Linden Lab Official:Homestead FAQ

What is a Homestead region?

Along with Full regions and Openspace regions, a Homestead region is a type of Private Region. It is intended for lightweight use cases such as:

• Low-density rentals
• Light commercial
• Quiet residential

Homestead regions have lower usage limits than Full regions:

• Prim limit set at 3750
• Concurrent avatar limit set at 20

Pricing for Homestead regions comprise a setup fee and monthly maintenance fees:

• Setup fee of $375
• Monthly fee of $125

Homestead regions are available only to Full region owners. Also, the Owner and the Payor for Homesteads must be the same person.

How do I order a Homestead?

Homesteads can be purchased in the Land Store. Once you select a location for your region, you will be provided the option of making your island a Homestead region. This option will only be provided if you currently own a Full region.

Are there discounts for educators or non-profit organizations?

Yes. For qualified educators or non-profits, Homestead region fees are as follows:

• Setup fee of $262.00
• Monthly fee of $87.50 (EDNP regions must be invoiced and paid 6 or 12 months in advance)

How are Homesteads regions different from Openspace regions?

Homesteads are intended for low density rentals, quiet residential, or light use. Openspace regions are intended for extremely lightweight scenary usage such as countryside, forest, or ocean, and are not approved for habitation or for residential or commercial rental. Pricing and usage limits for Homesteads and Openspaces are summarized below:

	Openspace Regions	Homestead Regions	Full Regions
Size	65,536 m2	65,536 m2	65,536 m2
Setup fee	US$250	US$375	US$1,000
Monthly maintenance	US$75	US$25	US$295
Educational discount?	No	Yes	Yes
Prims	750	3,750	15,000
Max. avatars	10	20	100
Script limits	TBD	TBD	N/A
Habitation allowed?	No	Yes	Yes
Rental allowed?	No	Yes	Yes
Events & classifieds?	No	Yes	Yes
Conversion to Full Region allowed?	Yes	Yes	N/A

What's the policy for converting up an Openspace region to a Homestead region, a Homestead region to a Full region, or an Openspace region to a Full region?

Upon conversion of your Openspace region to a Homestead or Full region, you will be charged the difference in setup fees between the two types of regions. In addition, you will be charged a one-time conversion fee of $100. Once the conversion has taken place, the appropriate new monthly fee will apply. The new bill date will be an average of the old bill dates.

If you have multiple Openspaces or Homesteads to convert, each will count as its setup value against the price of a full region. For example, if you want to upgrade 2 Openspaces to a Full Region, it will cost you the set up fee of the Full Region ($1000) minus the combined setup fee of each Openspace ($250 + $250), plus the one-time conversion fee ($100): $1000 - ($250 + $250) + 100 = $600.

Examples:

Region Conversion Type	Setup and Conversion Fees
2 Openspace Regions to a Full Region	$1000 - ($250 + $250 ) + $100 = $600
2 Homestead Regions to a Full Region	$1000 - ($375 + $375 ) + $100 = $350

Note: Through January 31st, 2009, the conversion fee of $100 will be waived per transaction.

What's the policy for converting down a Full region to a Homestead region, a Full region to an Openspaces region, or a Homestead region to an Openspaces region?

Full regions can be converted down the product line. You will be charged the difference in setup fees between the two types of regions plus a one-time conversion fee of $100. Once the conversion has taken place, the appropriate new monthly fee will apply. The bill date will remain the same.

How long does a conversion take?

You can normally expect your Private Region conversion to take 5-10 business days. Depending on the size of our current conversion queue, your conversion may occasionally take longer than 10 business days, but we will do our best to get it done in a timely manner.

What things have not changed about Openspaces, Homesteads, and Full Regions?

The following policies and fees surrounding Private Regions inworld haven't changed:

• You still need to own a Full region to buy Openspace or Homestead regions.
• Setup fees for Openspaces and Full Regions remain the same.
• Monthly fees for Openspaces and Full Regions remain the same.
• As stated on the Second Life Blog, the Owner and the Payor must be the same person on an Openspace or Homestead.

What are the policies surrounding land rental on Homestead regions?

Homesteads are approved for rental use within the Region limitations we have set.

When will the Homestead region limits take effect?

Limits on avatars and prim counts will take effect January 5th, with the product offering changes. Script and other limitations not ready by the January 5th date will take effect as when available and will be announced in advance.