Property System Architecture
A property system in FiveM manages the ownership, access, and functionality of in-game locations like houses, apartments, businesses, and garages. At its core, the system needs to track which properties exist, who owns them, who has access, and what is stored inside them. The database schema typically includes a properties table with location coordinates, interior type, owner identifier, and configuration options, plus related tables for access keys, furniture placement, and property stashes. The property system must handle instance management so multiple players can own apartments in the same building without seeing each other, using either separate interior instances or shared shells with instanced props. Design your system with scalability in mind, as property data grows significantly as your player base expands and players accumulate belongings in their homes.
Door Lock Systems
Door locks are a foundational component of any property system, controlling who can enter which locations. The two most popular door lock resources are ox_doorlock and qb-doorlock, both providing configurable door states, key systems, and lockpicking mechanics for break-ins. Each door in your server needs to be registered with coordinates, the door model hash, and access permissions. Doors can be locked to specific jobs for restricted areas like police stations and hospitals, locked to property owners for residential and commercial buildings, or left unlocked for public spaces. Advanced door systems support multiple lock types including key cards, pin codes, and physical keys that exist as inventory items. Integration with your property system ensures that when a player purchases a property, they automatically receive access to all associated doors without manual configuration.
Interior Shells and Decoration
Modern FiveM property systems use interior shells, which are pre-built room layouts that can be instanced and placed at specific coordinates when a player enters their property. Shell-based systems are more performant than unique YMAP interiors because the same shell model can be reused for multiple properties, reducing streaming requirements. Popular shell collections include various apartment layouts, houses, offices, warehouses, and luxury penthouses at different quality tiers and price points. Decoration systems allow property owners to place, move, and remove furniture and decorative items within their shells using an in-game placement tool. Furniture data is stored per property in the database and loaded when the owner or an authorized player enters. This system gives players ownership and personalization over their space while keeping performance manageable through instanced loading.
Stash and Storage Integration
Properties should include integrated storage systems where players can securely store items, weapons, money, and other valuables. Property stashes are typically implemented as inventory instances tied to the property rather than the player, meaning the contents persist regardless of who accesses them. Multiple stash points within a single property such as a bedroom closet, kitchen pantry, and garage toolbox give players organizational flexibility. Integration with your inventory system is critical, as the stash should support the same item types, stack limits, and weight restrictions as player inventory. For shared properties like gang hideouts or business storage rooms, configure access permissions so authorized members can deposit and withdraw items while maintaining a transaction log that property owners can review. Consider implementing a property raid mechanic where law enforcement with proper warrants can breach locked doors and search property stashes as part of criminal investigations.
Real Estate and Market Systems
The buying and selling of properties adds an entire economic dimension to your server. Implement a real estate system where properties can be purchased from NPC listings at fixed prices, sold back at depreciated values, or traded between players through a listing marketplace. Property prices should reflect their location, interior quality, storage capacity, and proximity to popular areas. Some servers implement a dynamic pricing model where property values fluctuate based on demand, with popular neighborhoods becoming more expensive as more players buy in the area. Rental systems allow property owners to rent out their properties to other players for recurring income, creating landlord-tenant relationships that drive roleplay interactions. Property taxes paid on a recurring basis serve as a money sink that prevents players from hoarding properties they never use, while also funding the server's virtual government budget for those who implement governmental roleplay.