So, a lottery system and a divide between FC and solo wards, eh?

[Nepentha]

The auto-demo timer would be a good mechanic if SE stopped pausing the stupid thing which renders the auto-demo mechanic basically useless.

They do this when there's a reason that would make it so players cannot log in to check on their houses. Natural disasters, pandemics, the sort of things that happen in life where SE would rather players worry about real life than a house on a game. I think it's very kind of them to do that. I'm not sure why you think it's ok for demos to continue during such events.

We need to implement an alternative way to the auto-demolition timer and an upkeep mechanic would do just that (provided the house is demo'd once a week goes by that upkeep wasn't paid). Additionally, as the upkeep should be handled through the placard for the house, that means that you can definitely take a break from the game for as long as you need to and still keep your house provided you have made arrangements for someone to keep paying for it. For example, you have an FC mate with a house that just got deployed, and they know they're going to be touch and go for a couple of months, they can have another FC mate (or their spouse) pay the upkeep while they are unable to play, and they will be able to return to their house once they are back to a more normal life with however many months that may take - which is something you can't really do with the auto-demo timer AFAIK.

I'd agree with you on this. Except no demo timer and no rent to be paid. Just allow a tenant to run through the house to keep it from auto demoing, which is the same for FCs atm.

While I thought I didn't need to explain money management, by turning an asset into a liability (in other words, by attaching a perpetual cost to a house in terms of upkeep) it's going to make a lot of the people holding large swaths of land question if they want to retain those properties, or if they should unload them because what was an asset is now a fiscal liability.

I wish I could stop explaining to you that this just isn't going to work. Land barons have billions on hand. Literal billions. I've interviewed a few of them for posterity and curiosity. This idea of yours wouldn't stop them at all. But it would def punish regular players who just want A House. And then something happens like the get COVID and end up in the hospital or a hurricane rips through their state and they don't have internet access for awhile and their house is gone just like that because they cannot pay the weekly rent. And god forbid SE take these events into consideration and halt the demo timer for a little while.