How the heck can I get a damn house in this game??

[KisaiTenshi]

Wait if I stand on the grass of a plot it stops someone from buying the plot? I know this game has some coding spaghetti, but really!?!? That's ridiculous that that can even happen.

That sounds like a mis-interpretation of what is happening. I think if someone is standing on the plot it sould only prevent a house from being built, not bought. Otherwise players would just perpetually camp every spot with throw-away accounts.

My thinking is that there is nothing actually stopping anyone from buying the plot except people blocking the placard. Yet that person might actually be there, or they might be a bot themselves.

[Rongway]

It doesn't look like anyone has asked this one yet, but...

Were you attempting to purchase a new plot?

When a plot becomes vacant, whether by auto-demolition or by voluntary release, an invisible lock out with a random timer is applied, where until this timer expires nobody may buy the plot outright. However, the plot is available for relocation if you already own a house.

So the first step to buying the house you want is to buy just any house, so that when a plot that you actually want opens up, you are eligible to relocate into it while the purchase lock is active. If a plot gets bought while the lock timer is still active, that means that another house opened up elsewhere. Find it, and you might be able to get that one once its lock expires.

[Ryaz]

Depends on the server. On mine, smalls are always available, even a few in Shiro. There's plenty of mediums outside of Shiro and occasionally one opens up, which is how I got mine. There's even a mansion free in Goblet.

[Voidedge_Ragna]

Because if not for this mechanic you could buy them and players usually wanted 10x the price.

On Ragnarok someone really wanted that shirogane large on the hill on release day ... 1 billion gil.

If not for this system which gives you a chance you would have none to begin with.

The system is not pretty and not good ... but its better.

[Kaminto]

Obtaining a house is a pain, took me 3 years to get one because i refused to give in to the outside influences controlling the housing market, but with the random lockout timer being a deterrent, it is nothing more than a test of patience, and i guarantee when someone relocates it is probably a friend of a friend or a reseller trying to throw off other potential buyers and freeing up a plot that only the person they are helping out will immediately know its whereabouts and just wait out that timer in relative peace... it's an ugly game for something that really shouldn't be as finite as it is...

[Ilyrian]

The housing system in its current form was a colossal mistake having a static number of plots when theres literally millions of players.

There literally aren't millions of players - but I agree the housing system was a badly planned mistake.
I do think we overestimate the number of people who actually care about housing though - but yes, it shouldn't be the problem that it is.

[KageTokage]

All you can really do is keep your eyes peeled and check the housing wards periodically to see if any get vacated from inactivity.

Being in a public linkshell and/or Novice Network can also help, as people often shout out if they see vacant homes.

[Rofel]

I believe you can still find apartments if you wanna net one to yourself. Doesn't work if you are searching for your Free Company, sadly. Wish you good luck... :/

[Super_Bee_Brian]

I believe you can still find apartments if you wanna net one to yourself. Doesn't work if you are searching for your Free Company, sadly. Wish you good luck... :/

I already have an apartment. It's for my dear FC.

[Liam_Harper]

Rongway is correct. Buy any small house you can first. This bypasses the random lockout timer and allows you to buy the first decent house you spot instantly.

In fact, I'm not sure why the random timer exists. You simply buy a small as a placeholder and the system doesn't apply to you.