Having a realtor that will create a marketing strategy for your home is a great resource. However, you may want to use your personal social media account to share the house as much as possible. In this case, you'll need to know the requirements to ensure your online description is accurate. 

For example, you'll likely want to share how many bedrooms and bathrooms your home has, which can influence the house's perceived value. Buyers will pay more money for homes with more beds/baths. Find out if you can say your home has more or fewer bedrooms, bathrooms, and what you should call it if it doesn't meet those requirements. 

Bedroom Requirements

Some states vary in their requirements, so be sure to double-check with your realtor. The one thing that is consistent among all states is that you can't just turn any extra space into a bedroom. 

Most states have minimum size requirements for the length and width of the room. Also, there is likely a minimum height requirement. Most states require a space to be at least 70 square feet and 7-feet high to consider it a bedroom. Also, the bedroom must have two modes of entry/exit for safety reasons. That's why your attic space with only one door and no window does not qualify. 

Sometimes, homeowners will turn an attic area into a bedroom for younger children because the ceiling is too low for an adult. Even though it worked as a bedroom for your case, it wouldn't qualify as a bedroom to the buyer. Bedrooms also need to have a heating and cooling element, and a space heater doesn't count. There has to be some way to warm up the room and cool it down. In some cases, the window can, or a fan can qualify as a cooling element. 

A common misconception is that a bedroom must have a closet. Most states do not require closet space, either with or without a door. Although it may be a requirement for most buyers, a bedroom doesn't legally need a closet to qualify. 

Bathroom Requirements

Bathrooms also have a few requirements, which are slightly more straight-forward than bedrooms. For instance, you may have heard of a half-bath or full-bath. The terminology comes from the method real estate professionals use to distinguish between the functionality of the bathroom. 

Bathrooms are categorized into four quarters: sink, toilet, shower, and bathtub. The two most commonly used categories are half- and full-bathrooms. The most reasonable explanation is that most bathrooms that have a shower also include a tub. For half baths, there's always a sink with the toilet. You may also see a 3/4 bath with a toilet, sink, and shower, but no tub. It would be incorrect to list this as a full bath because the shower doesn't include a tub. Rooms with only a sink are usually considered utility rooms or have other appliances like the kitchen. 

Alternative Options

If you have a room that you'd like to advertise but can't call it a bedroom or bathroom, you've come to the right place. Extra storage space is highly sought after, so you can call it a storage closet or simply an additional room. If it has certain elements or good natural light, you can call it a home office. Home offices are extremely popular during the pandemic as buyers are looking for ways to separate their home and work-life. 

Another option is to call it a bonus room. Homebuyers love extra space that they can make their own. A room without a label may not be all that bad, considering homebuyers might have another use for that room. Extra rooms that can serve multiple purposes are great for buyers who need an art-studio, gaming room, extra storage, or a nursery. The options are endless for an extra room, so don't be too discouraged if you have a room that doesn't meet the requirements. 

Two vs. Three-Car Garage

Another popular discussion is the requirements for labeling how many cars can fit into a garage. Some will argue that a garage must have a door for each car that can fit into the garage. In other words, the garage must have three doors to be considered a two-car garage. This is not the case, as some garages may have a large door that can fit two cars. 

It comes down to square footage. Three cars must be able to fit comfortably to call it a three-car garage. Typically, the width you need is about 10 feet per car at a minimum. A good rule of thumb for width is to add a few feet onto the dimensions to ensure the driver can swing open their doors without damaging the paint. So, a 12 foot by 12-foot area is plenty of space for one car. Therefore, 24 foot by 24 foot would be a two-car garage, and so on. 

One final aspect to consider is storage space. Some people like to store their bikes, tools, recreational equipment, etc., in their garage. So if you have a 24x24 garage with two cars, you may need additional space to store your belongings. In all, a bigger garage is always better. If you only have two vehicles, but it's a three-car garage, you'll still use that extra space.