Plot Reservation System Proposal

[Solarra]

The eternal bonding example was to show that on the one side there are ppl who are willing to pay actual money for vanity items ...
...Also I was not thinking of a lot. Maybe like 3 Euros as for one of the minions...

...I did come to the assumption that the only way would be some sort of a real money trade situation with the creators themselves as messed up as it sounds.

To answer your points:

Yes, people will pay real money for vanity, but a house isn't just vanity.
We waited months for our FC house and it has radically changed how we play the game and socialise as an FC. Best purchase ever. It gives us access to stables, airships and the Aetherial wheel thingy for buffs (which we haven't looked at yet) all of those are utility things, not fluff.
I know you can use another company's airship to go to the Diadem but it doesn't give nearly as much benefit as having your own.

Most important, housing is heavily promoted as a feature of the game, not an optional extra. I'm paying a sub, that should be enough. Being able to pay for extra retainers is bad enough, introducing more micro-transactions that give you an advantage in game is not the way I'd like to see things going.
I know you said you weren't thinking of charging a lot of money, but if this was implemented it wouldn't be up to players to set the price and there is no guarantee it would be low.

The main problem with housing is there isn't enough.
Personally, I feel it would be better to keep up the pressure for extra wards and instanced personal housing, both of which are being introduced rather than give the impression that we'd be happy to pay real money for something that ought to be available to everyone.

On the other hand, if there was a system in-game that allowed you to put your name down for a house in a particular area and made a list of players/companies who would then be offered available houses on a first-come-first-served basis, then I could get behind your suggestion.

[Serendair]

<FC advantages>

Honestly I didn't think of that point at all. And it's a very good and valid one! (in my defense: I never used it before so....... hehe ) I was just seeing it from an objective point that somebody else stated yesterday as well in the thread "Just came backlost my house!" (which got deleted for some reason?). SE is a company and the sole purpose of a company is making money. If something isn't a profitable source of income it's not on top of the priority list.

Looking at the additional content with the FC housing I think you're absolutely right saying

I'm paying a sub, that should be enough. (...) rather than give the impression that we'd be happy to pay real money for something that ought to be available to everyone.

Considering you're locked out of content yes, it should be free and for all to use. My apologies for leaving that rather big part out of the equation.

I do like this idea a lot:

On the other hand, if there was a system in-game that allowed you to put your name down (...)

So we need an NPC in each housing area where you can put your name down that you're interested in a Small/Medium/Large house in general and would buy one if only any were available. That helps SE knowing how many plots are wanted/needed. Next update: enough wards for all! (Again wishful thinking hoping SE hears our pleas! )

I fail to understand the actual issue that stops SE from implementing as many wards as are needed to satisfy the demand already. There must be a solid reason for it else they would have done so already, no? If somebody knows, please share, because I really would like to understand.