Why is buying a house in FFXIV so complicated

[Seraphor]

Adding more housing wards will only help a little, a few more people will be able to get houses, but ultimately the demand will still far surpass the supply.
People have suggested entirely instanced housing wards, but this wouldn't really help much either, as it'd just create far too many new instances, or won't be all that feasible due to how much of an overhaul to the system it would be.

I think they should expand the options by providing more options for apartments. We currently have what are comparable to an FC room, we could get duplex apartments that are basically a small house internal, and then a penthouse apartment option that’s the same as a medium house. Not everyone who wants a house wants a garden as well, and it'd provide a more appealing middle ground.
This should be much easier than adding housing wards (which they can still do alongside) and be much more effective at boosting supply.

Also, I think Ala Mhigo should be our next housing ward. (after Ishgard if that’s what’s already in the works)
This could make up for the lack of a city hub to explore and expand housing a bit further.
Make it so you can’t buy a house there until 5.0 so you don’t have any story conflicts.

[Ogulbuk]

The demand for outdoor zone housing may never vanish, but it would be a lot more acceptable having those as prestige housing if we somehow allowed everyone access to the housing system in some other form.

It's funny that FFXI handles housing better (even if they are not impressive.) Everyone gets an instanced mog-house for free, and it can be slowly expanded. Do the same here! Let everyone start with an apartment they can pay (and/or quest) to expand! Start tiny, expand to large, and eventually huge. Larger apartments could even have their own private instanced garden (for those that still want to have some use for outdoor furniture and harvesting.) And no artificial limits! Every account gets one per server! (yea, make these account bound!)

[Maero]

No doubt instanced housing should have been and should still be a thing, took me like 3 years to get a house.
Best bet would be to take time off work when new or more housing is introduced.. although the first housing expansion in Stormblood was such a mess

[Dustytome]

Hopefully the few days headstart by preordering 5.0 will give me a chance to buy Housing xD. But isn't that bad for those who did not preorder Shadowbringers? lol.

They have not announced any wards being added as of yet and Ishgard was hinted at but we have been given no previews as we were with Shirogane. Unless something pops up on the live letter, I wouldn't expect to even be able to preview the new housing zone until at least couple patches in.

[Paladinleeds]

Perhaps the Ishgard one could be made into an instanced housing area? Perhaps FC leaders who complete it (or maybe those who have permission to buy land) who've done the Ishgard rebuilding, could then opt to buy an instanced plot for their FC. Personally, I'd be happy to do that for my FC were that the case. Same for my personal house.

[disturbedcobra]

I pretty sure new housing will not be available upon release of the xpac. My recollection was that housing wasn't made available until the 4.1 update for Stormblood and then everyone had equal access to housing based on a first come first serve basis. Later when additional plots were made available they came along with the new rules restricting one FC and one personal house per account per server after the log in fiasco's for purchasing and fan unhappyness. In addition FC's had first crack at purchasing houses as well as those making transfers. I forget how long that was but I believe it was a couple weeks at least before personal plots could then be purchased by 1st time home owners.

It's hard to say if something similar will be in effect when new housing is made available in ShB although the SB model might still apply. I suspect there will be some changes and I doubt that any housing will be locked behind doh/dol participation. Perhaps when the community has completed the rebuilding it will trigger the ability to purchase for everyone. One also has to wonder if apartments will be getting the small, medium and large treatment they hinted at in discussing housing at that time.

Not everyone had equal acces. They gave FCs first access to plots before they opened it up to Personal homes a few weeks later.

[LaylaTsarra]

Not everyone had equal acces. They gave FCs first access to plots before they opened it up to Personal homes a few weeks later.

I think transfers were allowed when FC's had the go to purchase. Granted new home buyers had to wait. it's been awhile but that is my recollection.

[SerLuke]

Do ppl who preordered Shadowbringers have an advantage in buying the housing plots there? Or is SE going to block the purchase of houses till its actual launch date?

They haven't announced any details, we don't even know if Ishgard housing will be an actual ward or glorified apartments, maybe tomorrow we we find out more info.

[disturbedcobra]

I think transfers were allowed when FC's had the go to purchase. Granted new home buyers had to wait. it's been awhile but that is my recollection.

Yea, relocation was possible just couldn't buy new plots unless you were part of a 4 member FC. This was also when they implemented the whole 1/1 Personal/FC home per account per world system.

[Valkyrie_Lenneth]

Yea, relocation was possible just couldn't buy new plots unless you were part of a 4 member FC. This was also when they implemented the whole 1/1 Personal/FC home per account per world system.

This was for the addition of wards to all housing zones, not the initial shirogane release.