Floor Area Ratio (FAR)
Definition of "Floor Area Ratio (FAR)"
The ratio between a structure's total floor area and the total land area of the land upon which it is constructed. The floor area ratio definition is the ratio of the total amount of usable floor area that the building has to offer the homeowner, from the total area of the property on which the building has been constructed. The floor area ratio must conform to the building code's floor area specifications. A bigger floor area ratio is likely to represent urban highly populated areas, with high population density per square mile where there are more high rise apartment buildings and condominiums instead of detached family homes. The area ratio is used by local governments for use with zoning codes issues and delimitations.
The FAR (Floor Area Ratio) is calculated by dividing the total building floor area by the total building lot square area:
Floor Area Ratio = Total Building Floor Area/Gross Lot Area
What is the Floor Area Ratio?
When you consider the floor area ratio you don’t only look at the footprint of the building but at the whole floor area of the building. The things that are taken out of the equation in this calculation are all the unoccupied areas of the area like basements, stairs, elevator shafts, and parking garages.
What variates the floor area ratio of a city are factors like population density, patterns of population growth, and activities that involve construction in a city, residential neighborhoods, condominiums, etc. This affects the nature space, parks in cities where residential areas take over. These floor area ratios of cities are determined by local governments that enforce regulations and restrictions of new constructions to stabilize the balance of this ratio.
Being a key determinant of developments in any country, the floor area ratio is a deterrent to construction but it keeps it regularized. Not only the real estate industry struggles to maintain an acceptable level of floor area ratio, but any kind of industry throughout the country in order to open up space and the resources of the land to the real estate developers. A high floor area ratio allows developers to construct buildings for homebuyers, businesses, and industries, which increases sales and provides supply for increasing demand.
Popular Real Estate Terms
Secondary written agreement to purchase real property in the event the initial contract is not signed. ...
Transfer of title based on a preceding title transfer of conveyance. A derivative conveyance increases, ratifies, moderates, renews or transfers the stake created by the original ...
Recording an expenditure having a benefit of more than one year to the cost of the property. ...
Same as term graduated lease: A rental stipulation a varying rental rate. Rental rate are determined tied to periodic appraisals or an inflation or an inflation index. The provision is more ...
Right of a property owner located adjacent to an airfield to use the airspace above a certain distance to fly an airplane. However, the owner may not be allowed to put structures, signs or ...
A four-unit building with four tenants in a condominium type of ownership and management. ...
Lease agreement having level payments during the contractual period. It does not have an escalation clause to allow for increased costs due to increases in inflation, taxes, or other ...
Notion that a buyer should not pay more for a property than it would cost to buy at current prices for land, labor, and appraisals. ...
Generally, the escalation clause, often known as the escalator clause, means a provision in a contract enabling an upsurge in prices, bids, or wages. You must understand that they come into ...
Have a question or comment?
We're here to help.