SoHo, SoFo and SoVo sound similar enough to make for a tongue twister, and rightly so. But what are they, and what does the difference of one alphabet make?

Small Office, Home Office (SoHo)

Beginning with the SoHo, it is a hybrid home and office, which seamlessly integrates working space with your private life. The SoHo is an ideal unit for small businesses with around one to ten employees, depending on the space, and it works best for self-employed individuals. Since the SoHo contains elements of both residential and commercial properties, owners should be mindful as their utility bills may be charged based on either the commercial or residential rate. A smart owner would opt for the latter.

Important note

Since a SoHo incorporates the element of “home” or residential property in its makeup, it has a significant advantage over SoFo and SoVo units. This is because SoHo buyers now come under the protection of the Housing Development Act (HDA), which do not apply to other commercial property owners.

Here, we have taken the liberty to list down the main benefits of the HDA:

1/ The developer is liable to pay the penalty for any delay in completion of the project. The late delivery interest is calculated on a day to day basis at 10% per year rate of the SPA price.

2/ Buyer enjoys a defect liability period, which spans at around 24 months from the day the buyer receives delivery of vacant possession and gets the keys to the house. In this period, the developer has to make good any faults and flaws in the construction.

Small Office, Flexible Office (SoFo)

The SoFo shares various similarities with the SoHo but provides greater flexibility by having no partitions, allowing owners to customise the space according to their preferences. Space could be easily enlarged, and units can be connected to each other, making SoFo a superior choice if design and layout are important aspects of your consideration. A SoFo, like the SoVo, is not intended for residential purposes unlike the SoHo, hence the commercial title.

Small Office, Virtual Office (SoVo)

The SoVo does not have the flexibility of the former types but makes up with better infrastructural facilities and telecommunication functions, which are vital for start-up businesses to take off immediately. Take note that the SoVo unit functions for commercial purposes only, and not for residential purposes.