Mine isn't from jumping shards. If I log in at my home... then go hunting or passing that same area in Juka City... I see my town, depending on what house I started in. Sometimes the whole town of 6 buildings will appear. Not that it gets in the way of my path... just my view. I still say it's a game mechanic issue vs. our settings.
It's also never happened where I log in at a friend’s house (I’m friended at)... because I can only assume if this same effect happens, it will turn out in a different part of Ilsh.
The only time this happened on another shard, or any other shard, is going from Atlantic to the Test Shard. Fresh shard, character copy... go right to my town clearing... my ability to place houses is blocked by my Atlantic ghost houses. lol. I’ll just go off and fine someplace else.
Now... changing your settings...
How does this effect houses you never set foot on?
A few houses I’ve seen, seam to have their entire décor visible without setting foot on the house. Cheating? One of these houses is in the South-West of Lagtown on the Atlantic shard... very easy to find. I’ve seen a few others far more remote... but if this is some kind of exploit or cheat, how come they don’t get busted where any staffer could be wondering?