Pokemon Go and real estate – it seems like a strange combination, and yet they also seem really well made for each other. In fact, even though Pokemon Go was only released on July 6th, it is now being used in a lot more real estate marketing campaigns than you might expect.
Real estate listings with Pokemon Go references:
Here are some of the listings where real estate agents are incorporating references to Pokemon Go. Some of these are subtle, simply mentioning the close proximity of a park where Pokemon have been spotted, through to the incorporation of characters in photos advertising the home. Though I have noticed that some real estate listings that did have Pokemon references and photos have now removed those terms – perhaps they had received a phone call from Nintendo, or maybe their own lawyer advised them that the use of Pokemon in a photo could be a breach of licensing restrictions? I’m not real sure on their reason for removing the Pokemon characters, but if you or someone you know has changed a listing please leave a comment below. 🙂
Anyway, here are some homes that have Pokemon Go references:
Australia:Â
26 Merrick St, Keysborough: The selling agent has noted that this home in Melbourne has several Pokemon references and mentions “Pokestops” and “Pokemon gyms” as amenities within 1 kilometre of the house. According to the agent Ben Nguyen, “Whether the buyer is a Pokemon fan or not, the fact is that if they can go to the open-for-inspections, and double the amount of buyers there, then it will just help create that excitement around that property in the first few weeks.”
222 Charles St, Cranbrook: “… just across the road is a huge park with sporting facilities (and we’ve even spotted some rare PokĂ©mon!). … Directly across from a park with 2 Pokestops! Lures will be in place during the opens – Bring Kids of all Ages!”Â
61/51 Playfield St, Chermside: “The Brisbane airport is only a 15 minutes drive. Closeby is Kedron Wavell Serivces Club, Marchant park (Pokemon Go Central) …”
USA:
San Francisco: “1 block from Alamo Square park (awesome Pokemon spawn area!)”
Park Slope, Brooklyn: “We live above a PokeStop, so if you are an aspiring Pokemon Go Master: Unlimited Razz Berries. Go crazy.”
Nashville: “- Hardwood Floor /Â – Balconies or Patios /Â – Washer Dryer Hookup /Â – Pokestop /Â – Rare Pokemon”
Agents offering spaces for Pokemon Go fans to gather
But it’s not just the marketing of listings where agents are making the most of the Pokemon Go craze. Brad Bell Real Estate in Brisbane, Australia, have a cafe, The Hub 4122, where their staff and clients gather to discuss all things property over a coffee. Facebook user Yaz Brown posted on The Hub 4122’s Facebook page that she “would love it if [the cafe was] open at night so the PokĂ©mon GO community could have delicious hot brews in such cold weather.”
She also noted that nothing else is open nearby at this time of night, and the real estate agency responded:
“We answered the call and we’re opening up the cafe tonight. Although the cafe staff weren’t available some of the Brad Bell Real Estate staff have backgrounds in hospitality and coffee making.”
Pokemon Lures at open homes?
Now some agents (such as Leigh Brown in the video above) are even looking at setting up Pokemon Lures for their open homes to entice Pokemon fans to visit!
I’m not sure if this really is the best idea in the world – do agents want buyers at their open homes, or just a crowd?
Will serious home buyers appreciate a horde of Pokemon Go fans walking around the property, heads down staring at their screens?
Or will Pokemon Go fans become home buyers if only they found the right property (perhaps one that is already a Pokemon Gym, like this home in Boston):
As an aside, if that guy was to sell his Pokemon Gym house this week, I wonder what he’d get for it? I suspect he could do very, very, very well.
But back to the real estate agent open home idea, I’d be interested to hear your thoughts on this, so please go ahead and leave a comment below on whether you think adding Lures to open homes is a good idea, or not.
Pokemon Go – another marketing tool for real estate agents?
In this video from The National Real Estate Post they suggest that agents “… need to engage on their terms, not yours”, that you’re “going to hear experts talk about how to use Pokemon to market”, and “this one stupid idea could be worth thousands of dollars to you”:
Is this what it’s about? Speaking the language of the target audience so that you can engage with them, build rapport, and sell stuff?
He could be on to something there, though any attempt has to be genuine, and an agent would have to learn more about Pokemon Go and LOVE it, otherwise potential clients will see right through you as the fraud that you are.
So what’s next for Pokemon Go and the real estate industry?
What do you think is going to happen next? Will Pokemon Go be a short term phase that will quickly disappear, or is it going to hang around for a long time yet, and perhaps go on to have a significant impact upon the property market and the way real estate agents sell homes?
Again, I’d be really interested to hear your thoughts on this, especially if you are a real estate agent, so I invite you to leave a comment below.