Can't change lot type

[Alahyana]

The retail thing didn't work... it doesn't let me buy the plot, I get the message "sims can only purchase unowned retail stores or unoccupied residential plots"...

After experimenting, I realized that a sim can move itself to the plot in order to live there, but it still appears locked in generic when I go to Build Mode, I tried to build a house and everything but it still locked in generic... I don't know what more to do T.T

[crinrict]

Tagging @ju1ka on this one

[ju1ka]

I'm not sure if there is a workaround if buying as retail doesn't help, as that was literally the only thing that fixed it for me. At least I see the gurus are aware and are hopefully working on a fix.

I know you get the "cannot buy this as retail" thing if you're on ~special~ lots such as the haunted mansion or island bluffs in Windenburg. I wonder if you were placing lots built on those pieces of land in your game, and they broke the lot type?

[daarsim]

I just had this same thing happen after the Update of June 2nd. It was the lot across from the Goth household called Hollow Slough or however that is spelled. It was the only lot ever played in that particular save and it had never been anything else other than a residence with a scratch built house on it. I had loaded the save and decided to put some new windows in it and entered build mode. First thing I noticed was I couldn't afford anything at all even though the household had over §38K. Then I noticed the business funds was §0 but my household doesn't own a business and the lot type was set to Generic. I could not change the lot type because it said it was a "Special Venue".

So at this point I moved my household out of that lot and into the blank lot across from the Pancake household. Then I went back to the original lot and saved it to my Gallery so I could plop it down on the new blank lot my Sims had moved to. In the Gallery it now said the original lot creator was someone else even though I built this one from the ground up and not even one room was from the Gallery. Anyway, I plopped it down onto the new blank lot my Sims had moved to and suddenly the lot type changed to Generic even though it said Residential in the Gallery.

I moved my household AGAIN to another lot and was then able to go set the lot type of the house I had just plopped back to residential. However, it still wouldn't let me change the original lot (across from the Goths) back. I then bulldozed the lot and it still says it is a Special Venue and I can't change it away from Generic. At this point I moved my household back into the lot across from the Pancakes and it stayed residential. They now live in their old house but it is now on a different lot and I can't seem to do anything with the original lot. It just sits there, bulldozed and Generic.

I have not used any CC and currently have all the Packs except of course the new Restaurant one that is coming out soon. I will try the workaround mentioned in this thread about buying it as a business and selling it to see if that works. Later...

[daarsim]

Update: The whole "buy the generic lot as a business, sell it, and change it worked for me on the original lot that got the Generic Glitch. The part where the generic glitch followed my Sims to the new lot was cured by moving out to another random house. When I went back to the newly infected lot from manage worlds after the move out and it was indeed Generic but it was NOT a special venue. I was able to change the lot type back to residential without the need to buy it as a business and I was able to move my Sims back in while it remained a residence.

The first lot across from the Goths is still residential but it is still empty as I had bulldozed it. Not sure if I'm going to try to move back in to that lot or just play on from where they live now. That first lot is bad mojo. I just hope it isn't some object in my house that is waiting to cause the Generic glitch again. 

[Alahyana]

How is that to all people can buy the land as retail and sell it when I get an error message when I try to buy the land as retail... I still have my plots locked and tomorrow we will have the restaurants...

I will try again to buy it as retail and see if it is working... I hope Maxi find a solution before more plots get stuck with Generic!!!

[debisue4]

It finally worked for me. Unfortunately I was forced me to buy the expansion pack Get to Work. I had not planned on buying this expansion but it was the only way to save my gave. 

[kkiner7]

Hi everyone. I recently just downloaded the "Dine Out" pack. I've already built one restaurant but it was just one that I got from the gallery that was already created by Maxis. I went to build my own diner yesterday and everything was okay at first & I was able to choose the worker's outfits and customize the menu. But as I was building the diner something happened - my menu went away and the lot type turned to "generic". The option is shaded out (you can see from the picture) so I can't change it. I bulldozed the diner and tried exiting the game and restarting but it didn't work. I've tried everything and NOTHING is working. Is anyone else having this problem? Does anyone know how to solve it? Thank you so much! 

[crinrict]

Hi @kkiner7

merged your post with existing bug thread.

Try the workaround.

Might also work with restaurants instead of retail.

[DelaneyTerran]

I have the same problem. 

Can't buy the lot as a retail.