Glossary & framework library

Second home

Residential

Reference

A property bought for leisure or occasional use rather than a primary residence.

Related terms

  • Social housing

    Housing provided or subsidised by government or non-profits for households who cannot access the open market, allocated by need rather than ability to pay.

  • Affordability

    The relationship between house prices or rents and household incomes.

  • Affordable housing

    Housing priced so that lower- and middle-income households spend no more than a set share of income (often 30 percent) on rent or purchase; a growing policy fo…

  • Build-to-rent (BTR)

    Purpose-built residential developed specifically to be rented rather than sold.

  • Buy-to-let

    A property bought specifically to rent out for income and capital growth rather than to occupy; a mainstay of individual investor demand in Dubai's off-plan an…

  • Co-living

    A rental format offering private bedrooms with shared kitchens, lounges, and services, marketed to young professionals; gaining traction in Dubai and Riyadh as…

  • Compound (gated community)

    A walled residential development with controlled access and shared amenities (security, pools, retail, schools), the dominant premium housing format in Cairo's…

  • First-time buyer

    A purchaser buying their first home, often targeted by developers and governments with preferential pricing, lower deposits, or subsidised finance to widen own…