Owning Sim Land - A Scary Thought

I've seen some land on private sims that is relatively low in both sale price and tier (not rentals), and it got me to thinking...

What rights and assurances does a property "owner" really have? Tier fees can change at any time, and I've even heard some people say that land can be "seized" by the sim owner with no retribution whatsoever.

Let's say I was an unscrupulous sim owner. I parcel out my land at, say $5 per sq m, with a reasonable tier. Once all the land was sold, I jack up the tier price 200%, 300%, 500% or more. People don't pay, so I seize their land for non-payment. Then, once everyone is gone, I start the process again.

In a similar vein, let's say I owned land on a sim (but was not the sim owner). The sim owner defaults on his maintenance fees to LL. So what happens to me? If LL seizes the sim and re-auctions it off to someone else, what are my rights at that point? Can the new owner indiscriminantly kick off everyone on the sim, or come in and jack up the tier substantially?

I've looked all over for the answer to this question, and have come up short. I've asked several people in-world, but I've only heard theories and no really solid answers. Frankly, I'm a little wary about buying any more land on sims until I can get a handle on this one.

It seems to me that there is no judicial system in this world, and the land ownership is flimsy-ass at best.

All opinions and comments are welcome.

Rob

Reputable estate owners have their integrity to protect. Estate land and mainland both have their pros and cons, but if you find an estate with an attentive owner, you'll surely be happy. Good luck!

You are 100% right. A sim owner can vanish 2 milliseconds after you pay, so can the sim, and you can be left holding absolutely nothing.


Only two things really balance this scenario.

1. A sim owner is going to have to spend thousands of dollars up front, to even try to rip you off in the first place. And then he'll have to ditch the sim or transfer it (to himself, likely) quick or get well known as a scammer, and fast. Heavy fees involved with transferring sims, plus, raise enough ire and yes the Company will come after you for defrauding residents.

Also, there is a lot of work of getting tenants in the first place. Crime pays, prolly, but simply doesn't pay enough to be worth the bother for most.

2. Having a casino or camping chair establishment show up 20 minutes after you buy mainland (thereby making the sim utterly useless) is prolly not gonna happen in any private sim.

While not being held accountable directly by Lindens, such a landowner would certainly be held accountable in the court of public opinion.

Desmond's spot on in his take. While there are some unscrupulous souls who manipulate the private island situation, they number fewer than the honest folks.

As many have pointed out here in the forums, the best rule of thumb is, ask the residents. If you ask a Caledonian, for example, they'll tell you that Desmond is a wonderful landlord who takes care of his residents. The same is often said of the D'Alliez crew, Otherland, or Azure Islands. My best advice to avoid a ripoff is to go with an established, trusted landlord.

Depends on the owner. I visited a customer who was on a pancake private sim that was on its knees, with a massive tacky store on his border, particles all over the place...

It reminded me of home on the mainland

But yes, trust and reputation are the only things stopping a private sim owner from scamming you.

Agreed with that.

Another point I would make is to read the land covenent before deciding if the particular community is for you, or not as the case may be.

In Caledon for example the covenent makes it very clear the group do NOT want land speculators, rather its a virtual place where the group is seeking people who will fit in and participate in the local virtual community.

That's my take on the situation there, other major Island groups have their own theme, but in my own time within Second Life I have never been disapointed leasing land in a private Sim