To Preface, this thread is not for toxicity over the systems currently in place, your reading this suggests it's very likely that you have already been burned by the timers and general lack of housing on high pop servers.

Regarding the timers I understand there implementation that they are to discourage flipping and ill practices. I don't understand the need for the timer to be invisible however, to me this seems an oversight and likely the source of most frustration as it fosters uncertainty, I would propose making the timer a solid 10hrs from demolition/resignation. whilst simple I feel this deters flipping as anyone viewing will be able to attend the 10th hour and attempt to purchase, it deters botting as there is now a predefined time where GM's know botting is a significant possibility and most importantly it saves people gate keeping placards for hours on end.

The bigger issue and the reason the aforementioned is required is supply.
Currently on high/medium pop servers housing is short of demand this has been the case since implementation. Whilst many have proposed instancing as a fix I dislike this suggestion not unlike Square Enix as it is counter to there vision, they want housing wards to be bustling locales of activity and interaction or social hubs. I would suggest a type of instancing but its better described as phasing, if FF-XIV's engine allowed it, phasing would eliminate the need for multiple wards entirely, all housing could be instanced with each plot individually phased in. for example you enter The Mists and your house is located on plot 12 whenever you enter the Ward your house will always Inhabit plot 12, and the rest of the Ward will populate with randomly allocated housing.

To add to the above a few other small suggestions:
  • Friends-list/FC Housing Allocation - The Ward will populate with FC and Friends List members with exemptions made for Plot conflicts.
    Personal Allocation, you may interact with the placards to populate the ward manually.

I envision this working as follows, Each plot is individually phased, once you pass the wall/gate you are phased into that plot along with anyone else currently within the walls. Whilst outside the walls you are phased into the Ward itself and here everyone currently within that ward is present this would massively increase the presence in housing wards changing them from ghost wards to something more akin capitals and market boards. I would hope that instancing in this fashion would allow for more housing in general. one of the issues I see with this would be plot preference as if you allow anyone to buy any plot then the less conveniently located plots or "ugly" plots will never be inhabited.

All of the above of course is my personal recommendation and I'm sure is flawed in ways beyond my thinking. I'm open to discussion and suggestion on improvements or entirely better ways of managing housing going forward.