Getting Shorted on Square Footage

The real estate website, IntoTheBox.tv featured an unhappy 110 Livingston buyer back in November and has posted a followup today on the confusion over square footage in some apartments. There is no standard way to measure square footage as some developers measure the area of the apartment starting from the interior wall to the opposite interior wall, while others measure the exterior wall to the opposite exterior wall, which may reduce the living space. Here’s the video:

Many real estate brokerage sites have the disclaimer stating that “For exact dimensions, you must hire your own architect or engineer.” Does anyone know how common this is?

Previously: {110 Livingston Street Building News, 29Nov2007}

12 Comment

  • It should be disclosed in the offering plan how the square footage is calculated (from the interior vs. exterior walls).

    Seriously, if you’re buying new construction, READ the offering plan.

  • It should be disclosed in the offering plan how the square footage is calculated (from the interior vs. exterior walls).

    Seriously, if you’re buying new construction, READ the offering plan.

  • it is irritating, that’s for sure. I looked at an apartment that was advertised as 850 square feet. I did a quick measurement and calculated it to be 700 square feet at the most. When I complained to the broker (brooklyn properties) he said well, you’ve been there and you have seen the place, right? So you know if it is big enough for you…
    So, yes, he has a point there, but he is losing many more points with his blatant overstatement…

  • it is irritating, that’s for sure. I looked at an apartment that was advertised as 850 square feet. I did a quick measurement and calculated it to be 700 square feet at the most. When I complained to the broker (brooklyn properties) he said well, you’ve been there and you have seen the place, right? So you know if it is big enough for you…
    So, yes, he has a point there, but he is losing many more points with his blatant overstatement…

  • This is probably not the right thread for this but the one nice day we have in January the panhandlers come out in full force. Cane guy in front of bridge fresh yelling at anyone walking by “Can I get some help here”. Green hat guy walking through the nabe. There is now a new guy who walks around with a coffee cup asking for $2 dollars. Can’t these guys beg somewhere else?

  • This is probably not the right thread for this but the one nice day we have in January the panhandlers come out in full force. Cane guy in front of bridge fresh yelling at anyone walking by “Can I get some help here”. Green hat guy walking through the nabe. There is now a new guy who walks around with a coffee cup asking for $2 dollars. Can’t these guys beg somewhere else?

  • What happened to DumboWatch? Lets club together and rid our beautiful neighborhood of these vermin

  • What happened to DumboWatch? Lets club together and rid our beautiful neighborhood of these vermin

  • Why does the wommmman in this viddddeeeeooo strrretch out the pronunnnnciation of evvverrry other word she says. It’s realllllllllllly annnnnoyyyying.

  • Why does the wommmman in this viddddeeeeooo strrretch out the pronunnnnciation of evvverrry other word she says. It’s realllllllllllly annnnnoyyyying.

  • it is irritating, that's for sure. I looked at an apartment that was advertised as 850 square feet. I did a quick measurement and calculated it to be 700 square feet at the most. When I complained to the broker (brooklyn properties) he said well, you've been there and you have seen the place, right? So you know if it is big enough for you…
    So, yes, he has a point there, but he is losing many more points with his blatant overstatement…

  • it is irritating, that's for sure. I looked at an apartment that was advertised as 850 square feet. I did a quick measurement and calculated it to be 700 square feet at the most. When I complained to the broker (brooklyn properties) he said well, you've been there and you have seen the place, right? So you know if it is big enough for you…
    So, yes, he has a point there, but he is losing many more points with his blatant overstatement…