The Sims 4 "For Rent" - a new expansion released on December 7, 2023. The game has finally fully implemented the system of renting/leasing homes, added a new type of residential lot, a town, character traits, life goals, and mechanics for interacting with neighbors. Neighborly life has become deeper and richer, and renting living space is thought-out and plausible. In this article, we will discuss all the advantages and opportunities of the new game pack "For Rent." Enjoy reading!

"For Rent" Expansion: What's New

Apartments first appeared in The Sims 4 with the release of the "City Living" expansion in 2016. Although the game pack was warmly received by players for adding a full-fledged metropolis city, the apartment mechanics were implemented quite simply. All a Sim could do was rent a living space and pay weekly rent. Occasionally, neighbors could bother you with noise late at night or an insistent desire to meet and visit, but that was all.

More possibilities came with the "Neighborhood Stories System" feature. Interacting with neighbors played a more important role, and your advice and actions could seriously affect the lives of other characters. Familiar city dwellers can now independently build their lives: change jobs, enter relationships, marry, have children, etc. Or almost independently. The point is that the character calls your Sim with a question of whether they should take a specific step, and your Sim gives an answer: yes or no. And your word will be final. If you respond positively, the character will indeed decide on the proposed action, but if you refuse, they will think it over again.

And now, in The Sims 4 "For Rent," we see the merging of the "City Living" with "Neighborhood Stories." Now your Sim can fully manage their own property, rent out housing to tenants and build a business on it. Or conversely - move into temporary housing until they can afford their own, while establishing contacts with neighbors and maintaining friendly relations. Or not maintain them if you are interested in learning gossip and weaving intrigues.

Now your character can become a successful landlord or a model tenant. In the first case, it all depends on how responsibly you approach maintaining the dwelling: furnishing with new furniture, responding to breakdowns in time, communicating well with tenants, and adhering to the terms of the contract. The higher the housing rating, the higher the rent you can charge tenants. But a discrepancy between price and quality will lead to a tenants' revolt. If the residing Sims dislike something, they will start a full-scale uprising and demand the landlord adhere to the rules and service the living space.

New Lot Type

A new lot type has been added to the game - Residential Rental. A character can purchase housing of this type separately or lease out their own home. That is, a Sim can either live together with tenants or buy a separate lot on the Business panel in the phone and periodically visit it to check if everything is okay with the tenants.

By building a house on the new lot, you can divide it into parts. The more zones you allocate, the more families or characters can settle in it. Set the number of rooms at your discretion, but keep in mind that this can affect the game's performance. Kitchens, bathrooms, and the living room are common areas, unless you arrange otherwise.

Before renting out housing, you set standards and rules of behavior. Note that you won't be able to change the contract rules after the characters have moved in - this will automatically be considered a violation and allow the Sims to organize a revolt. If the tenants do not follow the rules, then the owner can issue them a fine for the violation. You don't need to visit the dwelling to do this - fines can be issued remotely via the mailbox.

Learn how to rent out housing and become a successful landlord in the detailed guide.

Tomarang Town

Tomarang - a new vibrant town among the tropics, inspired by the culture of Vietnam and Thailand. Here, life flows with local gossip and fascinating stories. Walk through the narrow streets, don't forget to visit the Night Market - preferably after sunset, visit local families, and learn more about Tomarang. Visit the nature reserve, make an offering at the spirit house, and get inspired by the local atmosphere.

"Cheerful and vibrant Tomarang, grown from a seaside village on the shores of the Sea of Shi, boasts a rich history. The city is famous for the cohesion of its residents and sunny communal spaces, and there's no shortage of opportunities here. You can enjoy nature, chat with neighbors, or go on a hunt for others' secrets... It's customary to live in multi-family homes here, whether alone or with a large family! Sul-sul de-ka!"

In the new town, 9 lots have been added: 5 residential, 2 lots for rental housing, 1 nature reserve, and 1 cocktail bar for gatherings and meetings with friends. You can rent or buy ready-made housing in Tomarang or build this lot in any other town. Four families live in Tomarang, each in some way connected to the rental housing mechanic.

Life Goals

The "For Rent" expansion includes 4 new life goals:

• Seeker of Secrets. You have managed to uncover the secrets of another Sim's personal life and successfully blackmail them. Not the best achievement, but you don't care;
• Five-Star Property Owner. Become the best landlord and raise the rental housing rating to the maximum;
• Fount of Tomarani Knowledge. Immerse yourself in the town's history and become part of its culture;
• Discerning Dweller. Landlords and neighbors adore you! You are the best neighbor who avoids conflicts, maintains friendly relations with everyone, and, of course, adheres to the contract requirements.

Character Traits

There are 5 new character traits:

• Nosy;
• Generous;
• Cringe;
• Child of the Village;
• Wise - available only for elderly characters.

By the way, if you are launching the expansion for the first time, you will be offered to go through training when you start Sims 4. Do not refuse it - you will receive an additional hidden character trait.

Fears

A new fear has been added to the game - Fear of Eviction. It appears in tenant Sims who have violated living rules and quarreled with the owner. Indeed, not everyone wants to end up on the street, so try to correct the mistake and make amends as quickly as possible. If you think the landlord was biased, say so - talk or move on to organizing a revolt. The latter option is for when simple dialogue doesn't help.

Death

The new expansion brings a new death. This is one of the most interesting points in the game. And this time, the developers really did their best. Now Sims can die from mold (Death by Mold), breathing in its spores. The animation looks horrifying and even disgusting. The Sim literally suffocates from the green mold growths and dies, and their ghost will forever wander the world and cough spores on living Sims. That's what happens if you don't clean the house in time...

If you haven't tried the "For Rent" expansion yet, be sure to download it and create a full-fledged neighborhood commune. And if you are eagerly waiting for the release of The Sims 5 Project Rene, then read all the latest relevant information from the developers.