Buying or renting property...

[Datt]

From the SRD:

Buildings
Item Cost
---- ----
Simple house 1,000 gp
Grand house 5,000 gp
Mansion 100,000 gp
Tower 50,000 gp
Keep 150,000 gp
Castle 500,000 gp
Huge castle 1,000,000 gp
Moat with bridge 50,000 gp

So based on that the Annual rent of a Grand house which is described as a four to ten room house would be 500 gp.

 

[Tetsubo]

Thank you. Based on the replies here I think I'll have the small manor house be about 3000 SP (I use a silver based system). Might run a bit higher or lower depending on how well the party bargains. It will have a small attached stable and a walled garden that will provide most of the needed vegetables for the table. The party will still need to buy meat and grains. Though they will have chickens and milking animals if they want. I'm not going to require them to be Nobles before owning property. Bought property will be considered of less value than a Royal Land Grant. With one of those and a title you become landed nobility.

 

[Vaxalon]

A ten percent annual yield on investment is a HUGE return, especially in medieval terms. Remember that the idea that the landlord is responsible for maintaining the property is a modern idea.

I'd say that the annual return would be more like 1-2%.

 

[Speaks With Stone]

<<A ten percent annual yield on investment is a HUGE return, especially in medieval terms. Remember that the idea that the landlord is responsible for maintaining the property is a modern idea.

I'd say that the annual return would be more like 1-2%.>>

If you want to break things down further you can, but I'll start by pointing out that the 10 percent paid in rent is not a 10% return to the owner. If you want to take out repairs/maint. (which you'll have to do anyway, I suggest you leave it in the rent and let the landlord take care of normal wear & tear - otherwise, you'll either hire someone else or do it yourself for similar expense). For the example of a 5000 gp manor house with an annual rent of 500 gp, consider 20% of that repairs & maint., or 100 gp.

Other factors that an owner (not a renter) will have to pay is taxes (another 20% or more depending on the tax), vacancy (the house was probably not occupied all year every year so the income was down, but the repairs maintenance and taxes remained the same.

Final return to the owner is probably closer to 5%. In high demand areas he could do better and vice versa.

I note that this assumes the value of the house remains constant, which will probably be true in most campaigns, but not true in real life.

To me the return sounds really small, but the trick is that there probably aren't a lot of safe alternative investments in your campaign. Do you have banks that offer interest, CDs, etc.? Trading ventures are rife with risk. Businesses could be invested in but probably with similar returns (unless you are into usuary and don't mind destroying the business for short term profit).

Anyway, probably more than most need for their campaigns.

 

[Pax]

But on the first dispel magic that wrecks the whole thing, you might want to consider a real carpenter

Wall of Stone cannot be dispelled. It is an "Instantaneous"-effect spell,; the stone is not magical in any way after that.

 

[kreynolds]

But on the first dispel magic that wrecks the whole thing, you might want to consider a real carpenter

Stalker...I'm surprised at you.

 

[dkilgo]

Yeah, just have an metal worker and a mason work in a buch of fabricated iron walls created by a wizard. The cost shouldn't be that high.

 

[Shard O'Glase]

Yeah, just have an metal worker and a mason work in a buch of fabricated iron walls created by a wizard. The cost shouldn't be that high.

Every wizard should throw some skill poits at crafts and professions IMO. A absic level of skill makes you dang good especially with crafts and your likely high INT(sorceres get no love here) So you turn to your party wizard and say I bought this land, I'll buy you the scrolls and the ink to put the spells you need in your spellbook. Make me one big oll house of stone and iron will ya. A few walls of iron and stone and fabricate spells later and you got yourself one nice house of DOOOOOM.

 

[dkilgo]

Every wizard should throw some skill poits at crafts and professions IMO. A absic level of skill makes you dang good especially with crafts and your likely high INT(sorceres get no love here) So you turn to your party wizard and say I bought this land, I'll buy you the scrolls and the ink to put the spells you need in your spellbook. Make me one big oll house of stone and iron will ya. A few walls of iron and stone and fabricate spells later and you got yourself one nice house of DOOOOOM.

Nicely put!

 

[Pax]

Every wizard should throw some skill poits at crafts and professions IMO. A absic level of skill makes you dang good especially with crafts and your likely high INT(sorceres get no love here) So you turn to your party wizard and say I bought this land, I'll buy you the scrolls and the ink to put the spells you need in your spellbook. Make me one big oll house of stone and iron will ya. A few walls of iron and stone and fabricate spells later and you got yourself one nice house of DOOOOOM.

It also helps if the Wizard has ranks in "Profession: Architect/Engineer"