Setup Fee and Land Usage fee in the First Month

[Katy Merlin]

This may seem like an obvious question, however I want to check before going forward.  If I buy an Island, I understand I have a one time $1000 setup fee and the monthly tier is $295 a month.  Here is my question....on the first month do you have both of these charges?  So in reality it would cost $1295 for the first month of your Island and $295 every month after.  Is this correct?  I have no problem with the prices just want to make sure I budget plenty for that first month.

 

On a side note, what do you think is valuable in considering the placement of your island?  Random or choose base on what criteria?

Thanks in advance!

[Griffin Ceawlin]

Looking at my old account statements, I see "Island Sale" for 1000 USD but no "Recurring Island Fees" until the following month. So, no, that first month is "free." Unless that's changed...

Probably won't win me any friends at LL, but why not buy an existing sim from someone who wants to unload one? Some bargains out there. True, you won't be able to take possession in 15 minutes (can take over a week for a transfer ticket to be completed), but you'll save yourself some upfront money.

As to placement... When I bought mine, I just picked a spot that was (then) pretty much open water. Got pretty crowded by the time I sold it.

[Peewee Musytari]

You pay the $1000 upfront and the first tier payment is 30 days later. I don`t know if you still get to choose a grid location, I thought that had been stopped, but it doesn`t make much difference as you will not be placed anywhere that you can even see another sim, unless you request to be joined to another one.

If you want to avoid the $1000 payment, you can buy a sim off of someone that is selling theirs. Often for the cost of the tier fee & the transfer charge, which can be less than $500.

Check the land forums here for regions for sale: http://community.secondlife.com/t5/Regions-for-Sale-Full-Regions/bd-p/RegionsforSaleFullRegions and regions wanted: http://community.secondlife.com/t5/Wanted-Full-Regions/bd-p/WantedFullRegions and there are also inwolrd groups such as "For Sale By Owner" where people trade sims.

It is a simple process of buyer and seller submitting a transfer ticket & LL transfers ownership and money. The buyer can rename the sim & have it moved to a new location.

[Katy Merlin]

Thank you both for your prompt answers.  I may put a posting up wanting to buy a full island sim.  I looked at the list for sell and most are actually rentals not sales.  Again thanks!! I was a mainland sim owner several years ago but this time around I think an island is the way to go.

[Griffin Ceawlin]

You're quite welcome. Another inworld group you might want to check out is Full Transfer - Private Regions.

BTW... Beware anyone trying to sell you a "grandfathered" region. They will almost invariably try to sell to you for more than the "going" rate, but once the transfer takes place there is no more grandfathered pricing.

[Peewee Musytari]

The groups are a good way to go & I have found them before in the regular land search too, you do need to sift through the ones talking about "inworld" sales/rentals as opposed to transfers, but the price is often a good guide and some are good enough to put in the title that they mean "estate transfer" or other similar wording.

Filtering the search to 65536sqm, estates only, sales only, all maturity levels (as you can set your own anyway) & then sorting in price order, should show up the ones you are looking for.

[Gabe Gallacher]

If you're looking for a location for your new sim, in case you want to join our residential/commercial beach community, try to get in touch with me in-world via IM or note cards.

In case you need ,more details overall about new sim purchase or management I may be able to help as well.

[Danno Spiegelblatt]

I thought the 1000 always covered first month, two people in support, who I am sure are misinformed, are trying to insist it is 1295. But at checkout it only says to make sure 1000 is available. One of the support people at first said, 1000, then 295 collected on next billing cycle. Then she backtracked.

 

With somethign this important I am astounded they can't get it straight speaking directly to LL chat support.

[Peewee Musytari]

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Danno Spiegelblatt wrote:

I thought the 1000 always covered first month, two people in support, who I am sure are misinformed, are trying to insist it is 1295. But at checkout it only says to make sure 1000 is available. One of the support people at first said, 1000, then 295 collected on next billing cycle. Then she backtracked.

 

With somethign this important I am astounded they can't get it straight speaking directly to LL chat support.

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I assume you were speaking to the Scouts and I agree that some of the misinformation they give is outrageous. Where money is concerned I think you should report them so that they get some better training.