How did abandoned land get sold without an auction?

[Anicha Heartsong]

There were a couple of nice plots (512) near to my home, which had been abandoned. So I was keeping an eye on auctions every day in case they came up. Now I notice they have been sold recently (two days ago), and the new owner has combined them and is already selling the 1024 plot - asking L20,000. I'm not saying that person has done anything wrong... but how can abandoned land get sold in that way, without an auction, to someone who has no link to the plots and is clearly a speculator? Am I missing out on a way to purchase abandoned land? I'm not linking to the plot here, as I don't want to accuse the new owner of anything publicly, but I am curious as to how this can happen. (And, I admit it, a little annoyed). 

[Lisa006 Baxton]

You can file a support case to request the sale of abandoned land. 

The attached page explains more on how a resident can request the sale of abandoned land. 

Sorry you missed out. 

 

Edited April 26, 2018 by Lisa006 Baxton

[Anicha Heartsong]

I was fully aware of that procedure, but I didn't have an adjoining parcel, so didn't think I would get it. The person who has bought it doesn't live locally. Nor does it say that it was bought as abandoned land (a neighbour of mine did buy land that way, and it still shows up in the 'about land' general tab, saying it is 'for sale to ****' even though he has already bought. I assume that's so he can't resell it). So it doesn't look like the land was bought that way. 

[Lisa006 Baxton]

As the article states those are only guidelines, it's really up to the lab to make the final call. If the land had been abandoned for some time or if they are just looking to sell as much land as possible.

If you see land you want it never hurts to put in a support case whether you meet the guidelines or not. 

We could speculate all day or you could ask the resident how they did it.

Edited April 26, 2018 by Lisa006 Baxton

[Ethan Paslong]

27 minutes ago, Zipe Kirkorian said:

I was fully aware of that procedure, but I didn't have an adjoining parcel, so didn't think I would get it. The person who has bought it doesn't live locally. Nor does it say that it was bought as abandoned land (a neighbour of mine did buy land that way, and it still shows up in the 'about land' general tab, saying it is 'for sale to ****' even though he has already bought. I assume that's so he can't resell it). So it doesn't look like the land was bought that way. 

it's always wise to keep an eye on forums, blogs and announcements, the less stict rules for getting abandoned land were discussed /announced/mentioned here a while ago.

29 minutes ago, Zipe Kirkorian said:

it still shows up in the 'about land' general tab, saying it is 'for sale to ****' even though he has already bought.

If it's in the "about land' it's most likely only the description, not really for sale. ïf it's still set for sale to him, he's still not the owner. If that latter is the case he has to watch out, if it's abandoned land LL will not wait till the end of times before he buys it and will still end up in auction.

31 minutes ago, Zipe Kirkorian said:

I assume that's so he can't resell it

As far i know as soon you have abandoned land bought you'r free to do with it what you want, no restrictions, you'r owner, and pay your tier.. thats all what really matters for LL.

[Qie Niangao]

With the Premium bonus tier boosted to 1024, the "Land" Lindens must be totally swamped with requests, so I think they're pretty much setting anything for sale to anybody who asks, not having time to check prerequisites. We can imagine that this might somewhat tighten up again when the request volume gets back to normal, but in the meantime, I've come to "expect the unexpected" in terms of new neighbors.

[Coffee Pancake]

As I discovered recently, the decision to pass abandoned land to region resident or auction it also depends on where it is on the grid .. 

I attempted to put a claim in for a parcel on Horizons,  after being strung along in a 2 week back and forth conversation with support, was told that Horizons parcels could not sold directly to residents and it was dumped for auction, even though we had multiple parcels on the region including one with a connecting border. 

(The auction for the parcel in question was won by land scalper, instantly flipped for sale and is now one of the most expensive "plain" parcels on the entire continent. So ... totally unavailable for anyone to actually use.)

[Buttacwup Float]

I recently moved to the mainland and was able to get LL to sell me the land i requested directly. I fully expected it to go to auction, but they sold it to me direct and I didn't hold anything on mainland much less that region prior to the request.. I spoke with Guy Linden when he was helping me get it bought and he said they are in deed swamped with requests of late.

[Pussycat Catnap]

On 4/26/2018 at 8:17 AM, CoffeeDujour said:

As I discovered recently, the decision to pass abandoned land to region resident or auction it also depends on where it is on the grid .. 

I attempted to put a claim in for a parcel on Horizons,  after being strung along in a 2 week back and forth conversation with support, was told that Horizons parcels could not sold directly to residents and it was dumped for auction, even though we had multiple parcels on the region including one with a connecting border. 

(The auction for the parcel in question was won by land scalper, instantly flipped for sale and is now one of the most expensive "plain" parcels on the entire continent. So ... totally unavailable for anyone to actually use.)

Horizons is seen as ultra-high value land.

Curious because it sat for ages with most of the plots unused and in the hands of land barons. Of course that is also part of the problem as you so rightly note.

I got lucky... I only needed a single 1024, and I bought about 2 months before the tier change, so "nobody else" in SL was competing with me. I bought one of two 20,000L plots on my sim. The day after, the seller doubled the price of the other plot. And it too sold right around the time of the tier change (and when I bought, there were about 5-7 plots on Horizons that were cheaper than the one I bought).

I'm now seeing people finally realize that Horizons is up here beyond the far northen wasts of Zindra, where the 'here there be dragons' signs used to be...

But yeah... LLs knows we all want land here, so it's only "fair" they auction it... it's just sad that land flippers are 'speculating' the place right out of availability for the actual residents that would make it a thriving community...

I can see this from two points of view though: I would prefer 'other people' get the other plots rather than the same people buying up a whole sim. Fill the place with lots of different people. But I would also prefer those 'other people' to be actual residents that occupy their spots.

 

Edited April 29, 2018 by Pussycat Catnap

[Fionalein]

I guess the Lindens slowly realize that too ... if they auction all away it only goes to become adland badlands

[Polenth Yue]

On 26/04/2018 at 2:12 PM, Zipe Kirkorian said:

I was fully aware of that procedure, but I didn't have an adjoining parcel, so didn't think I would get it. The person who has bought it doesn't live locally. Nor does it say that it was bought as abandoned land (a neighbour of mine did buy land that way, and it still shows up in the 'about land' general tab, saying it is 'for sale to ****' even though he has already bought. I assume that's so he can't resell it). So it doesn't look like the land was bought that way. 

Back when I had more funds and was slowly buying up land in my sim, I did a lot of requesting abandoned land. It's always worth asking. The worst that'll happen is they'll toss it up for auction (and you'll know it's about to happen, so this is good... you can watch for it). But chances are they'll just sell it to you, especially if it's a small plot.

[Marianne Little]

I have already three premium accounts and has used them to deed land to group and buy land for that group. I have used up their land.

However, I found a parcel I like better in another region. This is sold my another resident, but it is a parcel of abandoned land close to it. It does not hurt to ask if I can buy it? I am willing to pay the land tier until I have sold my old land in the other region.

I can hold land both as Marianne, personally, and Marianne, group owner, in two different regions the same time?

And it works the same way, I can combine the LI for two parcels as a resident in the new region? I am only interested in the abandoned land because I can have more furniture on the biggest parcel.

I know I am old in SL, but I have never had mainland before LL let us have bigger land for each premium. So I don't know much.

[Ethan Paslong]

1 hour ago, Marianne Little said:

 it is a parcel of abandoned land close to it. It does not hurt to ask if I can buy it?

you always can send in a ticket and ask, not sure they will, but often it's no problem and will be set for sale to you for 1L$ sqm

1 hour ago, Marianne Little said:

I can hold land both as Marianne, personally, and Marianne, group owner, in two different regions the same time?

yes you can, quite simple, don't put all of your tier level as groupdonation, the remaining part you can use for personal land

1 hour ago, Marianne Little said:

and it works the same way, I can combine the LI for two parcels as a resident in the new region?

only two parcels in the same region with one owner can join the LI.

Your group land, and personal land will not share LI.

[iamyourneighbour]

It is better that way I don't like having people buy a 1024 and did nothing except abandoning it 12 month later