Shift from the Term Master Bedroom to Primary Bedroom | Arlington VA (2024)

FAQs

Why do realtors say primary bedroom instead of master bedroom? ›

Why the shift of name? The shift from “master” to “primary bedroom” has been made due to negative implications and perceptions involving the word “master.” Consumers and real estate professionals realize and understand the term “master” as something racist and offer a sexist implication.

A 2013 article in the Washington Business Journal showed a trend among builders who replaced the term with “owner's suite.” But between 2013 and 2020, the conversation mostly died down to a murmur. Currently, there is no consensus in the real estate industry at large, but there are some who champion the change.

In an effort to be sensitive to the discomfort that the “master bedroom” evokes, realtors have begun to refer to the largest bedroom of the home as the “primary bedroom.” The term “primary bedroom” identifies the bedroom as the largest in the home, but it lacks the negative connotations that “master bedroom” carries.

The term “master bedroom” refers to a room that's usually larger and more luxuriously decorated than other bedrooms, and they're sometimes known as the “primary bedroom”. Master/primary bedrooms have the biggest space and the best placement in a house.

What's a Better Name for This Room? The most popular choice throughout the real estate industry to replace “master bedroom” is “primary bedroom,” which notes the room's prominence. Keskinkaya says she hears people correcting themselves as they work to break the habit of what they call the main bedroom of a home.

What Is a Dual Owner's Suite Home? These plans feature two owner's suites complete with a walk-in closet and en suite bathroom.

"Master bedroom" is a problematic term for its ties to slavery, implying a concept of dominance and ownership with which a modern-day room need not be imbued. Some claim "master" just refers to size rather than a slave owner's quarters.

The term "master" has roots in slavery, and HAR says the topic of removing it from realty terminology has been debated for years. Now, the Multiple Listing Service (MLS) platform that HAR uses for listings, will use "primary bedroom" and "primary bath," HAR said in a statement to CBS News.

The phrase "master bedroom" first appeared in the 1926 Sears catalog, according to the real estate blog Trelora. It was a feature of a $4,398 Dutch colonial home, the most expensive in the catalog, referring to a large second floor bedroom with a private bathroom.

An ensuite bathroom is a bathroom attached to a bedroom, with or without a door. It is also referred to as en suite, attached, adjoining, or master bathroom.

What is the proper name of a separated master bedroom? ›

In a property with a split bedroom floor plan, the main bedroom or suite is separated from the rest of the rooms in the house. So you'll have the main bedroom on one end of the house, then the common living spaces in the middle, and the other bedrooms grouped together on the other side of the house.

In an article headlined “No more 'master' bedrooms: Minnesota real estate listings aim for inclusivity,” which appeared in the Star Tribune, a handful of Minnesota real estate agents claim that calling the biggest bedroom and bathroom in a house the “master” is “discriminatory” and racist.

Homes are now being designed to fit expanding households that may include grandparents, friends, and even a second family. Having room for extra guests or housemates is a top reason for building a house plan with two masters.

Most people prefer placing their bedroom in the rear of the house because they like the relative darkness, the silence, and the privacy that comes from positioning their master bedroom in the back. If you have young children, it may be important to you to have a bedroom near your kids' bedrooms.

A common room is one that's smaller in size than the master room. It does not come with an attached or adjoining bathroom. If you're in a three-bedder condo unit (or higher), you'll have to share a common bathroom with the other tenants who are renting the other common rooms.

The Money Method

One way to make smaller rooms more appealing is by deciding that whoever has the master bedroom pays a little bit more in rent. Whoever is willing to dish out a little more dough can have the largest bedroom. You could also assign each room a more specific cost based on square footage.

The word “master bedroom” is being phased out of floor plan descriptions and talks between real estate agents and clients in several brokerage areas across the country. Another name for master bedroom and master bathroom is “primary bedroom” and “primary bathroom”.

The phrase "master bedroom" first appeared in the 1926 Sears catalog, according to the real estate blog Trelora. It was a feature of a $4,398 Dutch colonial home, the most expensive in the catalog, referring to a large second floor bedroom with a private bathroom.