Any difference between buying an existing/new island?

Other than price, are there any differences in features or terraforming between buying a pre-existing island from another player or buying a new island from Linden labs?

None besides not being able to choose where it goes and the first look of it (land map), once you buy it you can change its location on the map and land map, but it will cost you.

If you're talking about an estate, no. They all have the same feature sets. The only difference you might note is new server equipment on a fresh install but that's not guaranteed. I seriously doubt that there's enough difference across the board to be noticable though.

When you purchase an existing island, the owner will owe LL a $100US transfer fee. If they want you to pay that, they'll need to include it in their agreed price with you. You will also have to pay a fee if you want the island moved, attached to another estate or detached from a current neighbor.

As far as I am aware there is no difference in the hardware.

The $100 island transfer fee is paid by the seller and includes:
1) Renaming of the island.
2) Detachment of island from current land mass (if it is attached)
3) Resetting the default terraform, this is the point to which the land "reverts" to. You may choose flat or one of the predefined terraforms from LL's island page.
4) Resetting the rating (M or PG)

You may not specify where the island is to be placed (at least not cheaply) but I *think* you can ask them to move it into a random location. This should prevent people from TP'ing i,n that had the former island set as their home location.

That doesn't work. People can still TP in even though they are stuck. I think they end up being forced to log out.

Did they actually move your island?

Yep.

If I buy a pre-existing island, can I submit a RAW file to terraform the island? How much extra does that cost.

Hiya Tyg here is a link about islands
http://secondlife.com/vland/islands.php

Yes you can submit your own raw file. IM Jeska Linden for more information as she was able to do so for another player in this thread concerning raw files

/111/9c/21467/1.html

Mar

I will contact her straight away. Thanks.