Current Second Generation Premium Linden Homes (Updated March 31, 2021)

To get a Second Generation Premium Home:

1. You have to be a premium member, and

2. You have to have 512 (for campers) or 1024 (for all others) free tier available.

On your account dashboard go to Premium membership - there will be a screen showing the choices available, and a place to "Claim your new home." You are assigned a place at random, and if you don't like the first pick you can abandon it and try for a new one for a limit of five tries in a 24-hour period.

Houseboats:

One of several houseboat styles "The Wallower"

View from the top deck

Additional information for those unfamiliar with Second Life: 

For years Second Life has been offering a free home to those who signed up for Premium accounts. Most of these homes are in huge subdivisions located on continents that were separated from the Mainland. There were neighborhoods with different styles of architecture and with themed surroundings and community areas. Although many of the surroundings were beautiful and interesting, the houses themselves were becoming outdated. They also were on small 512 plots (new rules give Premium members a 1024 allotment) and there weren't roads or access to other Continents without teleporting.

The new Premium home continent, Belliseria, has been in the works for some time. Residents first noticed the continent on the map back in August 2018, and interest has been high. The first residences were two types - traditional house or houseboat, and each of these types had four variations. They expect new types to be offered in the future.

The new homes offer quite a bit of improvement over the old homes.

1. - larger parcels (although I understand there may be some 512 plots offered in future - maybe                trailer parks?)
2. - more prims to decorate. The prims in the structure itself don't count.
3. - ability to add a skybox if you want privacy.
4. - a choice of four styles of structure within the type you chose - You can change the style of  your traditional house at the mailbox, or the style of your houseboat at the life ring on the dock.
5. - more roads within the suburban areas, and more community areas like swimming pools.
6. - the structures themselves are better engineered.
7. - Best of all, yesterday we were told that they would be eliminating the ability to set up ban lines* in Bellisseria and supplying residents with a free improved security orb** 

*'ban lines' are a privacy device set up by the homeowner that keep other people out. In my opinion they are unsightly, and they are traffic hazards when they are too close to public roads and skyspace. Sometimes vehicles get stuck on them.
**'security orbs' are another privacy device that have sometimes been set up with 'zero' warning. If you inadvertently find yourself in an area controlled by one of these orbs, you may be summarily kicked back home without warning. The new security systems being given out to residents of Bellisseria are supposed to be more passerby friendly.

Update 7-23-19. After some time spent decorating, I decided that I needed to go back to being a tourist, so I changed the houseboat to a different style, and set it up as a small art gallery to try to contribute something to the community. My 'home' there is a sky platform, but anyone is welcome to visit the Art Gallery. Just go to Echo Cove and look for the sign.


Notecard with landmarks at http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Maryport/243/17/22