So... the SL land market...

Im lovin it, mindless suckers!

Follow the influx of residents to Second Life.

All throughout 2007, the resident base grew massively. It started peaking at the beginning of 2008, and leveled off.

If a large number of the land sellers are lagging behind the numbers, supply is probably still shooting up even after demand levels off.

After a month or two of paying tier for land that can't be rented/sold, the sellers who were lagging behind on the supply curve now have to bail out, and that drives down virtual land values for everyone.

That's one of the reasons that I've always suspected that being an SL land baron isn't particularly sane. The land barons have to compete with two many poor businesspersons who can get into the business easily, and then have their poor decisions ruin the market for everyone.

The only ones who are going to really find some sanity in virtual land are those who actually offer a product besides the virtual land itself (such as an enforced themed area), or those who already made their big profit scores with the virtual land market was new and can ride on that war chest.

Besides, unless the land comes with a service, it is all largely over-valued when it comes to residential use. A lot of residents want residential use, but the pricing leaves out anyone who does not have some sort of combination of high disposable income for liesure activities and/or poor sense of budgeting money.

About 5 weeks ago, I bought a 512 plot for 1,800L. I bought the adjoining plot for 2,300L about a week later. The plots for sale surrounding me have been bought and then resold three times since I bought mine. They now go for 4,000L, and are less than 512. The lot next to me is 256 and is being sold for 4,450. There are also adfarm plots 16m-64m for as high as 6,000L. Everywhere I look at land, there is huge variation in prices, sometimes in land that is right next to each other, just a different seller.

There is a 512 lot near where I once had 32K. I know the owner and he doesn't have to sell until his premium account is up, so he has it at L$ 3300 for a while now (with items for sale on the lot that goes with it). Not exactly L$ 7.75 or whatever LL said, but also not L$ 3 or 4. And on the other hand, it hasn't sold. Right next to a LL road, but also right next to a really ugly wall around a mall, with an ad farm lot next door. So mainland prices appear to be somewhere around L$5/m, just guessing. Maybe if it were next to a really nice castle or marina.

The guy that has half of what I owned has held it at L$ 154,000 for about four months. That means he has paid 16K tier for four months while he has held it for sale. Right now it is lose all your money at once or bleed. You can't, however, wait it out if you are in his situation, which is buy the land for a group that didn't get off the ground, and it is completely unproductive, not logically. Sure, for a lot of people $ 75 isn't much money, but at some time you figure better ways to spend even $ 75 (a bottle of Bookers Bourbon to forget this mess).

If you like, send a PM here or drop me a note inworld - I could go on and on about it to the great detriment and anguish of all the bystanders...

I discuss my estate all the time (it's my favourite thing!) but if I actually outrun my waiting list with new regions soon, it would be a bit icky for me to crow about my estate here.

At least until I book up solid again and am sending people elsewhere. Which may not be too long, as I've got about 2.5 out of the four new regions pretty much spoken for already.

next time i go inworld, i will drop you a note. in the meantime, i think it would benefit anyone interested (or at least me, and that's good enough for me LOL).... is the theme to every sim steampunk? or do you have a little sumptin sumptin going different on every one?

and if i ask you direct questions, that's hardly tooting your own horn when you answer them. i wouldn't ask if i didn't want/need to know, and who knows how many people are lurking and afraid to ask.

You shouldn't think of $600 for a used region as a drastic price cut. New regions cost a total of $1000. That's $705 for the region and $295 for a month of tier, and it's delivered immediately. When you buy a previously owned region, you have to deal with the support ticket system, and the transfer could take a week or two, maybe longer. New, Direct-from-LL islands are also baggage-free. With a used region, you could end up dealing with the previous owners tenants that feel like you owe them money.

Unless the sim came with an incredible build, business, or name that was worth paying a premium for, I would think that $600 would be about the maximum that a used region would be worth. Class 5 sims grandfathered at $195/month would be another big exception.

LOL.

I'd buy one, if I could afford the tier month after month. That's what needs to come down, not the selling price.

Just for the record, 3 weeks ago I went to Aberdeen, and got sunburned.



Sunshine DOES exist in the UK, but you have to be lucky to catch it.

Except you can't sell the grandfathered tier price. IE, once you transfer it, it becomes $295/mo.

When did that start?

Well, I thought that was the original policy, but I may be mistaken on that. Disregard.

It varies considerably - from forests with furs and tinies, to straight-laced historic Victorian, but throughout you might encounter Verne or Wells sorts of technology.

Of course I won't snub a question, but if possible I'd like to gently ask people not to enquire about my estate directly in this thread - contact me inworld or use PM's please. It can look really bad if I carry on too much in Resident Answers; I'm probably over the line of acceptibility already. Not your fault 3ring - 110% mine.

For anyone lurking: there are numerous, numerous other estates on the grid and just about all of them have openings. Themed estates are fun, but a 'regular' estate with a decent person running it is pure gold, whatever theme or not they may have.

A good land baron is like a true concierge - and will sort out just about any intractable problem with you, from computer problems and lag to prefab homes to events to... you name it.

me too. TOTALLY! and i'd love to buy one for my friend and pay her tier for a year. but alas, i cannot rationalize those fees with nothing tangible to show for it in the end.

say no more. i've seen the effects of saying WAAAAY LESS THAN that - enough to know exactly what you mean.

as soon as i finish my calendar shot, i'll look you up and we'll chat a little.

There are an incredible lot of them for 600 or less.

And yes Talarus, the grandfathered tier does transfer with the island. There has been talk of that changing though.

I have heard quotes anywhere from 1000-1500 for grandfathered sims.

Desmond,

You should arrange a "tea time" - I'd love to hear your thoughts too.

They did suggest that would be the policy but they never actually implemented it.