What’s Bare, Warm, and Semi-Fitted Shell vs. Unfurnished, Semi, and Fully Furnished in Commercial & Residential Real Estate Philippines

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In the world of real estate, there are tons of jargon that can be confusing to many people who aren’t familiar with it. Terms like bare shell, warm shell, semi-fitted, and fully furnished office spaces often leave newcomers scratching their heads. Not to mention, the terms are used differently when you switch sectors in the industry—like in commercial and residential real estate. Understanding these terms is essential for anyone navigating the commercial and residential real estate Philippines market, as they can significantly influence decisions regarding property investments, leasing options, and overall space utilization.

Here is an easy guide on how you can crack them:

Bare, Warm, and Semi-Fitted Shell in Office Spaces

When you’re looking for commercial real estate, you’ll encounter these terms quite often. 

Bare Shell

A bare shell in commercial real estate refers to a property that provides only the essentials, typically including partition walls and a basic toilet. This is an unfurnished space delivered right after construction, with basic building services like structural components and minimal utilities in place. 

However, it lacks interior finishes and key amenities such as chairs, tables, lighting fixtures, and plumbing, requiring significant customization to make the space operational.

Warm Shell

Also known as semi-furnished properties, warm shell spaces are ready-to-use for buyers and tenants, featuring essential interior finishes. 

These properties come with basic necessities like an HVAC system, lighting, drop ceiling, plumbing, and restrooms, making the space immediately functional and minimizing setup requirements.

Semi-Fitted Shell

Semi-fitted offices offer a balance between traditional and fully serviced offices, providing high-quality office suites within a larger managed facility. 

Tenants enjoy flexibility, with standard features like heating and lighting, and the option to fully furnish the space if desired. Some semi-fitted offices come equipped with built-in telephone and internet access, and services like cleaning, reception, and security can be added on demand.

Unfurnished, Semi, and Fully Furnished in Residential Spaces

Now, when you’re looking for a home through brokerage services, you’ll see some of these terms.

It’s also good to note that it may be different if you buy a pre-selling home from a real estate developer – their finishes are ‘standard finish’. This means the structure is complete, equipped with roofing and flooring, and has doors, windows, tiles, and cabinets. 

Unfurnished

Unfurnished homes are typically delivered without any furnishings or furniture, providing only the structural basics of the house or unit. This means the space comes with walls, flooring, and essential utilities but lacks features like cabinets, chairs, and appliances. 

For tenants or buyers, unfurnished properties offer a blank slate to customize entirely to their taste and functional needs.

Semi-Furnished

Though similar to a commercial real estate warm shell finish, a semi-furnished space typically includes only the basic necessities, such as a bed frame, mattress, and possibly a desk or sofa. 

This setup is ideal for tenants new to the Philippines or those temporarily using a workspace in a specific area, providing a convenient middle ground between unfurnished and fully furnished options. Tenants can enjoy essential furnishings without the hassle of moving numerous belongings, making it a practical choice for those seeking simplicity and convenience.

Fully Furnished

A fully furnished apartment is a property outfitted with all the furniture and appliances beds, sofas, and chairs, along with, appliances, and sometimes decor. 

This type of space is ideal for those seeking a hassle-free, move-in-ready solution, eliminating the need to buy or transport furniture. It’s especially appealing to people looking for temporary housing, such as business travelers or those relocating, as it provides a complete, ready-to-live-in experience from day one.

Deciding on the Best Fit with Philippines’ Trusted Real Estate Agency.

In Santos Knight Frank, you’ll go through a process with our customer relations team to help our brokers know more about your requirements. Most of the time, they’ll ask the following if you’re looking for an office space. 

• Preferred location
• Size requirement
• Number of employees
• Start date of occupancy
• If rental – duration of occupancy
• Other special requirements

A different set of questions will be asked if you’re looking for a residential property for sale or lease.

• Purchase/rent
• Preferred location
• Size requirement
• Number of occupants
• Preferred number of bedrooms
• Preferred number of bathrooms
• Start date of occupancy
• If rental – duration of occupancy
• Other special requirements
• Working budget

Once the client relations team has your details, they’ll endorse it to the best candidate among our brokers. By understanding your specific requirements—whether you’re looking for a warm-shell office space, a fully furnished unit, or a semi-furnished residential property—Santos Knight Frank ensures a personalized approach to finding your ideal space. 

Our brokers carefully curate options that align with your preferences, saving you valuable time and effort. With a dedicated team and meticulous process, we make your property search seamless, efficient, and tailored to your expectations.

Ready for your property search in the commercial and residential real estate market? Contact us at +63 917 806 6315​ or email inquiry@santos.knightfrank.ph today.

• Tags:
• Philippines Trusted Real Estate
• office space
• commercial and residential real estate
• property search
• real estate terms

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About Santos Knight Frank

The world of real estate can be a difficult place to navigate. Whether property is your investment or a tool that drives your business success, you need a partner who can guide you in every step of the way.

Since 1994, Santos Knight Frank has been guiding Fortune 1000 companies, BPOs, private clients, and institutions in all facets of real estate. We advise companies on their best office, retail, and industrial location, oversee commercial fit-out projects, and manage facilities. We have facilitated over 4 million sqm of office transactions on behalf of clients and managed over 40 million sqm of real estate under our property & facilities management arm.

Our residential brokerage platform and wide collection of bespoke homes allow our private clients to buy, lease, and sell properties within their budget, timeline, and lifestyle.

For landlords and investors, we provide valuations and appraisal, consultancy and research, sales and leasing, and property management services across the Philippines.

Santos Knight Frank is part of the global Knight Frank network of over 384 offices in 51 markets, including the strategically important U.S. partnerships with Cresa (commercial real estate) and Douglas Elliman (residential real estate).

We are locally expert and globally connected, end-to-end and best-in-class – as any great partner in property should be.