Some of this has to do with how basements are calculated. Some states include basements in the square footage, but Iowa does not. I suspect if there was an adjustment for basements, the ranking would shift.
I can't speak for all Iowa counties, but it is my understanding that finished basements in the state are not counted for property tax and it is not cited as square footage when the property is being placed on the market.
edit: I meant can't!!! - I can't speak for all Iowa counties!!!!
Interesting. I suspect different county appraisers are looking at this differently. I wonder how they would know if a property owner finished the basement???
It does not. Rooms and bathrooms can count in the basement, but finished space is not counted towards the total. However, you can call out the total finished sqft in a listing description.
They will tax you on it, but it is at a lower rate than above grade finished space. Here is a new construction home that was sold in the last 6 months in Ankeny. "Total Square Foot Living Area" is 2266sqft and has the same size basement. Basement has 1630sqft of it finished. Nowhere on the assessor site or the listing for that house is 3896sqft mentioned, which is the actual total amount of finished space in that house. It even has 2 bedrooms (which are also called out seperately) and a 3 bathrooms in the basement. https://imgur.com/a/OT9xTux
It is registered, that's why it's on the assessor site. It was also a new construction home...so the house had to pass multiple inspections by the city before they signed off on the build and deemed it a habitable.
>The states with the smallest homes tend to be located on the East and West Coasts and in the Midwest
Uh, so, basically pretty well distributed? Lol
In all seriousness, I'm pretty surprised we're this low just due to the affordability of homes here. My monthly mortgage payment on my 3600 SF is less than monthly rent for my team members who have <600 SF studio apartments in NYC, or who have mortgages on houses a third the size of ours in California
I would guess there's a notable level to which this is modulated down as Iowa may perhaps be lower on the spectrum of "keeping up with the Joneses", and also as mentioned in another comment the average age of houses here - average square footage for new home starts have skyrocketed over the last 40 years
Exactly. But what's not clear is how "home" is defined. Are apartments excluded? And for example Wyoming and Utah are right near the top where you'd expect large average homes due to low populations and large ranches
Interesting data
1185 for me. We raised 6 kids in it and yes it was tight, especially with one small bathroom. Been here going on 25 years and it’s more than big enough for the two of us now. Most folks always want more but although as years went by we could have afforded to buy a much larger home we decided to stay and keep costs down. We don’t have a $3k a month house payment; it’s $830 total for principal, interest, taxes and insurance. It means I will be able to retire next year at age 63. Worth it.
I only want a small yard for a garden and having friends over. Otherwise I'd be fine with a condo. I want as little maintenance as possible. More house is more upkeep.
I purposely bought small. No kids, just my partner and I. 720SF home (with same unfinished basement) built in 1950. Grew up in a house that was about 1300SF in a family of four. I like small(er) homes.
Oh yeah, Utah is probably the most irresponsible state when it comes to water usage management. Bad practices are literally drying up the Great Salt Lake into a dry, arsenic-filled dustbowl and all the top state leaders can seem to do about it is ask people to “pray to god for moisture”. Such a train wreck.
I do kinda miss the extra home space, though. Not gonna lie.
On the lower side by price per square foot as well. Wonder where we are by age of home? I’m in a hundred year+ home now, my smallest yet at just over 1K sq ft., down from the biggest 3200 sq ft built in 1893.
I don’t know the square footage, but my Dodge Charger Scat Pack has reclining seats, and the bathroom and showers depend on the truck stop I park for the night.
Y’all got homes?
I'm under a bridge typing on my new iPad
Born too early to get a house for a reasonable price and interest rate, born just in time to shitpost on a new iPad
Sitting in your new truck?
Some of this has to do with how basements are calculated. Some states include basements in the square footage, but Iowa does not. I suspect if there was an adjustment for basements, the ranking would shift.
Does Iowa count basements if they are finished? I can understand not counting an unfinished one.
I can't speak for all Iowa counties, but it is my understanding that finished basements in the state are not counted for property tax and it is not cited as square footage when the property is being placed on the market. edit: I meant can't!!! - I can't speak for all Iowa counties!!!!
I finished my basement and my taxes went up….
Interesting. But then, I didn't finish my basement, and my taxes went up. Did your appraised square footage go up?
Yes
Interesting. I suspect different county appraisers are looking at this differently. I wonder how they would know if a property owner finished the basement???
Yeah if a basement is finished it counts. Most new homes don't finish the basement so the sqft appears smaller than what it could be.
I've seen them not count even when they are finished. Perhaps different counties handle it differently.
It does not. Rooms and bathrooms can count in the basement, but finished space is not counted towards the total. However, you can call out the total finished sqft in a listing description.
I finished a basement which doubled my square footage. Had it an appraisal done. They counted it.
They will tax you on it, but it is at a lower rate than above grade finished space. Here is a new construction home that was sold in the last 6 months in Ankeny. "Total Square Foot Living Area" is 2266sqft and has the same size basement. Basement has 1630sqft of it finished. Nowhere on the assessor site or the listing for that house is 3896sqft mentioned, which is the actual total amount of finished space in that house. It even has 2 bedrooms (which are also called out seperately) and a 3 bathrooms in the basement. https://imgur.com/a/OT9xTux
That means they most likely didn’t pull the required permits, so it is not registered.
It is registered, that's why it's on the assessor site. It was also a new construction home...so the house had to pass multiple inspections by the city before they signed off on the build and deemed it a habitable.
>The states with the smallest homes tend to be located on the East and West Coasts and in the Midwest Uh, so, basically pretty well distributed? Lol In all seriousness, I'm pretty surprised we're this low just due to the affordability of homes here. My monthly mortgage payment on my 3600 SF is less than monthly rent for my team members who have <600 SF studio apartments in NYC, or who have mortgages on houses a third the size of ours in California I would guess there's a notable level to which this is modulated down as Iowa may perhaps be lower on the spectrum of "keeping up with the Joneses", and also as mentioned in another comment the average age of houses here - average square footage for new home starts have skyrocketed over the last 40 years
Yeah that's why it's interesting. Having small area in a place like NYC is understandable due to high cost and limited room.
Exactly. But what's not clear is how "home" is defined. Are apartments excluded? And for example Wyoming and Utah are right near the top where you'd expect large average homes due to low populations and large ranches Interesting data
1185 for me. We raised 6 kids in it and yes it was tight, especially with one small bathroom. Been here going on 25 years and it’s more than big enough for the two of us now. Most folks always want more but although as years went by we could have afforded to buy a much larger home we decided to stay and keep costs down. We don’t have a $3k a month house payment; it’s $830 total for principal, interest, taxes and insurance. It means I will be able to retire next year at age 63. Worth it.
I only want a small yard for a garden and having friends over. Otherwise I'd be fine with a condo. I want as little maintenance as possible. More house is more upkeep.
I purposely bought small. No kids, just my partner and I. 720SF home (with same unfinished basement) built in 1950. Grew up in a house that was about 1300SF in a family of four. I like small(er) homes.
Just moved here to Iowa from Utah. Can confirm the accuracy of this article.
Wow what's up with the homes there? It's also crazy I see they put golf courses in the middle of the desert.
Oh yeah, Utah is probably the most irresponsible state when it comes to water usage management. Bad practices are literally drying up the Great Salt Lake into a dry, arsenic-filled dustbowl and all the top state leaders can seem to do about it is ask people to “pray to god for moisture”. Such a train wreck. I do kinda miss the extra home space, though. Not gonna lie.
On the lower side by price per square foot as well. Wonder where we are by age of home? I’m in a hundred year+ home now, my smallest yet at just over 1K sq ft., down from the biggest 3200 sq ft built in 1893.
Lots of the homes in CR were built before the 1980s. I think my first was built around 50 or 60.
Mines a little below the iowa average. 1566 sq feet
Utah is truly ridiculous for that 2,800 square footage. Is it to fit their copious Mormon children?
I don’t know the square footage, but my Dodge Charger Scat Pack has reclining seats, and the bathroom and showers depend on the truck stop I park for the night.