How Much Square Footage Do I Need At My Rental Property?

When people are browsing homes and apartments for rent, there’s one question that comes to mind for many potential renters: How much square footage do I need at my rental property? There are several factors that contribute to your decision, and we will discuss them here in a bit. But first, let’s learn more about why square footage is important when looking for rental properties!

How Is Square Footage Calculated in Homes?

Square footage is quite simple to calculate; it involves measuring the length and width of the walls in your living space and adding up the sum of all measurements. Let’s work through an example: If your bedroom is 10 feet long and 12 feet wide, then your bedroom is 120 square feet. This process is repeated for the rest of the rooms in your house, and once all the measurements are added up, you can determine the square footage of your living space! Check out this square footage calculator if you’re interested in calculating the amount of space in your living space!

Now that we know how square footage is calculated, let’s answer some commonly-asked questions to help you determine the amount of space your rental property needs.

How Many Bedrooms and Bathrooms Do I Need?

Aside from the living room and kitchen, the bedrooms are the largest rooms in the house. If one of your primary needs is to have plenty of bedrooms in your home, you should plan on finding homes for rent that have plenty of space. For example, families of 4 usually need 3 bedrooms in their future home; one master bedroom and two guest bedrooms. A family of the same size typically only needs two full bathrooms in their rental home, but if you like having guests over, having a half bathroom downstairs is convenient. In the Maxfield Place rental property community in Houston, The Edward floor plan has 3 bedrooms and 2.5 bathrooms in a 1,465 sq. ft. layout, which is perfect for families of 4 that plan on making the most of their space. 

Do I Need Multiple Stories?

This is one of the most important questions that families must ask themselves when looking for a home, since there is typically a large difference in square footage between single-story and two-story homes. For example, in the Acorn Meadow rental property community, The Alectra floor plan is one story with 1,162 sq. ft. of space while The Maxwell floor plan is two stories with 1,465 sq. ft. of space. Both of these floor plans have three bedrooms, but with the added story in The Maxwell, there is much more space inside. We recommend families of 4 and more to consider two-story rental homes because of the greater amount of space inside. 

How Will My Family and I Use The Space?

Your family’s lifestyle will play a major role in the amount of square footage that your home will have; after all, having ample room for everyone’s activities is a plus! Rental properties with more square footage have plenty of space, but often cost more to lease than other rental homes. Thus, finding the perfect balance between space and cost is essential. Families of 2 to 3 people can comfortably live in a 3-bedroom home with 1,100 to 1,400 square feet, but families of 4 or more should consider homes with more square footage. 

No Matter Your Lifestyle, HomeSite Residential Has Your Future Home!

Hopefully, you’ve gained an understanding of the amount of square footage you need in your rental property, but now comes the tricky part. How are you going to find your next home for rent? This is where HomeSite Residential comes in! We have three amazing rental property communities in the greater Houston area, and each community has a variety of floor plans for you to choose from. Our team is ready to help you find the perfect property for rent; contact us today to begin your search!