I've been tossed out on my pixels!!

It is not just because I work for him, but Raymond is a great landlord too.

I can't disagree. I have done both in my SL experience and never had a problem, but you are right, risk is minimized by buying since you are cutting out a variable. I just know a lot of good variables out there.

Don't trust her. She gets paid to be nice to me.

Also, I don't do commercial rentals...

You know what, it depends. Knowing what I know now, I'd need more contact with the person first to see the development, read the covenant myself, and see if they're putting out fair value or overextending themselves.

People who do the rent vs. buy math should know how much land costs and what's fair. I remember the first development I made. It was originally 4 houses on a 1280 lot with a multiplier bonus, but then my prim limit got slashed and the bonus was lost. I had to drop a house in order to offer the price and prim limit I wanted. Anyone doing similar math would have seen the number of objects on the parcel, the prim limits offered, and noted that the 3 prim limits totaled to a workable amount.

So a) they would not have been at risk of getting evicted because of prim excesses, except by ME evicting them for that purpose,

b) if they looked at the covenant, they would have seen that they were covered, as the island had mixed res/commercial.

Most people don't take the time to learn and as such are at greater risk of stuff like this happening. They're either bowled over by the price, or the view, and don't realize what kind of risk they really run.

'a lot of money'? Please. For my 4096 parcel im paying $15. a month in a land fee. If $15. is 'a lot' to you then I suppose we are worlds apart in economic brackets. If so then my appologizes.

It seems however you have a chip on your shoulder with owning land? Not sure why but thats the way it sounds. Renting should be a secondary option to owning.

What odds are greater; LL folding or a landlord going belly up? Looking at the posts here on a weekly basis about users getting screwed over by landlords in some way, and the LL web site is still running, what do you think the answer is?

M2C

How much are you paying in membership fees and how much did the parcel cost? It all mounts up, plus plenty of people simply do not like mainland.

The safest option is to rent, preferably from someone who lets you rent by the week so if it all goes wrong then you don't lose much. If you fall on hard times, again you don't lose much.

How are you paying $15 a month in tier for a 4096 parcel when LL charges $25 to hold that amount of land? If you know something I don't, please tell me!

Regardless, I agree with your overall premise - it is much safer to own on mainland than it is to rent, when you consider what can go wrong with the middlemen, and there really isn't much of a difference in cost. The cost of owning on mainland is well worth it.

Rent is all about freedom. If you do not want to commit to paying LL membership fees and then having to worry about selling the land at a possible loss, renting is a great way to go. At the lower tier levels, especially, if you want to keep your budget low, renting is often the best way to go because you often will get more prims to decorate with than if you owned your own land and put a house on it. How many new owners of a 512 or 1024 found that after they put the house down, they barely had any prims to decorate with? Whereas your friend who rents from a bigger landowner gets a full 100, 150, 200 prims or more and has the freedom to quit any time he likes.

Renting is absolutely a viable option, but it is not going to be for everyone. Same with buying.

Not at all. I prefer owning land myself. I just like coming to the defense of renting, because it is a viable, if more risky, way to go.

The only way to live on a beautiful, low lag estate without owning one is to rent there. Thousands of avatars do it every day with great success.

Not getting how my posts make it look like I have a chip on my shoulder...

I should have know that something was going wrong when i started to move in I couldnt put stuff down cause it said that the pardel was full.

LOL I've got to say, that's probably one of the best ways... You can tell alot about someone by what they choose to write in their profile, what words they use and by what they leave out. In the end, I guess I'll ask around then follow my gut feeling, (my judgemental gut?!). Works for me in RL

Certainly and I am not trying to defame these people. Many I am sure try to do good business. However, as you said, its a additional variable and point of failure I rather not have to worry about.

The result of this conversation, when it comes up each month or so is the same. Each has it's merits and detractions. Obtaining your Virtual Space from the Providers is a safer way to spend your Quatloos, they obstensibly will not boldly go into the night on a moments notice. On the mainland you can do whatever you want with your space, bound only by the TOS. This is also the biggest detraction for some. Your neighbor may be an "SL sociopath" and you are subject to the possible griefing and general mayhem that can be Mainland Living. Private Estate living means you pay a third party who can possibly disappear tomorrow with your money, or just flat out evict you, no questions asked. You may have a restrictive covenant, you may not be able to resell your plot. But islands tend to be quieter, afford more privacy, and are usually aesthetically consistent. It's all predicated on what you want out of the situation, just like everything else in SL.

Maybe he's confusing you for Trout.......

Agree. Just as in RL, owning is not always the way to go. You can rent (much less hassle and taxes) as long as you put away $$$ in your RSP+invest. I finally decided to buy in RL last year because I knew if I didn't, I would not get by in my 'old age' with the little I had saved up. If you know what your doing, there's no reason you should not rent - just a matter of convenience and choice.
As for SL, I'm not sure how long I'll be here, and I don't have the time or feel the need to buy - YET! Who knows in the future. For now, renting is fine.

From my account info: Total monthly cost: US$25.00

Yes the land (which was one of the cheapest 4096 parcels listed) did cost a bit, ~35K lindens. It is a one time fee. I now have land I can do whatever I want with it with no issues and no one can pull the run from under me.

This is the same argument irl of home owners vs renters. Why should a renter pay for the landlords morgage when they can go out and buy their own argument. Some applies here IMO, why should I rent long term when in the end I am going to spend more then enough to just buy it outright in a one time fee. Seems, long term, more logical to buy.

If its short term sure, the week to week works. However if it does get upended from you, yes, the weekly rent wont be much of a loss, whats ON your land will be in time lost. Having to rebuild, redo your home and all the deco in a new lot is a pain I would imagine.

As for the mainland argument. I dont see what the big deal is. Perhaps I just got good neighbors but in my week so far have not had a issue. Aside from explorers popping by and wandering around unannounced (which I couldnt care less) been pretty uneventful.

Tooting my own horn a little...Lilliana, we'll be opening a new rental community in the next week or two. The community includes a row of small shops. Depending on how much square footage and how many prims you need, we might be able to accommodate you. If, that is, you're willing to take a chance on a newcomer to the rental business. Send me an IM in world, or a PM here.

For a couple more established and reputable names, add Garth FairChang and Desmond Shang to the list.

Just some of the colorful descriptors you used came off that way. My appologizes if I read too much into it.

Another person in this thread made a excellent point. If you can not name names in these forums, and only the renters know of the bad experience how is one supposed to NOT have a 'good rep'? Seems pretty easy for a less then honest landlord get around such.

I think I could use about 150 prims for my stuff. I am going to look around for a little while. It stinks that i have no where to live for a while. Where will i have my new years eve party??

You are more then welcome to have it at my keep if you would like, its pretty roomy. I have no plans on using it for new years. I will be online ~6p (EST) IM me and ill send you a landmark and show you around or post any questions you have here.

If you need a place to live, I can put you up in Liome for free for a week or two. You just can't open a store there.

As far as the party, head for the Cartel Hangout in Allana.

Assuming that Colon Ping Thingie Qie talked doesn't cause it be all lagged up..............

i wouldnt mind looking at your place. I am sure that I will be looking at a few places. If you don't mind I'd like to contact you in-world for a look see.

*Clears her throat and stares down the hamster.*