Property talk in Malaysia mixes English, Bahasa Malaysia and Chinese, often in one sentence. This glossary lists the terms a REN hears most, grouped by topic, with the plain meaning and the Malay and Chinese words used in the trade.
The Chinese terms are what Malaysian Chinese agents commonly say. Some lean Cantonese or Hokkien and differ from mainland usage. Terms marked (slang) are for conversation, not contracts or ads. Where a meaning depends on a law, fee or rate, confirm the current rule with the Board, KPKT, LHDN, your bank or a lawyer.
Sale process (subsale)
| Term | Meaning | BM | 中文 |
|---|
| Subsale | Buying from an existing owner, not from a developer. | Jualan sekunder / subsale | 二手房 / 二手 |
| Listing | A property an agent has the right to market. | Senarai hartanah | 盘 / 房源 |
| Exclusive | The owner appoints one agency only, for a set period. | Eksklusif | 独家 |
| Open listing | The owner lets several agencies market the property at the same time. | Penyenaraian terbuka | 开放盘 / open listing |
| Letter of appointment | The owner's written appointment of the agency. | Surat lantikan | 委托书 |
| Co-broke / co-agency | Two agencies share one deal: one has the listing, the other brings the buyer. The fee is shared between the two firms. | Kerjasama antara ejen / koagensi | 合作 / 联合代理 |
| Viewing | Showing the property to a buyer or tenant. | Lawatan / tengok rumah | 看房 |
| Offer to purchase | The buyer's written offer, usually paid with an earnest deposit. | Surat tawaran membeli | 购买意向书 / offer letter |
| Earnest deposit | Small deposit paid with the offer to show the buyer is serious. | Wang cengkeram / deposit awal | 诚意金 |
| Downpayment | The buyer's own deposit toward the price. The amount and timing are set in the SPA. | Bayaran pendahuluan | 首期 |
| SPA | Sale and purchase agreement. For new homes it follows a statutory form: Schedule G for landed, Schedule H for strata. | Perjanjian Jual Beli (PJB) | 买卖合约 |
| Completion period | The time the buyer has to pay the balance after the SPA is signed. Set in the SPA. | Tempoh penyempurnaan | 完成期 |
| Balance purchase price | What is paid at completion, usually by the buyer's bank. | Baki harga belian | 尾款 |
| Redemption | Paying off the seller's existing loan at completion. | Penebusan | 赎回 |
| MOT | Memorandum of transfer (Form 14A). The transfer form. Stamp duty is charged on it. | Memorandum Pindah Milik (Borang 14A) | 产业转让书 |
| Auction / lelong (slang) | Bank auction of a property after the owner defaults on the loan. | Lelong | 拍卖屋 |
New launch
| Term | Meaning | BM | 中文 |
|---|
| New launch | A project sold by the developer before or during construction. | Pelancaran baharu | 新盘 / 新楼盘 |
| GDV | Gross development value. The total sales value of a project. | Nilai pembangunan kasar | 总发展值 |
| APDL | The developer's licence and Advertising and Sales Permit from KPKT. Needed before a project is advertised or sold. | Permit Iklan dan Jualan / Lesen Pemaju | 广告与销售准证 |
| Registration of interest (ROI) | Collecting names of interested buyers before a launch. | Pendaftaran minat | 登记意向 |
| Sales gallery | The developer's showroom where buyers visit and book units. | Galeri jualan | 售楼处 / 销售展厅 |
| Show unit | Furnished sample unit, usually in the gallery. | Unit pameran | 样板房 |
| Booking form | Form the buyer signs to reserve a unit. | Borang tempahan | 订购表格 |
| Booking fee | Money paid to reserve a unit. Common in practice, but the housing rules bar collecting payments outside the statutory SPA, and KPKT is studying the issue. | Yuran tempahan | 订金 |
| Cancel booking | The buyer walks away before the SPA, often because the loan failed. | Batal tempahan | 取消订购 |
| Rebate | Discount from the developer, often shown as the SPA price versus the nett price after rebates. | Rebat | 回扣 / 折扣 |
| Take-up rate | The percentage of units sold. Developers announce it. | Kadar jualan | 销售率 |
| Progressive billing | The buyer's bank pays the developer stage by stage as construction goes up. | Bil progresif | 按进度付款 |
| VP | Vacant possession. Handover of the unit. Due within 24 months of the SPA for landed (Schedule G) or 36 months for strata (Schedule H). | Milikan kosong | 交屋 |
| LAD | Liquidated ascertained damages. What the developer pays for late handover: 10% a year of the price under the statutory SPA. | Ganti rugi tertentu dan ditetapkan | 延迟交屋赔偿 |
| DLP | Defect liability period. 24 months from vacant possession, during which the developer must fix defects. | Tempoh liabiliti kecacatan | 保修期 |
| CCC | Certificate of Completion and Compliance. The building is legally ready to occupy. It replaced the older Certificate of Fitness (CF). | Perakuan Siap dan Pematuhan | 完工及合规证书 |
| Overhang | Completed units still unsold long after launch. NAPIC tracks it. | Lambakan | 滞销房屋 |
| Abandoned project | A project where the developer stopped building. | Projek terbengkalai | 烂尾楼 |
Financing
| Term | Meaning | BM | 中文 |
|---|
| Housing loan | Bank loan to buy a home. | Pinjaman perumahan | 房贷 |
| Margin of financing (MOF) | The share of the price the bank lends, for example 90%. | Margin pembiayaan | 贷款成数 |
| LTV | Loan to value. Same idea as margin of financing. | Nisbah pinjaman kepada nilai | 贷款价值比 |
| LO | Letter of offer. The bank's letter approving the loan. | Surat tawaran pinjaman | 贷款批准信 |
| LA | Loan agreement signed with the bank. | Perjanjian pinjaman | 贷款合约 |
| DSR | Debt service ratio: monthly debt payments over income. Bank Negara sets no fixed cap; each bank sets its own limit. | Nisbah khidmat hutang | 偿债比率 |
| CCRIS | Bank Negara's record of a person's loans and 12 months of repayment history. Not a blacklist. Borrowers can check it free. | CCRIS | 中央信贷资料系统 |
| CTOS | A private credit reporting agency, regulated under the Credit Reporting Agencies Act 2010. | CTOS | CTOS 信用报告 |
| Valuation | The valuer's report the bank uses to set the loan. | Penilaian | 估价 |
| Valuer | Registered professional who values property, often on a bank's panel. | Penilai berdaftar | 估价师 |
| LPPSA | Government housing loans for civil servants. | Lembaga Pembiayaan Perumahan Sektor Awam | 公务员房屋贷款局 |
| EPF housing withdrawal | EPF members can withdraw from Akaun Sejahtera to help buy or build a home. | Pengeluaran perumahan KWSP | 公积金购屋提款 |
| SJKP | Government guarantee that helps people without a fixed income get a housing loan. | Skim Jaminan Kredit Perumahan | 房屋信贷担保计划 |
| PR1MA | Federal affordable homes for middle income buyers. | PR1MA | 一马房屋 |
Legal and fees
| Term | Meaning | BM | 中文 |
|---|
| Stamp duty | Tax charged on the MOT, the loan agreement and the tenancy agreement. | Duti setem | 印花税 |
| Legal fees | The lawyer's fee for sale and loan documents, set by the Solicitors' Remuneration Order. | Yuran guaman | 律师费 |
| RPGT | Real property gains tax. Tax on the gain when a property is sold. | Cukai Keuntungan Harta Tanah (CKHT) | 产业盈利税 |
| Freehold | Owned with no end date. | Pegangan bebas | 永久地契 |
| Leasehold | Owned for a fixed term, often 99 years, then it returns to the state unless renewed. | Pajakan | 租赁地契 |
| Tenure balance | Years left on a leasehold. Banks lend less when it is short. | Baki tempoh pajakan | 剩余地契年限 |
| Individual title | A separate title for one landed plot. | Hakmilik individu | 独立地契 |
| Bumi lot | A unit reserved for Bumiputera buyers under a state quota. | Lot Bumiputera | 土著单位 |
| Consent to transfer | State approval needed for some sales, for example leasehold, bumi or foreign buyer deals. | Kebenaran pindah milik | 转让同意书 |
| Quit rent | Yearly land tax paid to the state. | Cukai tanah | 地税 |
| Assessment | Yearly property tax paid to the local council. | Cukai taksiran / cukai pintu | 门牌税 |
Strata
| Term | Meaning | BM | 中文 |
|---|
| Strata title | Title for one unit in a building or scheme with shared common property. | Hakmilik strata | 分层地契 |
| Master title | Title for the whole land before unit titles are issued. Until then, transfers go through the developer. | Hakmilik induk | 总地契 |
| Share unit | Each strata unit's share, used to split maintenance fees and votes. | Unit syer | 份额单位 |
| Maintenance fee | Monthly charge owners pay to run and maintain the common property. | Caj penyenggaraan | 管理费 |
| Sinking fund | A separate fund owners pay into for bigger, less frequent works. During the developer's management period it is set at 10% of the maintenance charges. | Kumpulan wang penjelas | |
| JMB | Joint Management Body. The developer plus buyers run the building before strata titles are issued. | Badan Pengurusan Bersama | 联合管理机构 |
| MC | Management Corporation. The owners' body that runs the building after strata titles are issued. | Perbadanan Pengurusan | 管理机构 |
| COB | Commissioner of Buildings at the local council. Oversees JMBs and MCs. | Pesuruhjaya Bangunan | 建筑专员 |
| Property manager | Registered person or firm that manages buildings or rental units for owners for a fee. | Pengurus harta | 产业管理师 |
| Condominium | Strata high rise with full facilities and security. | Kondominium | 公寓 / 共管公寓 |
| Serviced apartment | High rise usually on commercial land. Often higher utility and maintenance rates. | Pangsapuri servis | 服务式公寓 |
| SoHo | Small Office Home Office. Usually commercial title. | SoHo | 小型办公住家 |
| Gated and guarded | Landed estate with fences and guards. Often under strata title. | Berpagar dan berpengawal | 门禁社区 / 有保安社区 |
Rental
| Term | Meaning | BM | 中文 |
|---|
| Landlord | Owner who rents out the property. | Tuan rumah | 屋主 / 房东 |
| Tenant | Person renting the property. | Penyewa | 租客 |
| Tenancy agreement | The rental contract. | Perjanjian sewa | 租约 |
| Letter of offer to rent | The tenant's offer before the tenancy agreement is signed. | Surat tawaran sewa | 租房意向书 |
| Security deposit | Refundable deposit, commonly 2 months' rent. Market practice, not law. | Deposit keselamatan | 押金 |
| Utility deposit | Deposit for utility bills, commonly half a month's rent. Market practice, not law. | Deposit utiliti | 水电押金 |
| Advance rental | First month's rent paid upfront. | Sewa pendahuluan | 预付租金 |
| 2+1+0.5 (slang) | Shorthand for 2 months' deposit, 1 month advance rent and half a month utility deposit. | 2+1 | 2+1 |
| Stamping | Paying stamp duty on the tenancy agreement. | Setem | 打印花 / 盖印 |
| Renewal | Extending a tenancy, usually after 1 or 2 years. | Pembaharuan sewa | 续约 |
| Room rental | Renting one room in a shared unit. | Sewa bilik | 租房间 |
| Master room | The biggest room, usually with an attached bathroom. | Bilik utama | 主人房 |
| Co-living | Managed room rental with shared areas, cleaning and one bill. | Co-living | 共居 |
| Rental yield | Yearly rent divided by the price. Investors ask for it. | Hasil sewa | 租金回酬 |
Agency and licensing
| Term | Meaning | BM | 中文 |
|---|
| BOVAEP / LPPEH | The Board of Valuers, Appraisers, Estate Agents and Property Managers. Registers and disciplines valuers, estate agents, RENs and property managers under Act 242. | Lembaga Penilai, Pentaksir, Ejen Harta Tanah dan Pengurus Harta | 估价师、评估师、产业经纪及产业管理师局 |
| KPKT | The federal ministry that licenses housing developers, issues advertising and sales permits, and runs the homebuyer and strata tribunals. | Kementerian Pembangunan Kerajaan Tempatan | 房屋及地方政府部 |
| REHDA | The main association of property developers. | Persatuan Pemaju Hartanah dan Perumahan Malaysia | 房地产发展商会 |
| MIEA | The main association of registered estate agents. | Institut Ejen Harta Tanah Malaysia | 马来西亚产业经纪协会 |
| NAPIC | The government centre that publishes property transaction data. | Pusat Maklumat Harta Tanah Negara | 国家产业资讯中心 |
| JPPH | The valuation department. NAPIC sits under it. | Jabatan Penilaian dan Perkhidmatan Harta | 估价与产业服务局 |
| REA | Registered Estate Agent. The licensed professional. Only an REA can own and run an agency firm. | Ejen Harta Tanah Berdaftar | 注册产业经纪 |
| PEA | Probationary Estate Agent. Passed the exams, doing supervised practice before becoming an REA. | Ejen Harta Tanah Percubaan | 见习产业经纪 |
| REN / negotiator | Real Estate Negotiator. Employed by and assists a registered estate agent. Registers through the firm, must pass the Negotiator Certification Course and renew every year. | Perunding Harta Tanah (REN) | 房地产谈判员 / 中介 |
| Principal | The REA who owns or heads the firm. Often called boss. | Prinsipal | 老板 / principal |
| Team leader | Senior REN who recruits and coaches a group and earns an override. | Ketua pasukan | 组长 / leader |
| Professional fee | The formal word for the agency's fee. The Board's scale caps it at 3% of the price for a sale and 1.25 months' rent for a tenancy of up to 3 years. | Yuran profesional | 专业费 |
| Commission | The everyday word for the agency fee on a deal. | Komisen | 佣金 |
| Override | A leader's share of the team's commission. | Komisen override | 管理佣金 / override |