House Hunters: Movin' On Up!

[Metropolis Man]

Does gardening count as modifying the lot?

No. You're not buying anything from the Buy screen (except maybe a sprinkler).

I already asked Pam if Money Trees add value to a lot and she told me no, but if someone wants to confirm that I'd appreciate it.

These are probably dumb questions.

No questions are dumb.

What about paintings painted by your sims? It's not purchased but I'm assuming your not allowed to place them on walls, as this could severly affect the value of your lot WAY more than any other skill.

Correct. All paintings would need to be sold. Your one object can be a painting you buy and hung, but that's it.

The final value you count at day 50 is just the value of the home? Not any cash on hand correct?

The final value of ALL homes you lived in. Not just your home on day 50. And cash on hand is irrelevant.

EDIT: I just remembered to add this stipulation:

Collecting for income is fine, but all collectibles need to be sold and cannot add value to a house.

[Abyshep]

Metro,

Thanks for clearing those points up for me! Really looking forward to this challenge now! Hurry up and be May 7th already!

Aby

[Metropolis Man]

Hurry up and be May 7th already! :)Aby

I get that way also. Very impatient. I think I finally have my game plan down after trying about 10 different variations on things. But, like I was telling Nancy yesterday—the best laid plans can go straight down the tubes if the game doesn't cooperate.

[Schipperke]

From the rules:
"•You may not place anything in Family Inventory (Buy Screen) other than to complete an Opportunity."

But if we can take the Food Replicator with us, we would have to put it in Family Inventory and take it out at the new place, so that one exception is allowed, right?

Also, do the "houses" we buy have to be houses?  What I mean is, what about buying empty lots and then immediately moving?

[Metropolis Man]

From the rules:
"•You may not place anything in Family Inventory (Buy Screen) other than to complete an Opportunity."

But if we can take the Food Replicator with us, we would have to put it in Family Inventory and take it out at the new place, so that one exception is allowed, right?

Correct. I'll note that.

Also, do the "houses" we buy have to be houses?  What I mean is, what about buying empty lots and then immediately moving?

No. Buying empty lots is not allowed. I'm not even going to clarify that in the rules because the whole point of the challenge is buying houses, not empty lots.

[NancyJ]

My money tree hasn't fruited yet but the regular fruit does add to the value of the house so I imagine the money tree will too - does this change the ruling on gardening?

[Metropolis Man]

My money tree hasn't fruited yet but the regular fruit does add to the value of the house so I imagine the money tree will too - does this change the ruling on gardening?

Well, yeah. Hmmm...I thought Pam told me that fruit and Money Trees did not affect lot value. If you're positive on this Nancy, then I'll have to ban gardening.

[NancyJ]

I checked the house value and it was $10,412 then I tended my garden and it was $10,364 - I was suspicious because my house value went up instead of down and then it went back down and then up again so I had to check whether it was the fruit. I don't think the plants themselves increase the value but I'm sure that the unharvested fruit does.

[Schipperke]

My money tree hasn't fruited yet but the regular fruit does add to the value of the house so I imagine the money tree will too - does this change the ruling on gardening?

Well, yeah. Hmmm...I thought Pam told me that fruit and Money Trees did not affect lot value. If you're positive on this Nancy, then I'll have to ban gardening.

I read somewhere on the forum that if you sell a house and buy a new one, you can continue to go back to the original house and harvest the garden.  If that's true, I think gardening should be banned - think of all the money trees we could return and harvest with all the moves we'll be doing!

[Metropolis Man]

So many restrictions in this event. It just keeps piling up. Looks like gardening will be banned as well.

[NancyJ]

As I understand it from reading the discussion is that it is the intention of the rules that the only thing you are allowed to do to increase the value of the home is purchase 1 item from the buy screen. Anything else that increases the value of the lot is off-limits?

I fished up a rubber ducky (but I don't recall anything in the rules that would forbid me to buy one) and put it on my bath tub, which increased the value of the lot. Putting food in the fridge did not appear to affect the value of the lot nor did buying books and putting them on the shelf, however putting fruit/fish/books on a table does increase the value of the lot.  Obviously my rubber ducky didn't increase the lot value by much and buying books does decrease your available cash but I've fished up laptops too in the past - that would be something free that would increase the lot by a few k -I don't want to see fishing banned but if the intention is that the lot value should only be increased by that 1 purchase and nothing else then I think it should be a rule that anything bought in the shop or fished up has to stay in your inventory (or at least be there when you move)

Or if the intention is that we strategically think/discover how to increase the lot value without breaking any of the stated rules then feel free to delete this post, that will pretty much answer the question.

[Metropolis Man]

As I understand it from reading the discussion is that it is the intention of the rules that the only thing you are allowed to do to increase the value of the home is purchase 1 item from the buy screen. Anything else that increases the value of the lot is off-limits?

That's pretty much it. I'm going to see if I can simplify/globalize the rules in such a way as to reduce the number of them because it's starting to get too lengthy for my tastes. The more rules and restrictions that are listed, the more chance someone has of screwing up and forgetting something.

[Schipperke]

Putting food in the fridge did not appear to affect the value of the lot nor did buying books and putting them on the shelf, however putting fruit/fish/books on a table does increase the value of the lot.  Obviously my rubber ducky didn't increase the lot value by much and buying books does decrease your available cash but I've fished up laptops too in the past - that would be something free that would increase the lot by a few k -I don't want to see fishing banned but if the intention is that the lot value should only be increased by that 1 purchase and nothing else then I think it should be a rule that anything bought in the shop or fished up has to stay in your inventory (or at least be there when you move)

Or if the intention is that we strategically think/discover how to increase the lot value without breaking any of the stated rules then feel free to delete this post, that will pretty much answer the question.

Regarding items in the fridge - they come with you and appear in the fridge at the new house.  At least, I have found that to be true for leftovers in the fridge.  I would assume it's the same for fish or other items you've put there.

[Abyshep]

If it is the case that you can purchase books/use items that you have fished up and can garden, but it is not known if this raises the value of the lot why not simply have a rule that items that are acquired by these methods should be put into your inventory when you move and all garden trees and plants etc deleted before you move?

That way you can benefit from your skills as a gardener / fisherman and can buy skill books which ultimately increase your cash in hand but they don't affect the value of the lot. Just like Metro said with pictures, you can paint ‘em and sell them but you can't put them on the walls.

Just a thought. Please feel free to ignore me, many do! ;-

Aby

[AriaGirl77]

Dang it!  I was planning to have gardens to harvest all over town. lol

Totally agree with the rule about only living in each house once.  I was thinking that was kind of strange to be moving into a house I've already lived in.

[Metropolis Man]

If it is the case that you can purchase books/use items that you have fished up and can garden, but it is not known if this raises the value of the lot why not simply have a rule that items that are acquired by these methods should be put into your inventory when you move and all garden trees and plants etc deleted before you move?

Nice suggestion.

[NancyJ]

You could say no harvesting wild plants or no harvesting plants from houses you already lived in... but I think the rules are getting complicated enough as it is.

[Metropolis Man]

Schipperke PM'd me with the suggestion of breaking up the rules into sections which is a great idea. So, I'm working on that and hope to have a complete redo up by the end of the day.

[Abyshep]

You could say no harvesting wild plants or no harvesting plants from houses you already lived in

Metro and Pam can finalise on this but what would be the problem with harvesting wild plants? Also if you see my suggestion above of deleting plants before you move there will be nothing there to harvest.

Just my tuppence worth.

[Metropolis Man]

I'm getting close to finishing up. The following section saw the greatest number of changes. The good news is it's much simpler—the bottom line is you can't change anything about a lot or its home except for the one object purchased per move. The bad news that means gardening is out completely. Food replicator is nixed. I'll see what Pam says, but if we start adding in a bunch more exceptions then we go back to lengthening the rules.

Moving/Playing a House

• Each move must be to a different house and any house you move into must have a greater value than the house you’re moving out of. You’ll find your house’s value in the lower left portion of the Move screen. Check out the Moving Article on the Guide.
• You can’t move or change anything for each house/lot. You can only add value to each house with ONE purchased object that has to stay on the lot or in the house.
• Your ONE object cannot be a replacement or upgrade for any existing object in a house.
• Any reward object must stay in Personal or Family Inventory untouched.

[NancyJ]

Last question (*I hope*) - adding the 1 object to the home, is that a requirement or optional? (ie. if the home has everything I want/need, do I have to buy something?)

[Metropolis Man]

Last question (*I hope*) - adding the 1 object to the home, is that a requirement or optional? (ie. if the home has everything I want/need, do I have to buy something?)

Don't worry about too many questions, everyone. That's the whole purpose behind posting rule sets a minimum of one week in advance. Lately, it's been more like 10 days which is a good thing.

Anyway, Nancy—the object is entirely optional for you.

---------

That's a wrap. For now. I still want Pam to sign off on the revision, but I think it's a lot better. Thanks again to Schipperke for the section suggestion. I'm going to carry that over to all future rule sets.

[Pam]

Apparently I was mistaken about garden plants not adding value to the lot.  Sorry about that, Metro.

I like the revised rules.  It was starting to get out of hand with exceptions and everything.  The bottom line is that you cannot place anything in the house at all except for the one allowed item.  You have to live in it as is.  To me, this means that even the duck and bubble bath cannot be placed.  If you reel anything in while fishing, it has to stay in your personal inventory or you can sell it.  No lifetime happiness rewards can be placed in the house, either.  If it's something that goes to personal inventory and never has to leave, then it's allowed.

Are we close to being on the same page now?

[Metropolis Man]

Apparently I was mistaken about garden plants not adding value to the lot.  Sorry about that, Metro.

Hey, that's like your first mistake....ever right? I think you're overdue!  

I like the revised rules.  It was starting to get out of hand with exceptions and everything.  The bottom line is that you cannot place anything in the house at all except for the one allowed item.  You have to live in it as is.  To me, this means that even the duck and bubble bath cannot be placed.  If you reel anything in while fishing, it has to stay in your personal inventory or you can sell it.  No lifetime happiness rewards can be placed in the house, either.  If it's something that goes to personal inventory and never has to leave, then it's allowed.

Are we close to being on the same page now?

I think so, Pam. Thanks for chiming in. Schipperke PM'd me and asked if I thought it would be a good idea to specifically mention that gardening and the Food Replicator are now banned, but my response is that then we get back to adding more exceptions. If you or anyone else really feels exceptions are still needed, fine. But, I think it's quite clear in the moving section—you basically can't change anything in the house OR the lot...they're one and the same. I realize a lot of players like gardening. I'm one of them. But, this challenge is going to be tough. It will be fun. I can't wait to get started.

[Pam]

I'm excited, too.  I haven't done any testing or practicing.  And I think I'm going to play in the town I'm the least familiar with.  It will be fun to live in all those houses for the first time.