Residential Communities on the Mainland

[Trinity Heartsong]

I've been looking around for residential mainland communities but haven't really found what I'm looking for. Maybe someone can make some recommendations?

Ideally, a family-friendly community with an assortment of homes, shops, services, entertainment, etc...  Something on a roadway, bonus points if also on navigable waters. Heck, I'd even be willing to build and manage one myself if someone had the land available! 

[AlettaMondragon]

The East River Community is the only thing that I can think of, which might match these aspects you're looking for. Although if you're looking for something like the RP/community sims on private estates, there won't be a perfect match on Mainland. You can take a look at the ERC if you go to Helvellyn for example, the East River area is one of the most beautiful areas of Sansara, and the East River Community consists of multiple parcels in 13-14 regions. There are two airports, public transport, shops, residential areas, a harbor, a hospital, fire stations, a lot of parking lots, an internal road network linked to the Linden-owned public roads in the area, and of course the actual river runs through the middle of this establishment, which leads you to the Sea of Fables (from there, you can sail just anywhere on Sansara and Heterocera, except the few waters that aren't the default height).

You can take a look at Coniston as well (that's the region name), it is less extensive both geographically and in the range of services, yet it is another beautiful place in the same area. It's at the end of the same road that goes through the East River Community as well.

Other than these, you can take a look at Campbell Coast on Corsica, like in Laserlight (that establishment spans across several regions, too), it is as beautiful as the first two, it's a residential area, and the owners are very friendly. It is on both sides of Circuit La Corse, Corsica's main public road, and offers access to the sea as well, in Emyniad. (That sea offers the largest area for sailing in SL, between and around all Eastern continents and the Blake Sea.) These three places are definitely worth a thorough look - and asking their owners about what is available - if you haven't found them yet, and I hope you'll find the place you are looking for!

Edited February 9, 2021 by AlettaMondragon
added more info

[Yukiko Yeshto]

I suggest Campbell Coast, too. I joined that community by accident about half a year ago because a friend of mine spotted an abandoned parcel in a corner close to the sea there. Long story short, we quickly became friends with our neighbours, and even bought more land from the community. 

My Pros for this community are:

• overall very friendly and supportive people (they would also help you with landscaping/homes; not everyone can afford the nice things)
• calm neighbourhood yet very active community, not just in their own but also in close collaboration with their neighbours, for example: Artist Village with Q&A evenings/parties, or Fishing Contests/Travelling Tours (by boat, plane, horse, etc)/Parties hosted by the team of Eulennest/Pier 7 (2 very beautiful locations)
• many activities possible around the area, either alone or with friends&family, for example: riding/driving (horse/vespa rezzers), flying (hanging glider rezzer), exploring (they have a hidden castle, and a cableway), meditating/relaxing (for example at the Stonehenge area), playing (there is a garden with a functional chess game), sailing, and many more. If residents want to host their own event, you could always reach out to the owners and ask if you may use an area for it, usually at no cost (it really is all about the community there)
• access to everything you may want to use if it comes to vehicles: airport, road, sea. For those who live close to the water, they would also always make sure that you have access/waterway to the sea.

The Cons: 

• your friendlist might grow quickly
• you can hardly catch up to attend all the activities they offer/visit (they like to tell about interesting events outside of Campbell Coast as well. The other day, I spotted some of them at the Bay City Mole Day Party)
• you might feel guilty if you don't follow to match the landscaping on your parcel ;(

I actually hold a tour at Campbell Coast just about 3 weeks ago. @BJoyfulactually planned to hold a repeat of that tour, maybe she has a date/time for it already so you could join it to get an idea about the place.

[Antonioo Giano]

Bellisseria is still mainland. That is something similar to a community living. I don't know if people interact there tho.

[AlettaMondragon]

5 hours ago, Antonioo Giano said:

Bellisseria is still mainland. That is something similar to a community living. I don't know if people interact there tho.

It is NOT mainland. It is Linden Homes. They do interact, though, those who want, at least.

[Esoteric7]

On 2/8/2021 at 12:21 PM, PandoriaMoonshadow said:

I've been looking around for residential mainland communities but haven't really found what I'm looking for. Maybe someone can make some recommendations?

Ideally, a family-friendly community with an assortment of homes, shops, services, entertainment, etc...  Something on a roadway, bonus points if also on navigable waters. Heck, I'd even be willing to build and manage one myself if someone had the land available! 

Hello there sorry I do not know of any communities, however I do have a 16384 mainland with water that I am building on...I sub-divided the land into 8 individual parcels with house. I am willing to re join the 16384 and put it up for sale (make me an offer, I have not set a price yet) because I now have another full sim. http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Oakley/170/249/0....if your interested in the land to build your own community. 

[Alexis Crisp]

One community I like on Secondlife is the community of Bay City, which is LL created, but you don't have to be premium to live there. The only issue is, the land is quite, quite, quite expensive if you are in fact premium and looking to buy. Also, and on the other hand, finding a rental can be extremely challenging as the place is quite popular due to it being double-prim (so, a 1024 is 702... or 703? prim), but rental prices are very reasonable. Overall, my experience has been that everyone is extremely respectful... and large and loud builds are virtually non-existent in most areas... either everyone is on the ground in a home or has a business, or is simply in the sky with a clean grass landscape below 🙂 As a bonus, they host little events that make you feel like you are part of a RL town. In the end though, it's one of those places where, if you also don't want to be integrated for a day, or a week, or a month, you also don't HAVE to see anyone if you don't want to... so it's kind of like real life I suppose. I believe there are about 20 (or so) SIMS connected and it's LL-owned, so you never have to worry about it disappearing. They also have a nice airport and plenty of sailing and driving. Highly recommend. If you are interested, feel free to IM me in-world, I live there, and know some people who rent out places there I can tell you about.

Good luck!

 

Edited February 9, 2021 by Alexis Crisp

[ChinRey]

On 2/8/2021 at 6:21 PM, PandoriaMoonshadow said:

I've been looking around for residential mainland communities but haven't really found what I'm looking for. Maybe someone can make some recommendations?

Ideally, a family-friendly community with an assortment of homes, shops, services, entertainment, etc...  Something on a roadway, bonus points if also on navigable waters.

That sounds ike Greater Coniston, except we don't have any clubs here since they tend to be too laggy to combine with residental homes. SLURL to a spot clsoe to one of the four ports. Greater Coniston spans over a little bit more than two sims with a variety of hosues, public areas, shops etc so please take the time to look around: http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Coniston/227/152/29

[Yuumo Ichibara]

Not sure if this is up to your standards but a friend just opened a new roadside residential area overlooking the sea on Shamrock a few days ago. This is close to the Abyss Observatory at Farwell (a must visit in my opinion!), and a miniature Paris with its own Eiffel Tower on Healy. At the moment there are 5 apartments and 3 commercial spaces available, but will expand into adjacent parcels in time. My friend is intending to make everything XeoLife-compatible which is popular for family RP. At the moment you can rez a segway or your own car to drive around the continent, or sail from the dock into very navigable waters. Check it out here: http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Shamrock/59/200/91

[Antonioo Giano]

21 hours ago, AlettaMondragon said:

It is NOT mainland. It is Linden Homes. They do interact, though, those who want, at least.

It is absolutely the same, they are like in mainland on "protected land" check the worild map while you are there and you see that you are anyway connected with the "classic" mainland. Not in a private sim. For me is the best solution for community living not in private sims. I don't like the community in mainland because you never know someone around what can do over there if they buy a plot close to the community.

Edited February 10, 2021 by Antonioo Giano

[Yukiko Yeshto]

2 hours ago, Antonioo Giano said:

It is absolutely the same, they are like in mainland on "protected land" check the worild map while you are there and you see that you are anyway connected with the "classic" mainland. Not in a private sim. For me is the best solution for community living not in private sims. I don't like the community in mainland because you never know someone around what can do over there if they buy a plot close to the community.

I understand why you would see it as Mainland but @AlettaMondragonis actually right. It is Linden Homes, and defined as that in the Covenant. Bellisseria is, if I am not mistaken, the only Linden Homes part though that has been connected to Mainland so far.

[Sister Nova]

2 hours ago, Antonioo Giano said:

It is absolutely the same, they are like in mainland on "protected land" check the worild map while you are there and you see that you are anyway connected with the "classic" mainland. Not in a private sim. For me is the best solution for community living not in private sims. I don't like the community in mainland because you never know someone around what can do over there if they buy a plot close to the community.

Bellisseria is NOT mainland. Just because the regions are connected does not make them all mainland. You can always check the type in the about land window for each region...

This is what you will see for a private standalone region or collection of regions

 

This is what you will see for one of the mainland regions

 

This is what you will see for a Bellisseria region

 

This is what you will see for one of the sailing sim estates around the Blake Sea

 

The Bellisseria regions and the sailing sim estate regions are both accessible from mainland regions, but it does not make either of them mainland regions.

[Chroma Starlight]

47 minutes ago, Sister Nova said:

Bellisseria is NOT mainland. Just because the regions are connected does not make them all mainland.

Isn't it controversial? I would have told anyone who asked that "if you can fly there from Ahern Start without a teleport, it's mainland." Is that definition too broad to be correct? To me, it's the contiguity that makes something mainland or dissociated from.

Edited February 10, 2021 by Chroma Starlight

[Sister Nova]

15 minutes ago, Chroma Starlight said:

Isn't it controversial? I would have told anyone who asked that "if you can fly there from Ahern Start without a teleport, it's mainland." Is that definition too broad to be correct?

The fact that regions are joined does not make them all the same. The different names are clear in the types shown in my original post. You can place any type of building you want on a mainland parcel, but you can't place anything on a Linden Home parcel, only the buildings that can be rezzed from the rezzer which cannot be removed. On the sailing sim estates you are restricted by a building covenant. They are different, and the names are important because they give guidance to the differences that a person can expect.

[Antonioo Giano]

If I can fly or sail from there and reach the mainland for me is like be in mainland.
I don't see any advantage to chose a community in mainland where the nehighboor can build a giant pink prim over my head if he wants if I can choose a nehighboor that i'm sure will stay like that like Bellisseria.
The only advantage of mainland compared to a full sim is that you can have access to roads, sailable water etc... or if  I want an "unique" parcel that I can decorate as I like, for community living so I don't see any advantage comparing it with Linden homes or private sims.
 

Edited February 11, 2021 by Antonioo Giano

[Yukiko Yeshto]

If you don't care how it is called, that is up to you. But there are legit reasons why these differentiations are made, and it helps the conversation if we use the correct terms to avoid confusion amongst the discussants.

[Chic Aeon]

Mainland --- (usually large land masses but not necessarily connected to one another).

Owned by Linden Lab - yes

Various parcel sizes - yes

Tier paid to Linden Lab on plots over 1024 free tier allotment - yes

Premium account needed - yes

Covenant - NO

 

Linden Homes  (large land masses but not all connected to one another)

Owned by Linden Lab - yes

Various parcel sizes - NO

Tier paid to Linden Lab - NO

Premium account needed - yes

Covenant -YES

 

Estate Lands - single islands or large land masses made into "continents"

Owned by Linden Lab - NO

Various parcel sizes - yes

Tier paid to Linden Lab  - NO - paid to estate holder

Premium account needed - NO

Covenant -YES (at least I haven't seen private lands with no covenant -- most often given out when renting)

 

 

Edited February 11, 2021 by Chic Aeon
messed up my bolding :D

[LittleMe Jewell]

The things that folks here will consider important enough to argue about.

 

/me wanders off chuckling

 

[Eirynne Sieyes]

On 2/9/2021 at 3:31 AM, Yukiko Yeshto said:

I suggest Campbell Coast, too. I joined that community by accident about half a year ago because a friend of mine spotted an abandoned parcel in a corner close to the sea there. Long story short, we quickly became friends with our neighbours, and even bought more land from the community. 

My Pros for this community are:

• overall very friendly and supportive people (they would also help you with landscaping/homes; not everyone can afford the nice things)
• calm neighbourhood yet very active community, not just in their own but also in close collaboration with their neighbours, for example: Artist Village with Q&A evenings/parties, or Fishing Contests/Travelling Tours (by boat, plane, horse, etc)/Parties hosted by the team of Eulennest/Pier 7 (2 very beautiful locations)
• many activities possible around the area, either alone or with friends&family, for example: riding/driving (horse/vespa rezzers), flying (hanging glider rezzer), exploring (they have a hidden castle, and a cableway), meditating/relaxing (for example at the Stonehenge area), playing (there is a garden with a functional chess game), sailing, and many more. If residents want to host their own event, you could always reach out to the owners and ask if you may use an area for it, usually at no cost (it really is all about the community there)
• access to everything you may want to use if it comes to vehicles: airport, road, sea. For those who live close to the water, they would also always make sure that you have access/waterway to the sea.

The Cons: 

• your friendlist might grow quickly
• you can hardly catch up to attend all the activities they offer/visit (they like to tell about interesting events outside of Campbell Coast as well. The other day, I spotted some of them at the Bay City Mole Day Party)
• you might feel guilty if you don't follow to match the landscaping on your parcel ;(

I actually hold a tour at Campbell Coast just about 3 weeks ago. @BJoyfulactually planned to hold a repeat of that tour, maybe she has a date/time for it already so you could join it to get an idea about the place.

You will definitely need a tour to see Campbell Coast. I tp'd to a yellow lot on the map that was for sale. Apparently it had already been taken. I left quickly since the new owners had set up an orb. Trying to escape before being tp'd, I flew through many properties. While looking for somewhere to land, I accumulated numerous orb warnings when one of the orbs finally caught up to me. I was tp'd to someplace. Guess what? That lot tp'd me home!    LOL!

Edited February 14, 2021 by Eirynne Sieyes
grammar

[Yukiko Yeshto]

18 minutes ago, Eirynne Sieyes said:

You will definitely need a tour to see Campbell Coast. I tp'd to a yellow lot on the map that was for sale. Apparently it had already been taken. I left quickly since the new owners had set up an orb. Trying to escape before being tp'd, I flew through many properties. While looking for somewhere to land, I accumulated numerous orb warnings when one of the orbs finally caught up to me. I was tp'd to someplace. Guess what? That lot tp'd me home!    LOL!

It takes some time until the map updates. Now for orbs at Campbell Coast, I am only aware of 2 lots so far that use one, and they are actually owned by individual residents. If I was to decide, I would forbid banlines and security orbs on all Mainland in general because it is a nightmare when you want to travel. The majority of people I saw and met exploring Mainland, are usually very friendly and polite, and would never intrude a building or place that is obviously private. And if not obvious enough, they would check in the About land description. The ones who are intruding, are a redundant number, to my experience. So I can't really see the need for it. But that's my personal opinion 😉

Concerning a tour at Campbell Coast, I will actually repeat the previous one very soon, I am currently figuring out a day/time with the owners.

[BJoyful]

6 hours ago, Eirynne Sieyes said:

You will definitely need a tour to see Campbell Coast. I tp'd to a yellow lot on the map that was for sale. Apparently it had already been taken. I left quickly since the new owners had set up an orb. Trying to escape before being tp'd, I flew through many properties. While looking for somewhere to land, I accumulated numerous orb warnings when one of the orbs finally caught up to me. I was tp'd to someplace. Guess what? That lot tp'd me home!    LOL!

This comment is one which came to my attention at the worst of times and it broke my heart ♥️ 

[Stephanie Misfit]

On 2/9/2021 at 7:31 PM, Yukiko Yeshto said:

I suggest Campbell Coast, too. I joined that community by accident about half a year ago because a friend of mine spotted an abandoned parcel in a corner close to the sea there. Long story short, we quickly became friends with our neighbours, and even bought more land from the community. 

Thanks to those who recommended this location. I picked up some land there yesterday. It's a fantastic place to make a home. Very unique area. I enjoyed exploring the neighbourhood, using the provided horses and cable cars. I am always thrilled to see people who are devoted to the mainland.

[Yukiko Yeshto]

On 2/17/2021 at 2:03 AM, Stephanie Misfit said:

Thanks to those who recommended this location. I picked up some land there yesterday. It's a fantastic place to make a home. Very unique area. I enjoyed exploring the neighbourhood, using the provided horses and cable cars. I am always thrilled to see people who are devoted to the mainland.

Welcome, new neighbour 😊 If you didn't yet, join the Campbell Coast group, too, so you can stay informed about upcoming events.

On topic: I was exploring the Snowlands the other day and stumbled over a residential community that is currently still a WIP. LL road leads just between it. Approximate opening is in March. I wanted to know more about it in case it was interesting for one of my upcoming Mainland Tours. I will meet up in a few days with the owner so once I know more, I will drop info here. I spotted so far residential homes, shops/stores, activity sites for families like a kids playground, and so on. Looks like a town, very promising so far.

Edited February 18, 2021 by Yukiko Yeshto
typo

[Prokofy Neva]

On 2/8/2021 at 12:21 PM, PandoriaMoonshadow said:

I've been looking around for residential mainland communities but haven't really found what I'm looking for. Maybe someone can make some recommendations?

Ideally, a family-friendly community with an assortment of homes, shops, services, entertainment, etc...  Something on a roadway, bonus points if also on navigable waters. Heck, I'd even be willing to build and manage one myself if someone had the land available! 

I think you've just demonstrated the issue of why such communities are nearly impossible to find, and when you do, have a long waiting list or you can't get into them at all.

Because making such a thing with land, builds, interesting things to do *takes work*. Enormous amounts of it. And people want that work to be done by someone else and set out for them -- or if they are willing to pitch in and manage it, they want someone else to pay for the land. That sums up in a nutshell they there aren't such communities on every other sim -- people don't want to work for others and don't want to pay all that tier. 

I make communities of sorts but then I let the people who move into them devise their own fun and pay rent to cover the tier -- it's on self-service. I don't lay it out for them because I have my RL job and family to take care of, you know? The land business in SL does not pay a living wage unless you are and owner of hundreds of sims -- and not even then. The margins are razor-thin. So I put up enough of a framework that people willing to put in their own houses and make their own entertainment, shopping etc. will fill it in. That's the only viable way.

When you say, oh, but if you give me the land, I'd manage it myself! --- you're asking someone to pay for your Second Life. Management is always needed, but what's more operative is *tier has to be paid*. Each sim costs $175 per month. That means the 10 people you might put on it comfortably each have to pay $17.50 per month, or $4,375 -- and guess what, most don't want to pay that. They want to pay $5 a month. Or if they pay that or more, they want privacy, prims, and security orbs, not neighbours and potluck suppers and hootenannies. That's the problem. There aren't the funds or the people or the culture to sustain that 1950s dream world you imagine -- even in real life, it proved unsustainable.

If you really believe in this and want it, you will indeed make and manage it yourself, by starting small, paying even just $22 a month for 4096 which you divide up, and then adding as you go along. That can be hard to do contiguously on Mainland, which is cheaper to buy -- but you then move to better quarters when you have a critical mass of people. The hardest thing to do in SL is to get people to cooperate for long. One famous community ended with the builder deleting all her buildings.  From what I have seen over the years, people do best when they form the community first, and have some common interest or lifestyle or RP to weld them together, then the buildings and all that come later. When people make the reverse, it often fails.

The closest approximation of what you want is in Bay City or Blake Sea -- and this doesn't come cheap. 

[Prokofy Neva]

On 2/17/2021 at 3:19 AM, Yukiko Yeshto said:

Welcome, new neighbour 😊 If you didn't yet, join the Campbell Coast group, too, so you can stay informed about upcoming events.

On topic: I was exploring the Snowlands the other day and stumbled over a residential community that is currently still a WIP. LL road leads just between it. Approximate opening is in March. I wanted to know more about it in case it was interesting for one of my upcoming Mainland Tours. I will meet up in a few days with the owner so once I know more, I will drop info here. I spotted so far residential homes, shops/stores, activity sites for families like a kids playground, and so on. Looks like a town, very promising so far.

That's good there is such a place -- I find when there are places described as "family oriented" and have "children" -- that it's an RP community with strict RP roles that may not be for everyone. When you say "family friendly" and "a kids' playground" you already eliminate the majority of people on SL for whom this type of RP is not their thing. I realize it's a very big part of some people's SL and they put a lot of energy in it, and interestingly, men and women both put this effort into family RP, although it is portrayed often as more something only women do or want. But it's not for everybody, and as you must know, some clubs and other places ban child avatars because they know from experience that they create trouble and discomfort.