Some FCs play together on the weekends when members don't have to worry about sleep, work, families, etc. Removing the moratorium after just a couple of hours cuts those FCs out of getting a house. The moratorium lasting a couple of weeks is fine. It's not fine when it lasts for almost 3 months, like they did to Spriggan and Twintania.
Also, I wonder what world you primarily play if if you're seeing wards still empty. Sure, there are wards with several smalls still available on some worlds but they're not nearly as empty as you imply.
You can buy any of the available houses in wards 1-18 right now (assuming the purchase restriction timer has expired). A lot opened up when previous owners relocated to a preferred plot in the new wards. I know a few players who bought the cheapest plot they could find in the old wards yesterday then relocated to a plot they wanted in the new wards.
The 4.2 moratorium lasted 3 weeks so possibly 5.11 like Frizze said but it might not be until 5.15.
