True --there can be a deviation from the builders orginal plans, someone may have finnished an attic or bonus after buying the home, built an addition etc. The best way to know if -- PULL THE TAPE-- have the home measured. MLS data and even the tax records may be not current.

Hi Be,

Thank you for your question. The square-footage information we show for properties comes to us from two sources: the listing agent or broker, or via public information made available by the local county assessor's office.

If there are any specific listings that you believe are in error in regards to this information, please let us know via the 'Report error' link you'll find on the right side of every listing page. The message you include in your report will be sent directly to our Customer Service team so they can investigate further.

Please let us know if you have any other questions or feedback for us.

Best Wishes,

Emily Gibson
Community Moderator

Hello Be,

In North Carolina any home listed with a licensed real estate agent that is advertising the square footage must be accurate. We are allowed a 5% deviation and follow guidelines published by the NC Real Estate Commission. Agents will either measure the homes themselves or will have an appraiser measure it.

That said, not everyone in this world does what they are suppose to, unfortunately, and there will be occasions where square footages are reported incorrectly, but these are usually individual cases and not an entire neighborhood. Also, reporting a square footage of 3200 when a home is only 2300 is a huge oversight, considering there is a 900 square foot difference, (that almost a house!).

For your case, there could be a couple reasons why you’re seeing such huge discrepancies. First, where are you getting your square footages? If you are looking at tax records, (or any site that pulls tax information), then you may find that these are more often wrong than right. I have seen tax records showing a difference of 50 square feet up to 1,000's. This can happen due to measuring simply the outside box of the home and not accounting for two-story open spaces or unfinished spaces. Another common problem area is old homes with unfinished bonus rooms. Homeowners in our area often finish these rooms themselves or use someone that does not do the proper permitting and inspections. By avoiding permitting, the county has no idea any work was done on the home and does not update the tax record with the new finished square footage.

If you are working with agent, they can look at the homes’ history you have a question about on the MLS and tax records and see where the discrepancies lie. Hope this helped to clarify!

Best Regards,

Kelly R. Smith
Triangle Smith Team
Weichert, Realtors - Columbus Associates

The square footage is not required by the NC Real Estate Commission but is required by theTriangle MLS Service to list a house on that service. If it is measured the Real Estate Commission requires it be done properly. Agents usually measure the house themselves or hire an appraiser to do it for them. Some people, not in the real estate business measure inside deminsions and it should always be measured from outside deminsions. Also some people look at the tax records for square footage and usually (I have found in most cases) their figures are incorrect.
I hope this helps.
Ron Wilson Coldwell Banker Advantage
919-771-4747
rlw.realestate@att.net