Would the housing market be less crazy if the buying system was a silent auction?

[Pyitoechito]

I haven't actually delved into the housing market myself, but hearing so many horror stories makes me wonder if it would be better if the current system for buying a house was replaced with something similar to a silent auction.

The price of the plot would become the minimum bid, and the devaluation timer would be the bidding period. Everyone who wants the plot secretly places a bid on it (unlimited maximum bid). At the end of the bidding period the highest bidder is awarded the plot, and if there were no bidders the plot devalues and the bidding period starts again. There could be additional features in place like a count of the number of players currently bidding on a particular plot.

The market would change from being an endurance/luck race to a more capitalist one. Those with more gil stand a better chance of getting houses, but that might not be ideal because it would make it much harder for newer or less savvy players to get houses.

Another alternative that would only remove the "endurance" aspect of housing would be a lottery approach. All players wishing to purchase a plot during a devaluation period can join in the lottery, and when the period ends one random player is selected to win the plot. If no players participate the plot devalues, and players would only be allowed to join the lottery of one plot at a time (can't try for multiple plots at once).

In either scenario, I would see players who already own housing also having to participate in either the auction or lottery alongside those who don't have houses to keep things fair.

[Tridus]

That would be better, yes. It wouldn't require people to stand there for hours clicking.

A lottery system would also work, where you get a ticket, and if you win, the money is deducted and you get the house.

I mean, having enough housing would also work. But since we're not getting that...

[Hash_Browns]

I don't think people wanna pay 100m gil for a small though.

[Lunavi]

Lottery is better to be honest. The problem with this solution is that it will be terrible unless you are the richest non-houseowner on the server, and even then it would be bad as instead of 4m for a small you would have to pay most likely 50 minimum for a small and gilcap for a large.

[Gun-Cat]

Go to the sign, dump whatever amount of Gil is required. If you win you get the housing permit sent to you via mail if not the money. Seems like the fairest solution for the current system.

[TheMightyMollusk]

It might help drain some gil out of the economy, at the very least. On the other hand, it locks housing entirely to the richest part of the player base, but right now it's locked to the luckiest part, so that's kind of a lateral move.

[Pyitoechito]

Go to the sign, dump whatever amount of Gil is required. If you win you get the housing permit sent to you via mail if not the money. Seems like the fairest solution for the current system.

Mogmail sounds kinda messy for returning gil. Perhaps it could use the retainers? Store the requisite gil in a retainer and then you select the retainer you want to "watch" the plot for the lottery. During the drawing period only retainers with enough gil are counted and the winner has the gil deducted from the retainer and Mogmail is used only to alert a win or loss.

[Skivvy]

That would be better, yes. It wouldn't require people to stand there for hours clicking.

A lottery system would also work, where you get a ticket, and if you win, the money is deducted and you get the house.

I mean, having enough housing would also work. But since we're not getting that...

Oyyyy, I agree. Give housing to all people for the love of all that is holy!! D: Now, wishful thinking aside...

To expand on your idea, I think they would need to make the gil deduct immediately, and that you can only have a max of 3 active lottery tickets open (or whatever arbitrary number they want).

If the gil isn't deducted immediately, there could be the issue of someone winning but no longer having the funds. Also, this would probably help prevent everyone from having the max number of open tickets as that would be (potentially) a lot of gil to put down up front - therefore giving more people a chance.

[LaylaTsarra]

No thank you to auctions.

[Saintly]

Cant really agree or disagree tbh.

It would be nice since it'll reward those who focus on making gil, not to mention a good passive money-sink if the tax is greatly increased also.
On the other hand tho there's the RMT issue that's already out of control and adding this would make things worse.