Relocation is a separate system. While it may seem janky, we aren't losing plots by keeping it available, so it's not harming anything by leaving it open.
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As for why houses are suddenly opening up, there are two possible reasons: 1. Since the timer resumed, houses that were scheduled to be demolished but got a reprieve due to the hurricanes in the US stopping the housing timer are now going poof and 2. People who were hoarding houses for resale are giving up since they can't hold the investment hostage for 200 million gil any more.
Likely it's a combination of the two, because if a house is relinquished from the timer, the owner gets some money back, iirc. So the hoarders, who previously walked into the houses with their alts to keep the timer going, now have no reason to do so at all. (Also I wouldn't be surprised if some of the hoarders rage quit the game since SE killed the housing private sale market.)
If I recall, SE wants to fix the exploiting issues with plots first, but they are at least aware apartments not being good enough is part of the problem. FC's deserve access to FC/group focussed content that the houses provide first and foremost.
If I could just add a second room and have my apartment treated like a "small" house, tenants and all, and for SE to offer pots that allow multiple plants for crossbreeding, I'd be set.
On Tuesday on my server, I saw multiple houses pop up, including a beachfront Shirogane house and a beachfront Mist house. I got the beachfront Mist house :cool: