Senior
Authority is reviewing the use of the word 'SOHO' in marketing of projects. FEO has already made the money and move on. Owners have also installed internal structures/floors that are illegal. Investor will lose money. A Condo name Central was highlighted in the news.
Blue blood
http://www.ura.gov.sg/dc/connect/con...liable-02.html
SOHO - Office, Home Or Home Office?
Increasingly, we are seeing more developments marketed as “SOHO” in the property market. “SOHO” is essentially a marketing term used by property developments to refer to Small Office, Home Office. Many would-be buyers are unsure whether “SOHO” units are approved for office or home use, or both.
URA does not recognize “SOHO” as a planning term and does not specifically approve a development for “SOHO” use. Rather, developments being marketed as SOHO today are approved either as Office or Residential but not for both uses.
We have noticed that some office developments are being marketed as residential apartments by calling themselves “SOHO”. This is misleading and inappropriate as the office development may not fully meet the guidelines and various technical agencies’ requirements for Residential use (eg. provision of sufficient parking facilities). Similarly, home buyers should not be misled by the term ‘SOHO’ to think that they can convert the residential unit to a pure office.
Residential homeowners or tenants who want to conduct selected small-scale businesses from homes can make use of the existing Home Office Scheme. This is not to be confused with “SOHO” as these units under the Home Office Scheme are still approved and used primarily for Residential purposes. To ensure that the home office uses do not disturb the neighbours, applicants under the Home Office Scheme must meet the stipulated conditions and performance criteria. For example, there is a limit on the number of employees and type of business uses that can be conducted within the homes. More details on the Home Office Scheme can be found at http://www.ura.gov.sg/uol/home-office.aspx?p1=Register&p2=Register.
Would-be property buyers should be cautious and are advised to check the approved use of the property before committing to any purchases.
Blue blood
Came across a reply by URA while researching on SOHO :
http://www.ura.gov.sg/uol/media-room...orum13-02.aspx
Queries on enclosed spaces, floor area, Soho: URA replies
URA's Reply
Queries on enclosed spaces, floor area, Soho: URA replies
31 Jan 2013, Straits Times
WE REFER to the letters by Mr Tan Chuan Poh ("So many questions, so few answers"; Jan 18) and Ms Teo Cheng Suat ("Are owners allowed to cover up private enclosed spaces and open terraces?"; Forum Online, Jan 21).
Developers are required by law, under the Housing Developers Rules, to provide information such as drawn-to-scale unit floor plans and the floor area for the various spaces within a housing unit, including bedrooms, balconies and air-conditioner ledges.
If such information given is unclear or appears incomplete, developers are obliged to clarify and to furnish the information, as requested, to prospective buyers.
With the recent introduction of new guidelines on private enclosed spaces (PES) and private roof terraces, semi-outdoor spaces like the PES and private roof terraces in new condominium and flat developments approved on or after Jan 12 are now counted together with balconies as part of the gross floor area (GFA) allowed for the development.
Coverings over PES and private roof terraces as well as screenings on balconies are allowed in these new developments if the coverings conform to designs that have been pre-approved for the development.
The management corporation strata title (MCST) can also use the pre-approved designs to guide home owners who wish to install the covers.
For developments approved prior to Jan 12, the PES and private roof terraces were not computed as GFA.
Home owners planning to cover such areas must first seek the necessary endorsement from the MCST before making a submission to the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA).
On receipt of a submission endorsed by the MCST, the URA will then assess such requests on a case-by-case basis, taking into account the extent of the proposed cover and the impact of the proposed covering on the rest of the development.
Soho (small-office-home-office) is a marketing term used by property agents and developers. It does not refer to any specific development type that has been approved by the URA.
Developments that have been marketed as Soho are approved as either office or residential developments.
Without explicit prior planning permission from the URA, any development that has been approved for office use cannot be converted to residential use and vice versa.
If, however, a home owner wishes to conduct some small-scale business within his home, he can apply for permission by lodging a notification under the Home Office Scheme, on the basis that he does not cause disamenity to his neighbours.
Prospective home buyers may refer to the Home Buyers' Guide on the URA's website, www.ura.gov.sg/lad/HBG/index.htm, for more information on the sale and purchase of uncompleted residential properties.
Han Yong Hoe
Group Director (Development Control)
Urban Redevelopment Authority
Newbie
I use a unit in the soho at central as an office , we have not put in a mezz floor but a lot of tenants do, there is just enough ceiling height to do it .
Recently we got a letter as there is some issue with the ability to take the weight of the steel structures people are putting in. so some people may have to remove their extra floor levels and lose that space.
The soho concept is a good one , more than half the units are used as just office space and having the condo facilities is useful
The only problem here is there is no staff on duty in the lobby areas , so visitors can be a bit confused
Mercedes Lover
Oh no... will it affect the other FEO projects like Euhabitat and Eco ?
Senior
Ura knows which project to monitor. FEO is the winner.Originally Posted by zeamybro
Oh no... will it affect the other FEO projects like Euhabitat and Eco ?
Mercedes Lover
I am surprised this isn't a hot topic on the forum.. I thought this would come as an alarming news to many. Perhaps many of our forummers here are not vested in SOHO...
Senior
must applaud our developers here ...
SOHO = small office home office hhhahahaha
The term originates from NY
SOHO = South Of Houston Street
downtown manhattan ....
Nolita = North of Little Italy
all these names were created by genius New Yorkers ..
and spore developers are using them liberally
Gramercy park is also a place in NYC
Junior
Bro, Soho = South of Houston Street
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SoHo,_Manhattan
Soho also = Small office, home office - this is also coined from US, hahahaha...
http://www.investopedia.com/terms/s/...ffice-soho.asp
Soho was coined with the advent of internet when many people in the US set up shop at home and sell via on-line making a living....
Bro, there is also roho - remote office/home office
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