Need your home measured or a floorplan for your property? Let us help.

Home remodels and poor estimates on public records will affect a property's value — and its attractiveness to buyers. Let Maria Hopkins Associates give you a reliable estimation of property area to determine a fair, unbiased value when buying a property, marketing a property to potential clients, or minimizing property taxes.

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What are home measurement services?

A home measurement service is just what it sounds like: Based on your needs, an appraiser will measure your home's dimensions and area, then draw a basic or highly detailed floorplan. The appraiser's report and floorplan is a form that can be used to prove the precise Gross Living Area (GLA), the total livable space, of your home. These services are useful and often necessary when challenging property taxes or selling a property.

How do floorplan services work?

During a measurement or floorplan service, an appraiser measures the home with a measuring tool — either a tape or laser measuring device. As they tour the house, they make note of the layout of the rooms and other features, like stairs, hallways, and fireplaces. They might sketch the property. Then, the appraiser writes up a report and detailed sketch showing the total area of the home and the general layout. The finished product is a document that can be used to prove certain specs of your property — like the Gross Living Area (GLA) — on tax documentation, property listings, and more.

When is a home measurement or floorplan service needed?

Property taxes

Property tax records often reflect the wrong square footage because the values can come from many sources, and sometimes go unproven — which means you may be paying for more square footage than you have! Unless a certified appraiser has recently completed an evaluation on your property (after any remodeling that may have affected square footage), you'll need an appraiser to perform a measurement service before contesting your taxes. An appraiser will determine the accurate Gross Living Area (GLA) of your property so your taxes reflect the actual square footage — and you can stop overpaying.

Selling your home

A home measurement service will secure fair market value for your property. Square footage is one of the biggest factors potential buyers look for when purchasing a home — but since square footage values are often approximated rather than properly measured, your property listing might reflect less Gross Living Area (GLA) than it actually has. An inaccurate GLA not only reduces the selling price of your home, but possibly even the amount of interested buyers. The only sure method of using an accurate GLA when listing your property is to refer to a previous appraisal or measurement service performed by a certified appraiser (after any renovation that might have affected square footage).

For real estate professionals

To make certain that your client's home closes at a price that accurately reflects market value, we advise requesting a measurement of the property. Your clients, and potential buyers, will appreciate your eye for detail, and you can be assured that the GLA on your client's listing is a true representation of their home. A floor plan can also be a wonderful marketing tactic to entice potential buyers because they can review the layout and details of the property before and after a showing. It can be devastating to discover at the appraisal stage that the gross living area that you've listed has been misrepresented to be either larger or smaller than it actually is. At the very least the deal could fall apart or worse, the misrepresentation may lead to a lawsuit. Contact Maria Hopkins Associates to learn more about our measurement services.