We are about to start building our first short term rental property.

Now I will give my opinion on buying a four plex verses building one. 

It's weird, it's corny, but it builds rapport and it works.

If you get complaints, remind all parties that noise travels, they were warned to be quiet and respectful of their neighbor, and that repeated issues may result in removal.I have an apartment building where the downstairs renter can hear the upstairs neighbor talking on the phone when it's really quiet at night.

In your experience is it common to calculate sq footage this way in buildings like this? 

It will help build some knowledge and you will see more deals happening and how they do them.

So the answer is no, it does not need a closet to be considered a bedroom per the international building code.  

Grateful for this platform and the community-building nature to it. 

I own 2 STR units in condotel buildings in Waikiki, both are doing very well.

I'm from the Southern, MI area and I am also building my real estate media business, Elicit Real Estate Media Co.