Jane’s Realty Review

Jane's Realty is a real estate development game that will have you buying, renting, and upgrading homes for a profit. This game is level based and each completed level brings about another, with newer and more difficult challenges. You will have to earn money and comprise beautiful neighborhoods to become successful in this Realty simulation.

Jane is Moving Up in the World

Jane's Realty is part of the “Jane” game series. In previous games, Jane has had to salvage her family's hotel franchise because hard times left them needy. After her huge success in the hotel industry, Jane is back to take over and manage her husband's realty business. Jane's husband, a real estate broker, wants to quit his job and run for mayor. Helping her husband pursue his goal, Jane decides to take over his business, building, renting out, and decorating homes.

Buy Houses, Design Interiors, Rent Them Out

Jane's Realty diverges from previous games in the series when it comes to both theme and gameplay. This game is similar to the Build-a-Lot titles, if you are familiar with those. It is comprised of different levels that will require you (Jane) to accomplish different tasks and objectives. These levels always start with building both electric and water plants, supplying the town with enough vital resources. Once these are built you will use the remainder of your start-up money to buy and clear lots, and build homes. After building a house, you design the interior space and put it up for rent. Rental properties are typically paid off in four months time (relative to the game) so building several homes is very profitable.

Houses "Persist" Across Levels

As far as objectives are concerned you are typically challenged with building a specific type of house, earning a certain amount of money, or upgrading different buildings or homes you just built. The challenges are all contingent on time, and each level brings about more challenging tasks. The objectives start easy, but as you advance they increase in difficulty and you begin to feel the pressure.

One cool feature about this game's level system is that the homes and neighborhoods you have in one level will advance to the next with you. Meaning if on level one you build a single story house with a picket fence. That house, and the rent you collect on that house, will move with you to the next level.

Waiting Around is No Fun

Apart from this great feature of your houses moving with you from level to level, this game does have a few flaws. The first and simpler being the long waiting time you have while maintenance workers fix your properties. Typically this is not a problem, but as you advance and as time becomes more important, waiting for maintenance men to repair a busted pipe or remove a down tree from the road can be annoying and detrimental to your game. The wait makes upgrades take longer, thus cutting into your funds—time is money.

Can't Sell Houses

The second annoyance of the game is being unable to sell properties. You can only rent homes that you've built and you cannot sell lots you own, even if no house is on them.  As a home owner, you should reserve the right to sell your properties, rather than just rent them. The same goes with lots. If you accidentally purchased a lot you don't want, or have property you aren't using, you should have the right to sell it. Selling properties add an interesting strategic element to the game that would make it less straightforward.

Conclusion - A Good Idea Hampered By Annoyances

Overall, Jane's Realty is a mediocre game that will have you buying and renting (not selling) properties. The game mimics others of the genre like Build-a-Lot, but is less exciting and much less engaging. The design element, which allows you to decorate the interior of homes you are renting, is a cool feature, but is not cool enough to set this apart from other games. If you are a fan of the other “Jane” games you might really like this, however, it differs slightly. Play if you are looking for a quick to beat real estate simulation.