md?page=2)