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
The legal right of a widow to a portion of her deceased husbands real property. ...
Financing source for new real estate business or turnaround ventures that usually combine much risk with potential for high return. There are various stages of venture capital, such as ...
Rule within the Internal Revenue Code applicable to capital gains from selling real estate that has been depreciated for tax purposes. Most buildings must be depreciated using the ...
Provision at the end of a document, such as a will, wherein the witnesses sign that the instrument has been executed before them. This may be useful involving transfers of real estate. ...
The definition of an absentee owner is a property owner who does not reside on the property. An absentee can be an individual or a corporation with legal ownership over a property ...
The Federal Reserve Bank's regulation applying to the amount of credit that may be advanced by brokers and dealers to customers to buy securities. ...
Provision in an agreement in which its renewal is a matter of course at the end of its initial term. ...
Among other things. Inter alia is an ancient method of referring to statutes without reciting all of their provisions. ...
Deterioration in property resulting from its ordinary use and from the aging process. An examples an apartment building that physically deteriorates over the years. ...
Have a question or comment?
We're here to help.