New mainland sims: why are they already subdivided?

LL did something curious yesterday when they put up 27 new sims: ALL of them are already cut up into parcels, most 4096 meters, except where protected land crosses them. We will find out soon what the plan is for these, but anyone have any speculations?
Here's mine:

They plan to microauction land, selling 4096's instead of entire sims. This sounds reasonable because LL has said it wants to lower land prices, and it would cut out the middleman from buying and reselling sims. However, it would make things much more difficult as there would be around 128 new auction entries a day, rather than 8.

They plan to directly sell land instead of auctioning it for a set price. If they do this, they may have a queue system in mind; one user is allowed to get a newly released parcel per a certain time period, and waits to buy.

They are merely subdividing land up before auctioning because it doesn't take any more effort to do so, and makes it easier for the sim buyer.

Which sims? Where are they? Got an SLURL or some sim names?

When you say "put up" do you mean they are already up for auction or just on the grid?

As to the answer to your question, they will do whatever takes the least amount of effort and nets them the most cash. So I think they will just auction them off.

4096 sqm auctions are in L$ not USD. Could they be trying to take more money out of the system? Do these plots have auction ID's on them yet? Or are they just sitting there waiting for something?

L$ auctions are just as ridiculously overpriced as USD auctions. That a sim is cut up instead of whole will make no practical difference. Auctions are still going to be fought, tooth and nail, no matter the denomination and no matter the size.

Would be a smart move on LL's part if this is true.

by "put up" I mean just put on the grid. The sims nor the parcels have names; you can find them by looking at the new continent on the main map, zooming in, and panning south until you see a block of sims all named J-10v1. And they don't have auction ID's.

Thank you for sharing your detective work with us, Aminom. It is very much appreciated.

I guess after the 10 millionth time someone buys a sim and cuts it into tiny pieces and then sells it for 20% more than they paid for it you start to get funny ideas.

Way to go LL, you finally worked out what the rest of SL have known for 3 years. Smaller plots are worth more than big ones.

Aye, and all what's old is new again.

The Company USED to do this!



It will certainly have an interesting market effect.

Generally, people just wanting a single lot for themselves won't plan to go up against hardened, experienced land speculators in an auction.

I hope whatever they are doing helps Second Life as a whole.

Well... cutting out the middleman may result in more profit to LL if the cost of subdividing is less than the salary of the employee doing the cutting.

If you are terraforming, and putting in reserved land, cutting into plots is trivial, it's part of the estate tools even.

The cost of subdividing is minimal to nonexistent. I am sure they can automatically subdivide sims.

It would be a class act if LL somehow made these more available to the Premium accounts who didn't get First Land. 4K is pretty big to start with, but you get the drift.

Subdividebot strikes again!

and what will those plots be selling for, 33k?

heh. Market for vanilla (non waterfront) 4096s are north (sometimes far north) of 50k, I would be willing to bet that people would pay close to 60k for vanilla, and lots more for waterfront.