Bedrooms - Why three fields?
Because the definition of "bedroom" is inconsistent.
Some buyers look for "bedrooms" that they are planning to use for other purposes, like home offices or craft rooms. Other buyers need "conforming bedrooms" to meet their family's specific needs. The county appraisers may define "bedroom" differently than septic inspectors in the same county. These three fields give buyers, agents, and appraisers the information they need while allowing listing agents flexibility to do what is needed for the situation.
Bedrooms: The MLS leaves the number entered in this field up to the listing broker. This field is the field that displays online. The other bedroom fields are allowed to be displayed online, but this is the field that websites actually use.
Conforming Bedrooms: The SMLS conforming bedroom standards align with appraisal standards.
- Must have at least 70 square feet of floor area.
- Must be at least 7 feet wide in any horizontal dimension.
- Must have 7-foot-tall ceilings over at least 50% of the floor area. If part of the room has a ceiling
height of less than 5 feet, that part of the room cannot be included in the floor area & ceiling height area calculations. - Must have an interior door and an exterior emergency escape and rescue opening of no less than 5
square feet for ground level and 5.7 square feet for other levels. The opening must be at least 20 inches in width and 24 inches in height. - Must be heated.
NOTE: Appraisers don't require a closet to be present for the room to be a "bedroom" because some homes, mostly older farmhouses, do not have closets in any room; residents use armoires to store clothing. This means it's possible to list an office in a newer home as a conforming bedroom without violating MLS standards. This is not recommended because it will annoy potential buyers (and other MLS users). You can search with the "conforming bedroom" field instead of the "bedroom" field, when needed.
Non-conforming Bedrooms: This field indicates the number of "bonus" rooms in the home. These may or may not be included in the "bedrooms" field.
Q: Can I list a four-bedroom house as a three-bedroom when the septic system is only rated for three bedrooms?
A: Yes. The MLS leaves the number in the "Bedrooms" field up to the listing broker.
Q: What's the correct way to list a house with three conforming bedrooms and two bonus rooms?
A: It depends. The MLS leaves the number in the "Bedrooms" field up to the listing broker. Depending on the broker's and seller's assessment of risks and benefits, the listing will be entered either as a 5-bedroom house with 3 conforming bedrooms and 2 non-conforming bedrooms or a 3-bedroom house with 3 conforming bedrooms and 2 non-conforming bedrooms.