...and the 720 companies which may luck themselves into them.
I'm split on Mateus and Balmung as my home worlds, they are names that have become synonymous to roleplay; of the years since release there are still companies fighting for homes. I'll use Mateus just as an example.
The one problem addressed which is appreciated is setting Free Company Only restrictions upon the additional 3 wards, however with an estimated over 4000 free companies on Mateus alone, maybe more, added with the exceeding amount of players, exactly what did these additions do?
In a scenario where only free companies were allowed estates, perhaps this could have been the answer to a prayer, but due to individual purchases, that's pitting four thousand companies against the tens of thousands. (To give people a rough idea of population, you can't even get through 1000 people on a Mateus character lookup and finish "Aa")
This average unfortunately includes all the bots with companies as the botting problem has yet to be aggressively addressed.
This also does not address the outrageous off-client scalping and black market realty which they are aware exists.
What some players don't know is that the care for this issue is little if existent. Since the introduction of apartments, if we consider 198 apartments per ward stretched across the soon to be 21 wards across the four current locales, the response is always "but apartments exist" which, ironically, if everyone bought an apartment it still wouldn't accommodate the home world populations. If this is always going to be the response, why not just give the instanced housing? Discontinuing wards and moving to that model would not only be far more lucrative, it would address the demand, slow the scalping and back alley dealings, and be easier to make greater if need be.
I would not believe those in power who charge over housing would think that the rectification of such an oversight is the equivalent of a tiny bandage on a gaping wound. I think the statement at the end of the LiveLetter, "We will evaluate the housing market and decide when to remove the restriction on sales to individuals" is a slap in the face to the community which knows that even with free companies the demand will be considerably exorbitant. Whether it be instanced housing or otherwise I would have preferred these issues be addressed rather than seeing players camp for a chance on a chance, elbowing and clawing their way to placards...again.