Would you buy a house built on a Pokestop? What about one across the street from a Pokemon gym?
Somebody on Zillow is betting yes, which is how the following listing surfaced. In addition to touching on the recent renovations and spacious kitchen, the posts kicks off with a notice that the home is within a mile radius of 7 Pokestops and 2 Pokegyms.
If you didn’t know…
For those less familiar with the game, PokeStops allow you to restock on items critical to game play (Pokeballs to catch’em all, Potions to heal your Pokemon after battle, and others).
It can be very time-consuming to spend time collecting items in a location far from home, so having quick access to these stations makes replenishing your supplies a breeze.
The same idea applies for the gym; it’s much easier to defend the gym with your own Pokemon if it happens to be next door, and the rewards for doing so are great.
Even if this ad sounds a bit silly, it proves how seriously people are still taking Pokemon Go, especially if the listing gets snatched up fast. This likely won’t be the last example either. What happens when a small business is looking for retail space, and they are deciding between a location next to an in-game landmark versus one without that benefit?
The choice is obvious considering how many times we’ve touched on the success of Pokemon-themed promotions.
Fading fad?
Some may argue that it isn’t wise to play into a fad that seems to be regressing from our cultural conscience. They’re right, to a point. In a hot real estate market, the house will sell fast anyway, so why not find a way to sell it faster?
In such a market, the ad runs no risk of dating itself.
Additionally, know that game designer Niantic places stops and gyms at communal fixtures like coffee shops, churches and schools, among others. Indirectly, the large presence of these digital landmarks indicates a vibrant community, with amenities that will improve the value of your home long after Pokemon Go becomes a nostalgic touch point to be mocked by Saturday Night Live. Finally, remember that Pokemon Go is basically a thematic skin on top of Ingress, an augmented reality game also developed by Niantic.
This likely won’t be the last time we see them attempt this tactic, and if they achieve even half of Pokemon Go’s success, it will still be a boon for real estate at all levels.
Note from the Editor: We have reached out to Zillow for a link to this listing and will update the story upon reception of the link.
#Pokelisting
