Umm, where people sleep? But if you ask my 10-year-old son that is our bathtub. In his school clothes. With his backpack on. He wants to wake up ready to go. Gotta love the enthusiasm! As you may have guessed, this is not a criteria. Or simply having a bed. In a room.
So, what is a bedroom? It’s important because bedrooms are one of the most important criteria for investors when purchasing a rental property. Trying to pass off a bedroom that is not a bedroom can lead to loss of interest from potential tenants, a fine from the Real Estate Commission, and ultimately, a lower return on your investment. Instead of trying to get creative when it comes to defining a bedroom, here are the established criteria.
NOTE: Requirements can vary from state to state. These are requirements for the great state of Pennsylvania.
EXITS: A bedroom needs at least two methods of exit (‘egress’ in fancy real estate terms). This typically means a door and a window. A second door is also acceptable. But one door must go directly outside. If there are not two exits it’s technically not a bedroom. The reason for this is if there is a fire the person needs to get the flip out of there. And it’s nice to have options.
SIZE: The room needs to be at least 80 square feet, with a minimum of seven feet in any horizontal direction, and a 7-foot ceiling. This rule is pretty easy to meet. Unless your name is Vernon Dursley.
HEATING AND COOLING: A permanent heat source is required. This means a space heater does not count. A window or external door qualifies for the cooling requirement.
WINDOW: If there is not a door, the room has to have an egress window leading to the exterior of the home. This window has to be a minimum of 20 x 24 inches or a total opening of 5.7 square feet. As mentioned above, this also takes care of the cooling requirement.
ELECTRICITY: A bedroom needs to have a source of electricity.
A bedroom does not have to have a closet to be considered a bedroom. This is a common misconception. I mean, 99.99% of people prefer closets (man-cub excluded). So this certainly is something you want to look for when you’re purchasing an investment property. But technically, it’s not a requirement to be considered a bedroom.
If you have any questions regarding this please feel free to reach out to us! We’re the experts!