Does a screened porch count as square footage?
Published August 27, 2026
No. A screened porch is not enclosed, finished, year-round living space, so it is not gross living area under ANSI Z765. The same is true of decks, balconies, covered patios, and open porches. They are measured and listed separately on the appraisal and given their own value, which is real but much smaller per square foot than living area.
Is a screened porch considered living space?
Not by any appraisal standard. Screens are not walls, and a porch is not conditioned. Enclosing it with glass and heat can make it a sunroom, which is a different question: does a sunroom count?.
Balconies
A balcony on a house or condo is never GLA. Some condo listings quote "total area" including balconies; the appraisal will not. Condos are a gap in the standard itself, which Fannie Mae fills with its own guidance.
Does a porch add square footage on the listing?
Listing agents sometimes count enclosed porches. Buyers should treat any such number as marketing until the appraiser measures it.