For a walkthrough of the auctions feature, see Land auctions.

Registration

May I browse listings without registering for Second Life?

You may browse as much as you'd like without signing up for Second Life. In order to bid on an auction, you will need to have an active Premium Second Life account with verified billing information and a verified email address. Please login to Your Account on the Second Life website to verify your email address and upgrade your account to a Premium account today!

How do I register for Second Life?

Visit Join Second Life to register for a Second Life account; basic account creation is free, so you can explore land before you upgrade.

Second Life Auctions and "My Account"

Can anyone in Second Life buy land in the auctions?

No. Only residents that have Premium memberships are eligible to participate in auctions.  Your account must also have a Verified email address and a Linden dollar (L$) balance sufficient to make a bid.

Does the land I win in auction count against my land allocation?

Yes. Before you bid, be sure you are comfortable with paying any additional monthly fee ("tiering up") that might be triggered. You can review your land allotment by viewing Your Second Life Account.

Can I bid on land if it would put me in a higher land tier?

Yes. You are automatically assigned to the tier (possibly increasing your monthly billing amount) when you win. The auction will inform you if winning the auction will modify your tier requirement (but note that each auction evaluates this independently; if you are bidding in multiple auctions, they will not take that into account).

Can I bid with L$ that I don't have?

No. You must have the Linden dollars available in your account at the time of bidding, because if you submit a new high bid, your maximum bid amount is held in escrow until you are either outbid or you win the auction. 

Bidding

How do I bid?

After you review the listing information for the item that interests you, click Bid on This Property. Enter your maximum bid, and then click Confirm.

How do I increase my bid?

To increase your bid, go to My Auction Activity and choose the bid you want to increase. You can only increase your bid if you are not currently the leading bidder.

Can I decrease my maximum bid?

Once you have bid, you cannot decrease your bid amount. The only way to exit an auction where you are the leading bid is for someone to outbid you.

Why doesn't my bid show up online after I bid?

My Auction Activity should show your bid as soon as it is entered. If it doesn't appear, you may be viewing an old version of the page. Try clicking your browser's Refresh or Reload buttons. 

How will I know if my bid is no longer winning?

We send you an email and return your escrowed funds when you are outbid. However, there can be unpredictable delays in email transmission. We suggest that you regularly visit our website to check your bidding activity on the My Auction Activity page.

How will I know if I win?

We will notify you by email if you win.

How can I view all bids I've submitted?

Go to My Auction Activity page and use the filter to find your previous bids.

Why did a bid from earlier today beat my bid?

If your maximum bid is for exactly the same amount as some earlier bidder's maximum, the earlier bidder wins (if their maximum is higher, their bid will be increased to your maximum plus the bid increment).

Can I submit a bid offline?

No. Only online bids can be made.

What if an auction ends with no bids?

If an auction ends with no bids, the original owner retains ownership of the parcel and is responsible for any tier fees owed on it.

Collecting Your New Land

How will I know when I can take possession of the land?

Ownership of the parcel should be set to the winner within an hour after the end of the auction. If there is a problem with the ownership, contact Customer Support.

How do I take possession?

The parcel is assigned to you inworld once the auction ends.

Is it possible to avoid tiering up by releasing other land before confirming a new higher tier?

To avoid the possibility of higher tier charges, reduce your land use prior to participating in an auction. Land won in auction is delivered to the winning account and affects peak land use immediately.

Resolving Auction Problems

What if I bid in an auction and realize I have made a mistake?

Please bid carefully. All bids are final and cannot be cancelled. The only way you can leave an active auction where you have bid is if you are outbid.

Who do I contact if I have a problem?

You should file a ticket through the Support Portal at Second Life Help.