Glossary · 37 terms
The words on every Taiwan listing, explained.
Listings, contracts and tax bills in Taiwan use terms that have no exact English equivalent. Here they are, with the Chinese so you can match them to what you see.
Size and layout
- Ping坪píng
- The unit every Taiwan listing uses: 1 ping = 3.306 m² = 35.6 sq ft. A "30-ping flat" is about 99 m² on paper, but see the next entries: that figure includes shared space.
- Title area權狀坪數
- The total area on the title deed. It is the sum of the main building, attached areas (balconies, awnings) and your share of common areas. This is the number prices per ping are quoted on.
- Main building area主建物
- The floor area inside your own walls. Usually 60–75% of the title area in a modern tower. Ask for it whenever you compare two homes.
- Attached area附屬建物
- Balconies, terraces and (on older titles) awnings that belong to your unit but sit outside the main walls. Counted in the title area.
- Common area / common-area ratio公設・公設比
- Lobby, corridors, lifts, gym, pool and the shared share of the building, expressed as a percentage of the title area. New towers run about 30–35%; older walk-ups 10–15%. Read the guide →
- Parking space types法定・獎勵・增設車位
- Statutory spaces (法定) must stay with the building; incentive (獎勵) and additional (增設) spaces can be sold separately. Check which type you are buying and whether it is on the title.
- Pre-sale, new build, resale預售屋・新成屋・中古屋
- Bought off-plan from the developer, completed but never lived in, or second-hand. Different contracts, warranties and financing apply to each. Read the guide →
- Rooftop addition / illegal structure頂樓加蓋・違建
- Floors or rooms added without a permit, common on older buildings. They can be ordered demolished and are not on the title, so they should not be priced as legal area.
- Walk-up apartment公寓
- A 4–5 storey building without a lift, usually 30+ years old. Cheapest per ping and no management fee, but harder to finance and to resell.
- Mid-rise flat / tower華廈・大樓
- A lift building under 10 floors is a 華廈; taller is a 大樓. Both have a management committee and monthly fees.
Buying and paying
- Registered transaction prices實價登錄
- The government database of actual sale prices, address by address. Every serious offer starts here. We pull it for you before any viewing.
- Earnest money斡旋金
- A sum, typically NT$100,000–300,000, deposited with your written offer to show you are serious. Refunded if the seller refuses; becomes your deposit if they accept. Read the guide →
- Offer letter要約書
- The alternative to earnest money: a binding written offer with no cash down. Walking away after acceptance costs up to 3% of the price, so it is not the "free" option it looks like. Read the guide →
- Deposit定金
- What earnest money becomes once the seller accepts. Under the Civil Code a buyer who backs out forfeits it; a seller who backs out returns double.
- Land administration agent代書・地政士
- The licensed professional who drafts the sale contract, files taxes and registers the transfer. Not a lawyer, but the person who actually moves title in Taiwan. We have three in-house.
- Escrow履約保證
- A bank-held account that holds every payment until title has transferred and the property has been handed over. Costs 0.06% of the price, usually split. We use it on every sale. Read the guide →
- Loan-to-value貸款成數
- The share of the price a bank will lend, quoted in tenths: "seven-tenths" (七成) means 70%. Foreign buyers with a residence permit and Taiwan income typically get 50–70%.
- Grace period寬限期
- The first years of a mortgage when you pay interest only. Usually 1–3 years, sometimes 5. Payments jump when it ends, so budget for the later figure.
- Property condition statement不動產現況說明書
- A seller-signed checklist of known defects: leaks, deaths on the premises, disputes, illegal additions. Read it before you offer; it decides what the seller is liable for later.
- Handover交屋・點交
- The final joint inspection and key handover after title transfers. Utilities, keys, remote controls and the management fee balance are all settled at this meeting.
- Title deed權狀
- The ownership certificate issued by the land office. You receive one for the building and one for the land share. Keep the originals; you need them to sell.
- Register transcript謄本
- An official extract of the land and building register showing the owner, area and any mortgages or seizures. Pulled the day of signing to confirm the seller can sell.
Taxes
- Deed tax契稅
- Paid by the buyer on transfer: 6% of the government-assessed building value, which is far below market price. In practice around 0.5–1% of the price.
- Stamp duty印花稅
- 0.1% of the assessed values of building and land, paid by the buyer at signing.
- House tax房屋稅
- Annual tax on the assessed value of the building. Owner-occupier rates are lower but need household registration, which most foreigners do not have.
- Land value tax地價稅
- Annual tax on the assessed value of your land share. The owner-occupier rate is 0.2%; the general rate is 1%–5.5%. Household registration is required for the low rate.
- Land value increment tax土地增值稅
- Seller's tax on the rise in assessed land value since purchase. Can be the largest selling cost on long-held property.
- Consolidated housing and land income tax房地合一稅
- Tax on the profit when you sell: 45% within 2 years, 35% within 5, 20% within 10, 15% after. Non-residents pay 45% or 35%. Read the guide →
- Household registration戶籍
- The civil registry of where a citizen lives. Many tax breaks (owner-occupier rates, the NT$4 million exemption) hinge on it. Foreign nationals register an ARC address instead, which does not count.
- ARC / APRC居留證・永久居留證
- Alien Resident Certificate and its permanent version. Six months or more of validity plus Taiwan income is what banks want before lending to a foreigner.
Renting
- Rental deposit押金
- Capped by law at two months' rent. Returned at move-out after inspection, minus documented damage beyond normal wear.
- Fixed-term vs open-ended lease定期・不定期租約
- A lease with an end date versus one without. Staying on after the end date while the landlord takes rent turns it into an open-ended lease with one month's notice either way. Read the guide →
- Rental Housing Act租賃住宅市場發展及管理條例
- The 2018 law that standardises residential leases: deposit cap, repair duties, early termination, landlord entry. The government standard contract comes from it.
- Lease notarisation租約公證
- Having a court notary certify the lease so rent and eviction can be enforced without a lawsuit. Optional; fee based on total rent. Read the guide →
- Management fee管理費
- Monthly charge per ping for the building's security, cleaning and reserves. Often included in rent for flats; confirm in the lease.
- Property management / sublease management包租代管
- A company either rents the home from you and sublets it (包租) or manages it for a fee (代管). Fusheng Property Management does both.
- Exclusive vs open listing專任約・一般約
- For sellers and landlords: one agency with full accountability, or several competing. Different fee and marketing arrangements. Read the guide →
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