Housing Scarcity is manufactured

[Jojoya]

Literally contradicting yourself here.
Nobodys saying they only want to play 4/52 weeks of the year. But some people would definitely appreciate taking a 3 month break without losing their house, coming back refreshed, and then devoting time to the game again. Without having to drop 40 USD just to keep the house going

Where the contradiction?

Someone taking a 3 month break would only have to pay $15 for a single month's subscription to keep their house, not $40. Enter house to reset demo timer on the day before game time runs out and the break begins. After 4-6 weeks, resub under monthly payments then cancel sub once the first month is charged. Enter the house to reset demo timer on the first and last days of the subscription period. Take another month off without paying the subscription, then resubscribe as the break ends.

It's the player's decision as the paying consumer whether or not the house is worth the subscription fee while they take their break (other than the 1 minute they have to log in every month or so to reset the demo timer).

If they don't think it's worth it, then they should give up the house. While getting the same house back on their return would be unlikely, getting another house would only require a little patience unless they only play on a super congested world like Balmung or Mateus. They can still get an apartment for each of their characters that they wouldn't lose so they wouldn't be completely without housing. With Island Sanctuary now allowing outdoor furnishings, the most they have to give up is gardening and most players don't bother with that.

You could say that players shouldn't have to make such decisions. I actually agree. It's why I still push for SE to add an improved instanced housing system to the game. With instanced housing, there is no need for demolition. Every player can get their dream location without impacting the ability of another player to do the same. Players can take a 2 year break from the game and return to find their housing just as they left it.

But until that happens (if it ever does, though what they're doing with Island Sanctuary shows they're capable of giving us a decent instanced housing system) we have to work with the system that SE provided. As long as the ward system is the only way to get a house, players will have to maintain a staggered subscription at the minimum to keep a house.