Ages 18-22
Warning: can cause stress hives, headaches, and/or broken friendships
Welcome to the The Real Estate Game. The object of the game is to find the best property in the best location for the best price that you can. It is a game of charm and wiles, persistence and luck. Before agreeing to play the game, know that you may not be able to quit, unless, of course, you are willing to live back in halls.
Equipment: The equipment consists of a limited number of properties, an even smaller number of which are close to town and of acceptable standards, a ludicrous number of references, copies of your parents’ passports faxed all the way from home, uncooperative potential roommates, unhelpful landlords, packed estate agencies, a fully stocked wallet, and an endless amount of patience.
Preparation: Gather all of your equipment. Organize all of your files, and make sure each member of your team has his or her personal documents in order. Each team chooses one person to represent them in its quest
The Play: Each estate agent releases its list at a different time. As soon as the list is released, move your team, or send its captain, to the agency to retrieve the list. Alternatively, you may look online, although some agencies’ websites are unreliable. Scan each list in the hopes that there is a house with the correct number of rooms and isn’t outrageously priced. Ready? Now run. Take your application to Eve Brown, Premier Let, or whichever company is looking to take your money, pass it off to the frumpy secretary at the desk, and prepare to wait.
Chance and Community Chest: You’ve done it! You’ve gotten a house! The Real Estate Game sincerely congratulates you on your unflagging determination. You hold the cards now. Make sure this is the property you want, or you will risk losing your deposit.
Jail: If you haven’t been offered a house, DRA and Andrew Melville are looking like your only options. Hopefully, you will simply be “just visiting”, but there is a chance that you will have to wait until your next turn, not until the following term or even year, to rejoin the game.
Go: After all of the hassle and all of the stress, you have finally won the game. You didn’t go bankrupt, you are ok. Now you just have to look forward to the next round.