Why Removing Houses from inactive is NOT a solution.

[Nexxa]

I disagree with this. Especially for anything over a couple months. The main thrust of any of these actions should be to create churn in the real-estate market, particularly by targeting inactive players/accounts to remove their houses. If someone can pay their tax up to a year in advance it completely invalidates this, especially if the cost is completely trivial allowing most/all homeowners to do so. Why wouldn't they? It removes the necessity to do it manually every month, removes that annoyance.

But it also means that if they quit their house is still tied up for a full year before it drops off. That's HUGE in MMO time.

Pay in advance systems that go over, maybe, two months invalidate the main purpose of having a tax system at all.

I don't care if it's taxes or if it happens so long after your account goes inactive... something needs to clear out the abandoned houses.

[GenJoe]

I don't care if it's taxes or if it happens so long after your account goes inactive... something needs to clear out the abandoned houses.

Well, allowing people to pay for a year's rent just means that you'll see houses start to open up a year from implementation :P
Other than the initial purge of inactive housing (which will be significant) all the subsequent relinquishment will be done on such a long time frame, it's basically just a temporary band aid to get rid of the inactives now, it won't work for future inactives..

[Madjames]

Well, allowing people to pay for a year's rent just means that you'll see houses start to open up a year from implementation :P
Other than the initial purge of inactive housing (which will be significant) all the subsequent relinquishment will be done on such a long time frame, it's basically just a temporary band aid to get rid of the inactives now, it won't work for future inactives..

Then give it a limit of say 2-3 months MAX. Ultima Online game you a month to refresh your house and I think it worked perfectly. However remember, there are so many cry babies in this game I doubt we will even get 2-3 months. I see SE implementing a 6+month inactive and unsubscribed limit for housing which is a mistake but I will take what I can get.