New Jersey realtors buy office in Second Life online game

Any real estate agent will tell you that the internet has changed the world of selling homes -- most buyers browse listings online, and no longer have to rely on realtors to see MLS listing sheets. Today's buyer is far better informed than in the past. So it's no surprise that agents are looking to use the internet to generate business -- posting homes on Facebook, setting up LinkedIn profiles, etc.

But the New Jersey Association of Realtors has taken it to another world -- the world of Second Life, an online, massive multiplayer computer game. The group has purchased an office in the game, and is hoping to use it to provide potential home buyers and sellers with information and resources.

The investment is small -- only a few hundred dollars -- but it's interesting nonetheless. It got me and many others writing about it, so it's already generated a good amount of publicity for the money.

With the New Jersey real estate market suffering along with the rest of the country, Realtors need to find business. Perhaps they should consider turning the virtual office into a functioning business, selling Second Life real estate. It's probably a better investment than most real estate was a few years ago.