I recently downloaded this app or game called Landlord Real Estate Tycoon, created by Reality Games. With versions in both the iOS and Android platforms, this simulation game has got me hooked!
And I've just been on my fifth (5th) day in Landlord! Well, you may ask what Landlord really is all about. Seen on the image shown on the left, Landlord allows you to simulate the world of real estate investing. This means you can start practicing before venturing into real estate business. What actually happens in the game is that you start off with $50,000 and in the process, you get to purchase from a list of properties within your designated area.
Generally, Landlord is quite a good game, if not for the bugs and glitches which I'll be mentioning in this article as well.
PROPERTIES WITHIN REACH
Yes, Landlord actually capitalizes on information that's accessible through an online map. So wherever you are, the Landlord properties that you can buy are right just near you waiting to be bought. These come in share or percentage/portion of the property you can own at a given cash balance and level.
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Glitch/Bug/Problem: It seems like the database of properties don't really necessary reflect that of what you found in online maps such as Google Map. Only a few properties get to show up in your Properties tab.
EASY ACCESS
It's really easy to access the game. All you need to have is a Facebook or Gmail account. You'd also receive free coins which can be used to fill cash into your purse up to the designated storage limit (depending on your level which then is affected by your total net worth).
Glitch/Bug/Problem: There is a noticeable issue with Landlord and that is "Network Error" which is probably due to an overload in the servers, hence, making it hard to access its tabs in some instances.
Tip: I would suggest that you use a separate Gmail account haha, so that you're friends won't know you're procrastinating! Haha!
RENT, COST, MARKET VALUE
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Each property, per level, will have rent (which, some say, is somehow linked to how social media perceive your property), cost, and market value. The market value may increase or decrease given some factors, and may dictate the price of your property at the Marketplace.
Glitch/Bug/Problem: Sometimes, the rent and cost values nullify or become zero (0). I don't understand how this happens, but I do hope the developers will come up with a fix for this asap.
Tip: There seems to be a fixed return on investment (ROI) for each property at each level. Thus, it would be better if you really compare and buy properties based on how you perceive them to be popular or appealing. Game pros may opt to correct me on this, if I am wrong.
MARKETPLACE
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The Marketplace is like a global market where all players can see your property and bid on it if they like it. The most actively bid property that I see is usually Starbucks. I don't understand why, but perhaps it's the hype associated with it as it really gives good returns. This hype won't last long though.
Images Courtesy: Player Alberto B.
Glitch/Bug/Problem: There are instances when you're truly unlucky that after you send your property to the Marketplace for bidding, your property's market value drops to as much as 1%. This happened to a fellow Landlord player of mine who placed his property for $1 billion for 100 percent. And l and behold, after several minutes, the market value fell to $10 million for 100 percent which caused bidders to fight for it.
The Marketplace is where buyers look for good properties unavailable within their area. It could stretch from all areas across the globe where there are landlords. So, if your property isn't unappealing (or is losing market value) for you anymore, then you can sell it in the Marketplace for 5 coins.
Once you've placed your Landlord property up for bids in the Marketplace, your property will be on queue for four (4) hours. Only then when it reaches the last hour will it start showing up in the Marketplace list and players will start making their bids.
Tip: Buy properties you perceive are worth owning so that even if these lose their market values, you'd still appreciate them. Just keep hustling and selling (flipping) properties that you think would be a good target for bidders out there. As for me, when I started out I bought clinics and hospital near my place and in the marketplace. :)
COINS, DOLLARS, NET WORTH
The digital currency being used in Landlord is in terms of US $, but some properties require a certain amount of coins in order to buy them. And you can refill with cash up to your level's storage limit through coins. This is the reason why some players really pay real money to get lots of coins so that they could increase their net worth (total empire's worth) faster.
Also, sums of coins may be used to increase your earnings or boosting your skills. I haven't actually tried increasing any of the skills, the benefits of which are enlisted below.
- Tycoon - increase property slots (default is 10 slots)
- Lawyer - increase properties waiting for paperwork (default is 1 property transaction processed at a time)
- Innovator - reduce property costs (default is 0%)
- Landlord - increase property rent (default is 0%)
- Accountant - reduce taxes (default is 0%)
- Speculator - increase property valuations (default is 0%)
Tip: These will be of great help once you've reach the multi-million or multi-billion net worth rankings. For now, focus on using your coins to refill cash and buy property. When you refill cash, make sure that the least amount of coins will be used to refill your purse, as being austere with your coins usage can be effective in getting to the millionaires hub within four (4) days.
ACTIVITY, PORTFOLIO, PROPERTY OFFERS, BANK, LEADER BOARDS
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Your sidebar will contain an Activity tab which actually details down the time you have done transactions (property sale or purchase), have made new friends, have received property offers, etc.
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A list of your properties may be viewed through your Portfolio tab. Here, you will see how much you are earning, how much you have earned in total, and what the properties' individual worth are. Some players if they want your property so bad or if they want to have fun would offer you more money more than the market value of your property through the Property Offers tab.
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Meanwhile, the Bank is where you get to purchase coins through your debit/credit card, remove ads, and fill your cash storage with the aid of coins. The leader boards will show you how you fare well vs your peers in the local, national, and global stage.
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Tip: At the bottom of the sidebar, you'll see an Invite Friends tab. Click on it and you'll see a unique code which you can share to your friends. When they punch in that code into the Enter box, you and they will get an additional $50,000. You may also check out the About Landlord tab if you need more help.
FINAL SAY
I guess I have contributed as much as I could in this article about Landlord, the real estate tycoon app. If I were to rate this, it would be a 2.99/5 as there is still much space for the game's growth and improvement especially on the part of the intermittent errors and value glitches that are happening. Landlord is a highly recommended game and one of the best tycoon games so far for tablets and smartphones.
