Questions about land

[Juliviere]

Hi, interested in purchasing land for myself. I realize you have to be premium, already factored that in. I haven't went ahead and tried to buy land yet, I just want to ask some questions before I do.

1. How would I obtain land in an adult area? Is this something I can buy directly from Linden labs? or do I have to buy from other people?

2. If I don't end up buying my own... Huge huge huge region (Which I definitely can't) I assume I'd have to get something kinda smaller and deal with neighbours?

3. What's a good size for two people? (Mainly looking to put a house down, and perhaps have a small little forest or a pond or something. That's not really helpful I realize that :"|) 

4. Is there a guide for new homeowners? I'm kind of overwhelmed at the idea of shopping for furniture and housing. Should I just get things that are high review and look nice?

5. Are lInden lab homes anything good? I am just under the assumption, but I heard talk of Linden homes ( I think that's what they were called) And I wonder if they are any good compared to a place that might be built up with furniture that has poses and all that.

Thanks for the help

[Lindal Kidd]

1. How would I obtain land in an adult area? Is this something I can buy directly from Linden labs? or do I have to buy from other people?

First of all, you don't have to be Premium to have a home in SL.  You DO have to have a Premium account to buy Mainland.  However, you can RENT mainland from another resident, or lease land on a Private Estate, without a Premium account!  As for Adult land, you can buy or rent Adult mainland, or lease a parcel on an Adult Private Estate region.

2. If I don't end up buying my own... Huge huge huge region (Which I definitely can't) I assume I'd have to get something kinda smaller and deal with neighbours?

Yes, what you want is a "parcel"...a subdivision of land within a region.  Yes, you will have neighbors, so look around at neighboring parcels carefully before deciding on a particular parcel.

3. What's a good size for two people? (Mainly looking to put a house down, and perhaps have a small little forest or a pond or something. That's not really helpful I realize that :"|) 

A small home is possible on a 512 sq meter parcel.  You only have 175 prims available, so it might not be comfortable for two people who really like to decorate!  My favorite parcel size is 4096 m2.  It's enough room and prims for a large home, landscaping, and decoration, and is still affordable for most people.

4. Is there a guide for new homeowners? I'm kind of overwhelmed at the idea of shopping for furniture and housing. Should I just get things that are high review and look nice?

I teach a class on buying and renting land on Saturdays, at 12 noon SL time at Caledon Oxbridge University.  It's free to attend!  I recommend renting for a while first, or get a free Linden Home.  This will give you experience in how land works, and how to choose items to decorate your space.

5. Are lInden lab homes anything good? I am just under the assumption, but I heard talk of Linden homes ( I think that's what they were called) And I wonder if they are any good compared to a place that might be built up with furniture that has poses and all that.

Linden Homes are a very good starter option.  They come unfurnished, but choosing and adding furniture and decor is a big part of the fun of having a home in SL.  If you want something that is a bit larger and also rated Adult, check out the Horizons Homes parcels.  These will cost you $5 per month in tier, but are 1024 m2, twice the size of a Linden Home parcel, they are on Adult regions, and you can play the Horizons game there too.  Here's a link with more info: http://wiki.secondlife.com/wiki/Linden_Lab_Official:Horizons

[Rolig Loon]

You do NOT need to be a Premium member.  I have owned a region since 2010 and have never been Premium.  As a Basic member, you can own a private estate or you may rent anywhere.  As a Premium member, you may own anywhere.

1. You may buy in an Adult region if your maturity rating is Adult and if you can find land for sale by either LL or another resident.  You look in SWeacrh or classified ads, or the Land forums, or you wander aimlessly in world to find available land ... same as in any other part of SL.

2.  Most people either rent or buy parcels, not entire regions.  Or they don;t have land at all.  Nobody needs land.  It;'s just nice to have.

3.  A "good" size depends entirely on your preferences and your living style.  A Linden Homes parcel -- the parcel that you get if you opt for a Linden Home as a Premium member -- is 512 sq m.  That's plenty big enough for a decent house and it has a land impact allowance of 175, which lets you stuff the parcel with plenty of furniture, trees, and other goodies.  A Horizons parcel -- in Adult land and with a land impact bonus -- is 1024 sq m.  It's quite spacious.

4.  A guide?  No, not really.  You should of course read the articles in the Knowledge Base regarding land ownership and management, and you may want to take Lindal Kidd's excellent course at Caledon Oxbridge University (offered FREE every Saturday).

5.  Linden Homes offer you a way to ease into home ownership -- a prebuilt house that doesn't count against the parcel's land impact -- at the cost of some covenant restrictions (no commercial activity, no skyboxes, no structural modifications to the Linden Home, etc.)  Read the Linden Homes article in the Knowledge Base.  A Horizons Home has many of the same advantage and fewer covenant restrictions (you can replace the house, you can have commercial activity, you can build a skybox ... ).  I have never owned either but I have known many happy residents who do own them both.