Buying Land on Private Estates

Nah. You just can't hear me screamin'

It's kind of important to answer threads like this, because in a way, owning a sim is like running off and joining the circus. Delerious fun, happy fun, the wonderful wonderful circus! But the show must go on.

Frequently I'm reminded of Gaiman's movie for kids, Mirrormask (highly recommended, by the way). A fantastical parallel world - all the more wondrous for who the characters really are in the real world, and the issues they face.

I'm not much, honestly. Been lucky. I know a few backstories of what it took for some people to keep their sims running from the 'real world' side of things. When people lose their jobs, have a crisis at home, cancer - or worse. I count myself very fortunate.

We may disagree with people in a forum from time to time, but when it really comes down to it, what Kitty thinks, what everyone else thinks, is pretty important.

All our second lives are so different and we have to share that. I was on an alt the other night - really needed to have a long conference with someone in peace. My noobish alt was shoved repeatedly by a couple others. I deal with new players all the time - these guys weren't having trouble with walking or lag, they were just looking to pick a fight.

I could hardly believe the experience - was this the same grid as the one I live on? I'm sure few people could imagine my second life. I'm rushing to finish four .raw files right now for another four new sims. Sims that need to be rolled out ASAP or a lot of people will be disappointed. Very different than being shoved around.

* * * * *

With regard to advisory type groups... wow that's a good question.

I really don't know. I have a LOT of respect for the concierge team, but I'm not in their group - oddly that's maybe the only one I'd recommend. Just ask someone in concierge for an invite.

I do take advice myself - and I've gotten some *good* advice... but from those close to me. Some who happen to own a lot of sims themselves. I get by with a little help from my friends.

Thank you to all who have responded so far. An excellent set of replies.

Love.

Heh not really sure what you mean by sales speach. I don't sell land on my island so even if I have a sales pitch, this ain't it.

When you say that this method 'conveniently' gives you a sim 'for no cost' I beg to differ. If you cut it up and sell every last scrap of it, if you can do all that before the credit card bill comes in, if you can sell the L$ for US$ and cash it all out before the bill comes in... and if your own personal time is worth absolutely nothing.. then maybe this will get you a 'free' island. But if you sold every last scrap of it, then its not really yours any more to enjoy, you just have to keep working for less than minimum wage to maintain it.

However - I don't sell land on my island, so I'm not going to spend any more time explaining a business model that I don't use.

Re. getting information and advice, I am in the concierge group and it's about 70% good information and 30% fluff. The signal/noise ratio might vary but I tend to ignore the fluff so I don't notice it. If you have a question about region / estate stuff, the concierge group is a great place to turn to. I don't know where else one would go, other than contacting the concierge Lindens directly. They have an office inworld, on their own island.

-Atashi

I seriously doubt that an estate owner would reclaim the land unless you failed to pay tier or broke a rule. Other than that, I'm pretty sure they'll leave you alone and collect the rent from you, since, that's what they're in business for. You speak as if breaking a rule isnt reason to reclaim the land and evict someone. Why? It's their rules, and if you didnt like the rules to begin with, then don't rent from them.

Any estate owner who would "screw you over" just for the sake of doing so would be doing serious damage to their reputation, and that would cost them because other renters would hear about the things they do and avoid renting from them.

Simply rent from a person with a stellar reputation. My personal list:
Sarah Nerd, Desmond Shang, Kandee Herrey, Darien Caldwell

You will never be screwed over by any of the above. I will stake my own reputation on it.

I don't mean to derail but... I can't see how they can charge 295 in tier and not upgrade the sim to class 5. You're paying the same for less. I know if they push up the prices, they sure as heck need to push up the hardware and software they are running on - because essentially they are forcing you to upgrade to the new sims.

It's all basically a question of what kind of environment you want -- that's how I look at it.

Sure, there is incremental risk from buying on an island sim as compared with mainland. But if you buy from one of the well-known, reputable landlords, the incremental risk is minimal as a practical matter.

So, to me, it comes down to what you want to do. Islands offer more terraforming possibilities, more cohesion usually (because of covenanting) and more privacy generally. They are also more isolated than mainland, and, unless you are a part of a large archipelago, things like sailing and the like are not feasible in them. On an island you don't get the randomness that you do on the mainland, with its sometimes wacky, sometimes tacky, often chaotic feel -- but it depends on what you like personally. It's a personal preference issue more than it is anything else. I have lived in both places and at this point I prefer mainland for a few reasons: (1) I actually enjoy the randomness, I find it interesting, much more so than a covenanted island, (2) I like being able to do whatever the hell I want however the hell I want, and (3) I like to sail, and I couldn't do that very well when I lived on an island. But islands are better for people who have different preferences. In any case, I think it's a decision best made on the basis of what kind of environment you want to live in, rather than level of risk.

I just want to say I'm impressed with this thread. I think it's the first I've seen no gross misrepresentations of either side of the mainland/Island debate. An accurate, fact filled thread that everyone with this question should read.

I take full credit for that...

Love.

Add to that list of good estate owners C&F Estates.