Gross Living Area Glossary

Plain definitions of the terms that come up when a house is measured and appraised: the measurements themselves, the parts of a house that cause trouble, and the groups that write the rules.

• Gross living areaThe finished, above-grade living space of a house, measured to the outside of the exterior walls.
• American Measurement StandardA voluntary guide for measuring, calculating, and reporting square footage in homes.
• Real estate appraisalAn appraiser's opinion of what a property is worth, built on comparisons with similar sales.
• American National Standards InstituteThe private nonprofit that accredits American standards, including ANSI Z765.
• Square footThe unit American homes are measured in, equal to about 0.0929 square meters.
• Building envelopeThe walls, roof, and foundation that separate a home's inside from the outdoors.
• Real estateLand and the buildings permanently attached to it, plus the business of trading them.
• BasementA level of a house partly or fully below ground, reported apart from living area.
• Single-family detached homeA freestanding house for one household, the property type ANSI Z765 was written for.
• International Property Measurement StandardsStandards for measuring buildings the same way in every country.
• Square meterThe metric unit of area, equal to about 10.764 square feet.
• Appraisal InstituteA professional association of real estate appraisers, known for the MAI and SRA designations.
• Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal PracticeThe ethical and performance standards U.S. appraisers follow when they appraise property.
• The Appraisal FoundationThe nonprofit that writes USPAP and sets qualifications for U.S. appraisers.
• MortgageA loan secured by a home, and the reason most home appraisals are ordered.
• Building Owners and Managers AssociationA commercial real estate group whose standards measure office and other buildings.
• HouseA building people live in, and the thing gross living area measures.
• MezzanineA partial floor open to the level below, like a loft.
• Floor area ratioA building's total floor area divided by the area of its lot.
• ArchitectureThe design of buildings, where floor plans and wall lines are set.
• ZoningLocal rules that control how land can be used and what can be built on it.