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
Relating to trees or shrubs normally found in temperate climates. Deciduous trees shed their leaves in the fall. Deciduous woods such as pine, oak, Maple, redwood, and spruce are widely ...
Also called accounting or unadjusted rate of return. The return computed by dividing the anticipated future annual net income by the required investment in real estate. Sometimes the ...
Lender's written statement and accounting for the remaining balance, date of maturity, and interest rate on a mortgage. The lender is certifying this information to the borrower or any ...
Recognizes profit on a long-term construction contract as it is earned gradually during the construction period. This approach is preferred over the completed contract method because it ...
After-tax cash flow is a calculation method for companies’ financial performance to show their ability to generate cash flow through their operations. The after-tax cash flow formula ...
Provision in a mortgage that requires the final payment to be substantially more than all other payments. ...
Bond collaterized by real assets. Two kinds of mortgage bond are senior mortgages and junior mortgages. A mortgage bond may have a closed-end provision that prevents the firm from issuing ...
The central core of an urban area. The inner city contains the major commercial center, termed the central business district (CBD). Close to the inner city are also some of the poorest ...
Ownership of property by two or more people in undivided interests, without the right of survivorship. Each coowner's interest may be conveyed separately by its owner. Tenancy in common ...
Have a question or comment?
We're here to help.