I've been tossed out on my pixels!!

All you have to do is read the non-LL forums: SLUniverse, SLExchange, Second Survivor

People routinely name names there. And even though you can't mention names here, people DO post their horror stories here and all you have to do to find out more is IM the poster in-world (many people here have PMs disabled).

And even if you're not a forum person, just asking folks who've been around a while where they've rented, or if they know the reputations of specific landlords in SL will save you an enormous amount of heartache.

Second Life is a small world after all. If someone's screwing folks over, there ARE people who know about it.

That's for your land use, how much is your membership, you pay that too don't you?



Except for Linden Lab, the most trustworthy landlord here:

"Linden Lab has the right at any time for any reason or no reason to suspend or terminate your Account, terminate this Agreement, and/or refuse any and all current or future use of the Service without notice or liability to you. In the event that Linden Lab suspends or terminates your Account or this Agreement, you understand and agree that you shall receive no refund or exchange for any unused time on a subscription, any license or subscription fees, any content or data associated with your Account, or for anything else."



No it's quite a lot different than RL. People can rent for less than you're paying in fees. Sure they are at the whim of a landlord but it's just as cheap. The advantage you have is that you don't have to worry about someone evicting you (unless of course it's LL), however financially it's not the same sort of investment as RL and LL manage land pricing to try and achieve what they believe is the optimal level (not very well in my opinion and they have strange ideas on what the average price of land is).

In RL, if I'd paid off my mortgage I'd be a hell of a lot better off than someone who was renting.



Agreed about the time lost, but the mainland argument is the reason so many residents choose to live on estate land. I had someone asking me recently if they could relocate because a club had moved in next door, estates generally manage matters so that sort of scenario doesn't arise.

Some people love the wild west nature of mainland, the spinning ad farms, the 16M plots. Others find great mainland, I own some but if an ad farmer buys an adjacent plot the beautiful skyline will be lost, Raymond Figtree owns some of the most beautiful mainland around, but mainland is generally a messier environment and plenty of people turn their noses up at that.

I'm finding your logic impossible to follow, Strauss. The landlords that have been mentioned here don't have neutral reps...they have GOOD reps. Many, many people will tell you how well they have been treated by these landlords. When we're talking "good reputations" here, we don't mean "we just haven't heard anything bad about them". We mean that they have positively established themselves as honest, fair-dealing people.

I can speak from personal experience in the case of the FairChangs; I rented island land from them for several months, and had a wonderful, positive experience. I know of the others from their posts here on the forums, and from the experiences and recommendations of others whom I trust, and I would rent from any of them without hesitation.

Thanks, Ciaran. I'm fortunate that Liome's four neighboring sims are also owned by single avatars and nicely landscaped.

The ironic thing is the only way to make sure my mainland stayed nice was to buy a whole sim, so the only way for other folks to enjoy its beauty other than just visiting is to RENT there.

Isa, I have always rented as I like to move around a lot and don't really want the responsiblity of land ownership quite yet. It's easier when I'm ready to go without the hassle of trying to find a buyer for my land. I also prefer to live under a covenant for obvious reasons. I know some don't like this, but it works very well for me.

I've rented from the same land owners the entire time I've been in SL (which btw is longer than my birth date as Sol; I was in game as an alt for 1 year before Sol). I've never had a problem. Customer service is superb, I'm able to move from parcel to parcel easily, though I've lived where I do now for almost a year because I love it so much.

IM or PM me for more information if you're interested in hearing more. I will give you a contact name and get you hooked right up.


Sol

Uh oh...dammit, WW, you've been so scarce here, I forgot to mention you. And you are one of the best.

This is why I don't do my lists anymore.

being someone that has rented for a while what do you consider reasonable rent? L per prim?

Pretty much why I went to a Private Island. My first plot was a nice 512 with a decent view. There was a casino nearby, but far enough that at my draw distance (96m) I didn't have to look at it. Problem was I needed more space and the casino owned all the plots around me, and wouldn't sell except at extortion level prices. Worse yet, the lag was awful and half the time I couldn't even get into the sim because it was full. I sold to a woman who owned a few parcels and wanted to push the casino out, which wound up happening shortly thereafter anyway. A friend told me of a new sim at the West of Ireland, the owner I already knew, so I bought a 2048, which I have since doubled. I have a 1.4 prim bonus, so I'm happy. I do sometimes contemplate selling, since I really don't spend a lot of time there, but it really is a beautiful spot.

Interesting point, I created a business to try and earn lindens legitimately, selling prim naughty bits and I got an Abuse Reported reprimand from LL for posting pictures of them in the classifieds. But I could scam and steal from people over and over again in SL with no repercussions as far as LL is concerned. Maybe I'm in the wrong business.

another $10. *shrugs* Again $35. small price to pay for peace of mind and security for all the work I put into my place.




And? If you played any other online community/MMORPG (or most web sites that you register a account with) the same worded legalise is given. However, how many times do you really think they have done such? If it was a common occurance it would be business suicide for them. This get-out-of-jail-free card for them is simply for the very rare user whos nothing but a pain and they have had enough. You cant not use this to say LL is just as flaky/unstable as a 2 or 3 tiered landlorded chuck of land.



One can own a 512 plot with NO tier fee. Get a good rl friend whom you trust to join you to go in 50/50 and you can get a 1024 plot together with no tier. So the cost only factors into a situation like mine where I wanted a large chuck. There are certainly economical ways to own land without paying as much as me, if at all.



Exactly!



It comes down to doing some leg work. I visited prob 2 dozen lots before I settled on the one I currently have. Its simple matter of doing research and finding one with pleasing neighbors.

I would have loved to be there when everything got whiped off of the sim I was renting. I would have been perhaps sitting on my couch, enjoying the firplace or changing my clothes or worse yet showering. then POOF, like a tornato swept through everything gone and there wold have been me standing there bewildered and naked perhaps. me and all my neighbors who perhaps were in other compromising positions. We would all stand there momentarily shaking our heads trying to make sense of the tradgety that just came upon us (some of us would dress)...hehehe it would have been kinda worth the aggrevation that has followed.

then you are paying $25 for the land which is what a 4096 tier costs

are you paying your membership annually semi annually or monthly?
(edited)

never mind, saw your other post that said an extra 10 for membership


did you typo when you said you have a 4096 for 15 a month?

from 15 to 35 is quite a jump

(and I am all for owning land, as opposed to renting)
I have owned my land for over a year now, and even though the sim is a tad laggy I would not sell it quite yet hehe

you can use my place if you like, just follow the link to my store (in my sig here) the log cabin is behind the store

it is lightly furnished, I do not use it, mainly put it there as a showhome, as I will be listing it for sale once I get the motivation to take the pics and create ads and all that.

And what happens, for example, in a worse case scenario where Mr. FairChangs has a RL issue, say he losses his job. Ms. FairChangs says its time to tighten the finical belt and thats means his 'hobby'. Mr. FairChangs over night cancels his account (perhaps IMs his tenants with a 'sorry but..' msg) so he focus on getting his rl situation back on track.

Rep good or bad means nil at that point.

While this may seem a extreme example I have seen it, more then once over the years, by other people running persistent game servers or community sites. So the idea isn't that out in deep left. The only concern when owning land is if LL goes under. Odds pretty slim IMO.

I'll take my chances with LL.

That is so nice of you to offer Rhoarth. Thank you. I might just have to take you up on that offer.

Ah - the true voice of reason.

if you have a party for new years, just remember do not drink and drive
crash (as in sleep) where ever you like hehe

there is a sofa with poses, um a generic multipose bed, a kitchen table, patio table with chairs, might make an umbrella for it too hehe

maybe I will stick the hot tub in the backyard too

hehe

(if prims allow it I will put out some goodies for ppl to snack on, on the table)

anyone welcome to drop by

Each to their own. I assume you will never complain about griefers, lagging objects, ridiculous builds on your sim, encroachment, etc., etc., etc.

But Rudolph, all those things can occur on any estate, even if they are well managed but more on those that are not managed as well.

Piss off a tenant, and he comes back with a ton of griefing alts. I watched this happen to a landlord and it was not pretty. It drove some other tenants away.

Parcel encroachment - yep, happens all the time (usually with trees, but still).

Ridiculous builds - yep. Like a concert stage showing up in the middle of a residential neighborhood.

That's why any money I spend in SL is from my entertainment budget, it would be spent on some sort of intangible manner. If my landlord goes for a walk, if LL poofs, or if I lose interest in SL, I can just move along to something else. We all approach SL from a different direction.

In the words of Duke Ellington, "Not hardly I guess." But thanks.

You still have to pay premium membership. It's not free, nor is the plot. However a 512 plot is the only sized plot where a comparison can be made to RL ownership. You do get a financial advantage for owning a 512.

However beyond that, it doesn't give you a financial advantage. I can rent a 4096 for less than you pay a month, this shouldn't be the case.



However there's nothing to stop the neighbours upping sticks and an ad farm appearing next door. Like I said earlier, some people love mainland, warts and all, I own plenty of mainland. However it is a volatile market.

Exactly! The SL rent I pay is figured into my entertainment budget. I think I mentioned before that my SL fun costs monthly approximately the same as if I went to a movie once per week at the regular (not matinee) price. If my landlord or SL takes a dive and I lose my home and stuff I'll be sad and maybe a little pissed (cause I have some cool virtual loot) but I'll just do something else. Albeit probably not as fun for me though.

...which will all be for naught the moment that Brazilian BDSM Camping Casino moves in next door.

Complaing on a forum that has no say in the issue would be a waste of my time and yours.

Ban list, mute, keep a buffer between my building and the property lines, AR's are all wonderful tools to correct such. Plus I like the random explorer popping by. Easy way to meet new people.