Create a Housing system in FiveM

The house system helps players feel that they have "Own location" on the server is a feature that greatly increases engagement and immersion.

Database Schema

CREATE TABLE `housing` (
    `id` INT AUTO_INCREMENT PRIMARY KEY,
    `name` VARCHAR(100) NOT NULL,
    `coords` TEXT NOT NULL, -- JSON {x, y, z, h}
    `interior_coords` TEXT, -- interior coords
    `price` INT DEFAULT 100000,
    `owner` VARCHAR(50) DEFAULT NULL, -- identifier
    `locked` TINYINT DEFAULT 1,
    `created_at` TIMESTAMP DEFAULT CURRENT_TIMESTAMP
);

CREATE TABLE `housing_storage` (
    `id` INT AUTO_INCREMENT PRIMARY KEY,
    `house_id` INT,
    `identifier` VARCHAR(50),
    `items` LONGTEXT, -- JSON inventory
    FOREIGN KEY (`house_id`) REFERENCES `housing`(`id`)
);

Config

Config = {}

Config.Houses = {
    {
        id = 1,
        name = 'Luxury house Mirror Park',
        coords = vector4(1271.8, -730.4, 67.8, 270.0),
        interior = vector4(266.0, -1007.4, 29.0, 270.0), -- apartment interior
        price = 500000,
        garageCoords = vector4(1259.0, -733.0, 67.0, 90.0),
        maxGarage = 2
    },
    {
        id = 2,
        name = 'Vinewood middle class house',
        coords = vector4(325.5, 188.8, 104.5, 0.0),
        interior = vector4(346.7, -1013.3, -99.2, 0.0),
        price = 250000,
        garageCoords = vector4(330.0, 185.0, 104.0, 180.0),
        maxGarage = 1
    }
}

Core Functions (Server)

-- server.lua
local houseData = {} -- cache

-- Load all home information
MySQL.query.await('SELECT * FROM housing', {}, function(result)
    for _, house in ipairs(result) do
        houseData[house.id] = house
    end
end)

-- Buy a house
ESX.RegisterServerCallback('housing:buyHouse', function(source, cb, houseId)
    local xPlayer = ESX.GetPlayerFromId(source)
    local house = houseData[houseId]
    
    if not house then cb(false, 'no house found') return end
    if house.owner then cb(false, 'This house is already owned') return end
    
    local config = GetHouseConfig(houseId)
    if not config then cb(false, 'Config is not valid') return end
    
    if xPlayer.getMoney() < config.price then
        cb(false, 'not enough money')
        return
    end
    
    xPlayer.removeMoney(config.price)
    
    MySQL.update.await(
        'UPDATE housing SET owner = ? WHERE id = ?',
        { xPlayer.identifier, houseId }
    )
    
    houseData[houseId].owner = xPlayer.identifier
    cb(true, 'Successfully bought the house!')
end)

-- Lock/unlock home
RegisterNetEvent('housing:toggleLock')
AddEventHandler('housing:toggleLock', function(houseId)
    local src = source
    local xPlayer = ESX.GetPlayerFromId(src)
    local house = houseData[houseId]
    
    if not house or house.owner ~= xPlayer.identifier then
        TriggerClientEvent('M2.Notify:Notify', src, 'error', 'Not your home', 3000)
        return
    end
    
    local newLocked = house.locked == 1 and 0 or 1
    MySQL.update.await('UPDATE housing SET locked = ? WHERE id = ?', { newLocked, houseId })
    houseData[houseId].locked = newLocked
    
    TriggerClientEvent('housing:updateLock', src, houseId, newLocked == 1)
end)

Client — enter/exit the house

-- client.lua
local insideHouse = nil

local function EnterHouse(house)
    local interior = house.interior
    SetEntityCoords(PlayerPedId(), interior.x, interior.y, interior.z)
    SetEntityHeading(PlayerPedId(), interior.w)
    insideHouse = house.id
exports['M2.Notify']:Notify('success', 'Home entered', 2000)
    TriggerEvent('housing:onEnter', house.id)
end

local function ExitHouse()
    local houseConfig = GetHouseConfig(insideHouse)
    local exitCoords = houseConfig.coords
    
    SetEntityCoords(PlayerPedId(), exitCoords.x, exitCoords.y, exitCoords.z)
    SetEntityHeading(PlayerPedId(), exitCoords.w)
    insideHouse = nil
    
    TriggerEvent('housing:onExit')
end

-- Check proximity and show interaction
Citizen.CreateThread(function()
    while true do
        local coords = GetEntityCoords(PlayerPedId())
        
        if insideHouse then
            -- Find exit point
            DrawText3D(coords.x, coords.y, coords.z + 0.5, '[E] left home')
            if IsControlJustReleased(0, 38) then
                ExitHouse()
            end
            Citizen.Wait(0)
        else
            -- Check nearby houses
            for _, house in ipairs(Config.Houses) do
                local dist = GetDistanceBetweenCoords(coords, house.coords, true)
                if dist <= 2.0 then
                    DrawText3D(house.coords.x, house.coords.y, house.coords.z + 0.5,
                        '[E]enter the house')
                    if IsControlJustReleased(0, 38) then
                        -- Check if it's locked.
                        TriggerServerEvent('housing:enter', house.id)
                    end
                    break
                end
            end
            Citizen.Wait(500)
        end
    end
end)

Summary

The housing system is more complex than the job system, but provides very high value for the RP server. Start with the basic buy/enter/exit first, then add the garage, storage, and furniture system.