Reserving space in a town?

[sigmajw]

So I'm used to the old games, where there would be a sign in place for the spots a villager's house could be built. But now they just pop up in seemingly random places.

It's starting to bother me. A neighbor just bought a plot directly next to my house. (I had built far away, specifically so I could have my own little area) and she destroyed all my flowers I had planted there.

Is there no way I can have a safe area? I feel like it's pointless to set up a garden or an orchard if in the future someone could just move in right on top of it. I feel like as the darn mayor I should be able to approve their building locations at the very least.

I don't know what the required space is, for a house to fit in an area. I've seen a house just 1 space away from the cliff edge, so I assume they can fit into tight areas.
Does anyone have some tips of how I can keep houses from being built in certain areas?

 

[Blackbeltnick95]

I build public works projects and place a lot of trees around my house. So far it seems to have worked. I have max villagers now and no one moved even close to my house. I also placed my house in a pretty tight spot, so any houses probably wouldn't be able to fit around.

 

[Nooblord]

Community projects are the only way you are able to reserve a spot.

 

[sigmajw]

Community projects are the only way you are able to reserve a spot.

but is there any way to know how big of an area they will save?

Like I said I've seen a house 1 space away from a cliff edge, that's the closest I've seen one built to anything, so I assume that the minimum space requirement is 4x4 (the house taking up 3x3, and 1 space edge around the whole thing). So assuming I built a lamp or a clock or something, then they could still potentially build their house just 1 space next to it?

 

[Hirisa]

I've made some temporary additional characters to "reserve space" in my game. I know where I want the cafe to go, so I just made a new character whose tent is in the same place- when I finally raise the Bells to build the cafe, I will delete the character's house and commence with the project.

I wonder if placing tiles on the ground makes them unable to be moved onto? Does anyone know if this is possible?

 

[Cinnamoos]

Do the little sign projects work? o: I think I need to reserve a spot for something I'm planning.
Placing patterns on the ground won't help. :c Animals have moved right smack dab in the middle of my paths.

 

[Hirisa]

*snip* Placing patterns on the ground won't help. :c .

Aw, poo. Thanks for the confirmation though.

 

[laceydearie]

I'm going to save a spot for the cafe with a third character. I'll then delete said character and remake them so I can design their house and stuff.

 

[Drew1234]

I think that the old home signs should have been part of the mayors job, you place them in town and control where they will appear... easy fix Nintendo, come on!!! Really, my brother just made and orchard and some dumb villager ruined it, made his house right in the middle. Another villager moved in right in front of the ramp to the beach and also right in front of the town hall. I put a fountain in front of the town hall so no one moves in there... it's really annoying....

 

[SonicHyuga]

I know how you feel. I've been planning to set up some projects around my house... but the villagers had plans otherwise:

Spoiler

 

[Nooblord]

but is there any way to know how big of an area they will save?

Like I said I've seen a house 1 space away from a cliff edge, that's the closest I've seen one built to anything, so I assume that the minimum space requirement is 4x4 (the house taking up 3x3, and 1 space edge around the whole thing). So assuming I built a lamp or a clock or something, then they could still potentially build their house just 1 space next to it?

It'd actually be 5x5. If you do build a lamp, they can get as close as 1 space away from it. So if you want to reserve an entire area, you might have to set up more than just one community project for it and hope that no one moves into that area during the process. There isn't really a legitimate way to reserve an area.

 

[Imbri]

One thing I've noticed in my town is that new villagers seem to move in near existing houses. Of my 8 villagers, 6 are living all clustered together and the other two are near my house. I'm guessing the next two will also be near me (something I wish I'd been able to prevent, but oh, well.), so I guess I'll wait until then to finish placing paths, dummy characters, orchards, etc.

Of course, that could all be a false theory and the next two will build houses out in the middle of nowhere, messing up the entire process.