Glossary · 2026

What is a Hard Hold on a Property Unit?

TL;DR

A hard hold is a deposit-backed reservation that contractually removes a unit from public sale.
It's the default 'Reserved' status — buyer has paid the booking deposit, the unit is no longer available to other buyers, and the next step is contract signing.
Compare to a 'soft hold', which is a temporary courtesy reservation without money or contract.

Booking Pending

TW-A-1201

2BR · 88 m² · Pool view

Deadline47:12

Quick facts

Money involved: Booking deposit (typically 5–20% of price)
Contract status: Booking form signed; SPA may follow
Released by: Buyer cancellation, developer cancellation, or completion
Cancellation cost: Partial deposit forfeiture per contract

How is a hard hold created?

When the buyer pays the booking deposit, the unit transitions from 'Available' (or from a Pending/soft-hold status) to 'Reserved'. A booking form is signed; in some markets a Sale and Purchase Agreement (SPA) follows shortly after. The unit is no longer available to other buyers, and the developer's escrow holds the deposit.

What happens if the buyer cancels a hard hold?

Cancellation rules depend on the country and the contract. In UAE off-plan, DLD publishes a forfeiture scale — the percentage of deposit forfeited rises with construction completion at the time of cancellation. In other markets, cancellation terms are set by contract. The unit returns to inventory after cancellation processing.

Can a hard hold be transferred to another buyer?

Often yes — this is how 'flipping' off-plan works. A buyer with a contract can assign it to a new buyer, subject to developer consent and registration with the relevant regulator (e.g. DLD in Dubai). Some developers restrict assignment until a percentage of the price is paid.

How DomusHub handles hard holds and the booking-to-deal flow

When a deposit is confirmed in DomusHub, the unit transitions to Reserved. Finance verifies payment, then a Deal record is created in the Sales section. The buyer then signs the contract and pays the first tranche of the payment plan; once both happen, the deal is marked closed and the agent's commission unlocks.

Reserved status is data-layer enforced — no second booking possible.
Deal record links the booking to a payment plan and a contract status.
Cancellation flow returns the unit to inventory and triggers refund processing.
Agent commission becomes visible at deal-closed, not at booking.

Frequently asked questions

How much is a typical booking deposit?

5–20% of the unit price, depending on the market and the developer. UAE Tier-1 projects often require 20%; smaller developers accept 10% or less.

Is a hard hold the same as a sale?

Almost — it's the contractual reservation that precedes the SPA. In some markets the booking form itself is binding; in others a separate SPA is signed days or weeks later.

What's the difference between Reserved and Sold status?

Reserved = booking deposit paid, contract may or may not be signed. Sold = full payment received, or all milestones completed. Operationally most platforms treat Reserved and Sold as similar (unit not available); legally they differ.