Move Over Monopoly: New board game reflects real hous...

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01 April 2021

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Move Over Monopoly: New board game reflects real housing market

A new property board game called Gazumped aims to rival Monopoly but reflect a much more realistic view of how the house buying process works.

And if you think Monopoly takes a long, long time, you should try this new game.

When you land on a property you can make an offer, and to reflect the current transaction times you then have to go around the board three times before you can actually buy it.

If anyone else lands on the property in the meantime, they can make a higher offer, rendering yours invalid, and they have to go around the board three times before they buy.

In Monopoly, an element of randomness is added by the ‘Chance’ cards. In Gazumped players may land on ‘WTF!’ and be required to pick up a ‘WTF! Chance card’.

Some examples of these cards tailored to the UK market, say:

“The seller has been approached by another buyer with a higher offer. Raise your offer by 10% (preferably in a sealed envelope).”

“The seller discloses that the third floor was built without planning permission. Go around the board for a fourth time while your solicitors sort it out (but don’t speak to planning).”

“The building has cladding and needs an EWS1. Go around the board 15 more times while you wait for one of the three qualified people in the country to complete a survey. Give up after a number of years and collect pension.”

“Your surveyor identifies Japanese Knotweed. Go back 10 squares. Spend £300 on Napalm.”

“Your lender questions the truth of a statement in your mortgage application. £100 fine.”

“Your name matches that of an arms smuggler on an Interpol Database. Go to Jail while AML is completed and the National Crime Agency is given your details. (This player now forfeits all their property).”

“Your lender’s valuer down-values the property by 15%. You may as well go around the board three more times as you will never get through to your lender to find out why.”

“Your lender wants a radon search. Miss a turn while everyone works out what radon gas is and why it matters.”

“Your mortgage offer expires. Go around the board two more times. Pay £300 to your lender.”

“Your solicitor goes on holiday. Have a nasty turn.”

“The seller cannot find another property to buy so they are now not selling. Do not pass ‘Go’ and do not collect £200, but spend £500 on abortive fees.”

“The seller has discovered that you are in fact not a “chain-free cash buyer”...Go to Jail, do not pass ‘Go’, do not collect £200.”

James Jackson, head of marketing at UK Games Investors plc, says: “I recently moved to the UK and bought a house. Rather, I bought a house at my third attempt, and it convinced me that Monopoly just does not reflect the UK market.”

“I mean, you land on a property, you buy it, and then you roll again and move on and buy another. This may be the way that it works in the rest of the world, but in the UK this is just not realistic. So, we are now introducing an exciting property game that will truly reflect the UK market that we plan to call Gazumped.”

Estate agents are being given the opportunity to apply for one of 100 exclusive limited edition ‘Gazumped’ packs that are more realistic and reflect the UK market.

The packs include 10 WTF! Chance cards and 5 Reservation Counters each - you can request one here.

** Tomorrow, Good Friday, both Estate Agent Today and Letting Agent Today will be dominated by good works undertaken by our industry - charitable donations and heroic fundraising going on despite the challenges of the pandemic. Do please check in on both EAT and LAT on Good Friday and throughout the Easter weekend.

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- Damon Fisher MNAEA
- 01 April 2021 09:16 AM
Mmmm, I wonder....?
Check the date.... ah yes! 😂
Bryan Mansell

01 April 2021 17:09 PM
Contact Gazeal if you want a free pack they are offering the chance cards for free to add in to an existing Monopoly game. Although I have asked for mine and was told that I will get them in about a week
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- Richard Copus
- 01 April 2021 09:51 AM
If this isn't an April Fool, count me in as the first buyer. What fun and cleverly thought out! We'll all love playing it in the fourth Lockdown!