Buying Land Advice for New Residents

#REDIRECT Land_Buying_Advice_For_New_Residents
Hello and welcome to Second Life!
Here is some advice that should make your land buying experience more pleasant.
== Caveat Emptor - Let the buyer beware ==
Or at least be aware. Learn what you can about buying land, why you want it, and what you can do with it. The advice in this notecard should keep you out of most land trouble, but in the end you are responsible for your decisions.
== You don't need Land for Second Life to be enjoyable ==
To enjoy Second Life you do not need land. Though it can make things much more enjoyable.
Owning land is best if you want to:
* Build permanent structures, like a home or business. The more land you own, the more permanent objects you can have out.
* Have a retreat for you and your friends that's always available.
* Have more control over what can and can't be done and who can and can't be there.
* Play with the land tools. (Terraforming is a blast!)
== Owning Land means you have to pay Monthly Fees ==
If you own any land, you will be paying a monthly land tier fee in US$. Up-to-date details on land-pricing can be found on the main Second Life website.
== Buy or Rent ==
=== Buying ===
You can "own" SL land directly. If you own SL land, you will need to pay monthly tier fees to Linden Lab.
=== Renting ===
You can pay for the use of land from other players on the mainland. You can also "rent" land from other players in island sims (off the mainland) which is more like ownership; you will have access to land control features. Neither of these two options require you to have land tier, so you will not need to pay tier fees to Linden Lab. For more information about renting read this notecard: ?
== Plot Size Matters ==
Avoid buying lots smaller than 512m2 at first.
Considering that the smallest amount of land rights you can pay for is 512m2, and with a premium account you can have up to 512m2 without paying a monthly fee, it is best to purchase a smaller-sized plot until you're comfortable with the interfaces for managing land.
== LOCATION! LOCATION! LOCATION! ==
When you finally decide to buy a new lot, go look at it. What are the neighbors like? Is it conveniently located for you? Do you like the geography? Does the sim host many events (which cause lag)? Is it close to your friends or favorite hang outs? Or what ever other considerations matter to you.
== Land Auctions ==
You can buy land directly from Linden Lab through the land auctions. Some plots available at auction will be priced in Linden Dollars (L$), and others in US dollars. The auctions are located at:
http://secondlife.com/auctions/index.php
== Become familiar with Land prices (L$/sq.m.) ==
Before you buy (or sell) land you really should look at the current prices via the Land Sales tab of the Search tool. Look at what land prices for the rating and size you want are. Also, look at the auctions to see what land is going for there.
You should not have to buy at the highest land prices to get land you want, if you research land prices before hand.
== Your friends can help ==
If you let your friends know you want to buy land, then they may help you find a good lot at a good deal. And it might be nice and close to your friends.
== Negotiate ==
The price listed is not fixed. The land owner can set the price to whatever they want. If you ask nicely, the land owner may lower the price for you.
== Things Change ==
Even after you buy your land, you will find that Second Life changes greatly from day to day. One day your neighbor is an empty lot, and the next it may be an ivory tower or an ugly box.
If you don't like what's there now, wait around, it might change to something new in a couple days.
== If you have a problem, ask for Help ==
The advice in this notecard does not cover everything that can happen in a land deal. If you have a problem ask for help. Ask your friends, use the Help Request feature (found under the Help Menu), on the forums, e-mail support@secondlife.com or if worst come to worst, search for someone online with the last name "Linden". They are employees of Second Life and are there to help you.
== Contributor ==
* StoneSelf Karuna
=== Special Thanks ===
* Talen Morgan
* Schwanson Schlegel
* Camille Serpentine
* katykiwi Moonflower
* Almarea Lumiere
* Darko Cellardoor
* Zsinj Xevious
* Cristiano Midnight
* Billy Grace
* Misnomer Jones
* Rysidian Rubio
* Planet Mars
* Lisse Livingston
* Traxx Hathor
* Ardith Mifflin
* Roberta Dalek
* Juro Kothari
* Alexa Hope
* Merwan Marker
* Iron Perth
* Jillian Callahan
* Pendari Lorentz
Buying Land
Buying Land