Residential lot
Also see Starter house
Residential lots serve as private residences for each Sim family. Each lot can hold up to 8 Sims. When a family buys a lot and moves in it becomes their home and the center of gameplay. While a Sim could, theoretically, remain on a community lot as long as funds and needs allow, they can only 'live' on a residential lot. With the exception of The Sims: Vacation and Bon Voyage, residential lots are the only place sims can sleep. All residential lots automatically have a mailbox and garbage can next to the street. As of Open For Business, Sims can run businesses from home.
In The Sims 2, lots come in a variety of sizes, from tiny (3x1, 2x2) to huge (5x5, 5x6), and can be placed almost anywhere as long as they connect to a road. Naturally, the larger a lot is the more it costs to buy. The largest lot costs around §17,000. When Bon Voyage was released, Sims could also purchase beaches to live on.