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Article: Measuring house can be exercise in variables; Many reasons exist why precise square footage is important.(HOMES)
- Article from:
- Star Tribune (Minneapolis, MN)
- Article date:
- January 17, 1998
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 1998 Star Tribune Co. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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For many people who build or buy a house, size counts. The average new house in 1995 had 2,095 square feet, up 575 square feet from 20 years ago, according to the National Association of Home Builders.
But what exactly do those numbers mean? Are they "finished" square feet? Above-ground square feet? Does the figure include stair treads? Closets? Bay windows? Are they measured inside or outside?
Whether or not people know what the numbers mean, they are prone to describe their houses in terms of its size, rather than other characteristics. Maybe that's because many people associate size with cost - a passive, subtle way of bragging.
The fallacy ...