Final Fantasy 14: How to Enter Housing Lottery

Housing is, as some players say, the “real” endgame of Final Fantasy 14. It’s incredibly difficult to get a house because players have to win a lottery to be able to buy it, in addition to house plots being very expensive. The price can vary based on their size, but players will have to cash out at least a few million Gil.

Before Endwalker was released, players had to wait in front of an available plot to get it. They could wait for over 20 hours, clicking endlessly on a board to be the first to claim the plot. It wasn’t sustainable, which pushed the developer to change the obtaining system for a lottery. In addition, Ishgard welcomed a new Housing district, granting players more chances of obtaining a precious Housing plot. With this new system in place, players will benefit from knowing how to enter the Housing Lottery in FF14.

How to Enter the Housing Lottery in FF14

Players can only enter one lottery at a time, so it may be beneficial to first check which plots are available before entering, which can be done by checking the full list of Plots. Then, to enter the Lottery, players have to head to the closest Ward and go in front of the plot placard, select “Enter Lottery”, agree to the Terms and Conditions, and pay upfront.

To get an idea of your chance of winning the lottery, it’s best to wait until the last moment before entering, so you can see how many people you’re competing against.

There are two kinds of housing plots in FF14: those available to private buyers, and those dedicated to Free Companies. Players who want to buy a plot for themselves should ignore wards 1-6 and 21-25, as they only include plots for Free Companies.

Once players have entered a lottery, they can check how many players are already in it so they can decide on which plot they want to choose based on the popularity of it, as the more popular a plot is, the lower the chance of winning. In terms of popularity, FF14 follows the same rule as real estate: plots that offer the best view are the most popular, and bigger plots will also attract more players due to their rarity. Usually, players will have to wait five days before finding out the results. Then, they have four days to claim the plot.

All House and Plot Types in FF14

FF14 includes five different housing areas; the Mist in Limsa Lominsa, the Lavender Beds in Gridania, The Goblet in Ul’dah, Shirogane in Kugane, and the Empyreum in Ishgard, all of which offering a different vibe and experience. However, the look of houses themselves don’t change based on the housing area.

Players who want a house for features like gardening and stabling their Chocobo can also obtain it through a plot owned by the Free Company they belong to. It’s also possible to claim private chambers.

FF14 players are required to pay for a plot to enter the lottery. If they lose, they will be refunded. Here is the price for every kind of plot available:

• Fifth-class Plots
  • Small: 3 million Gil
  • Medium: 16 million Gil
  • Large: 40 million Gil
• Fourth-class Plots
  • Small: 3,187,500 Gil
  • Medium: 17 million Gil
  • Large: 42,5 million Gil
• Third-class Plots
  • Small: 3,375,000 Gil
  • Medium: 19 million Gil
  • Large: 45 million Gil
• Second-class Plots
  • Small: 3,562,500 Gil
  • Medium: 19 million Gil
  • Large: 47.5 million Gil
• First-class Plots
  • Small: 3.75 million Gil
  • Medium: 20 million Gil
  • Large: 50 million Gil

Once the Plot is purchased, players also need to buy a house. A small Cottage costs 450,000 Gil, a medium one costs 1 million Gil and a large one costs 3 million Gil.

If a player doesn’t claim the Plot a certain amount of time after they won the Lottery, the Plot will be given to someone else, and they will lose half of the payment amount.

Players can check when the results will be available and what they are in the Timers tab of their menu at any time. Opening that menu is done with the Ctrl + U command on PC, clicking on “Estate,” and then on “Housing Lottery Status.” If they lose, they’ll be refunded by confirming the process and will be able to enter another one. It’s possible to lose the amount paid, however, if the refund isn’t claimed within 90 days.

Owning a home in FF14 requires a significant amount of time and maintenance. If players don’t enter their estate at least once a month, they’ll be scheduled for auto-demolition. Square Enix will send several warning emails, prompting players to enter their estate to reset the auto-demolition timer. When they lose their plot because of the timer, they can reclaim 80 percent of the plot’s value, but will lose ownership and have to go through the Lottery process once again in FF14.