Learn about the world of metaverse real estate, how you can buy and sell property, and how to work as a metaverse real estate agent.
In the age of the metaverse, the digital landscape is changing, and with it comes new technology, concepts, and chances for business development and investment. Just as real estate is a solid investment in the real world, virtual real estate is becoming a popular way of investing in a slice of the metaverse.
The metaverse is a virtual world or series of virtual worlds and digital platforms accessed through virtual or augmented reality. In the metaverse, people interact as avatars and can move around worlds, socializing, gaming, working, and living a virtual life.
Currently, there are several metaverse options, with companies such as Roblox and Second Life allowing people to access their worlds or platforms, although these worlds are currently separate. It’s expected in the future that worlds will join, and the metaverse will become one virtual world.
Metaverse real estate is virtual land located in the metaverse. Investing in metaverse real estate is a real concept. In fact, people are parting with large sums of money to buy digital land they can program to build on, host games, throw events at, and spend time on. Businesses and celebrities are among the first to buy pieces of digital land in the metaverse.
Yes, you really can become a real estate agent in the metaverse. The metaverse is seeing massive sales of digital real estate, and businesses are getting on board with virtual real estate services cashing in on the trend. Discover the skills and education needed to become a real estate agent in the metaverse.
The skills you need to become a metaverse real estate agent are a cross between the skills you need to become a real estate agent in the real world and understanding the metaverse and all its technicalities. Useful skills and experience include:
Workplace skills
Interpersonal skills
Negotiation skills
Ethics
Organizational skills
Problem-solving skills
Technical skills
Real estate agent or sales experience
Knowledge of various metaverse worlds
Understanding of complex legal transactions
Understanding of cryptocurrency transactions
Experience using the metaverse
Skilled with VR headsets
Skilled with 3D scanners
Blockchain knowledge
Highly technical
This is a new field, so the profession does not yet require a specific set of qualifications and education. However, it is essential that a real estate agent in the metaverse is tech savvy, so a degree in a relevant tech subject such as computer science, programming, or network engineering will go a long way. A degree in business, marketing, or real estate is also helpful in the real world. Technical understanding is key, and even if your degree does not cover the metaverse, you’ll find plenty of courses to boost your skills and knowledge of the metaverse. Learn about important topics, such as:
Cryptocurrencies
Crypto wallets
Crypto exchanges
Blockchain technology
Metaverse real estate companies
Knowing your field is essential to succeeding as a metaverse real estate agent. You need to understand the metaverse digital real estate market, know the worlds you are selling property in, and be excellent with people. Having certifications and completing courses relating to this relatively new phenomenon is beneficial.
Some useful certifications include:
The Certified Cryptoasset Anti-Financial Crime Specialist Certification (CCAS): ACAMS
Certified Cryptocurrency Expert (CCE): Blockchain Council
Certified Metaverse Expert: Blockchain Council
Digital Marketing: Social Media: Residential Real Estate Council
e-PRO: National Association of Realtors
Courses with certificates and projects include:
Deep Learning for Real Estate Price Prediction: Coursera Project Network
Bitcoin and Cryptocurrency Technologies: Princeton University
Buying metaverse real estate is popular for several reasons, and in this role, you can leverage these to help you sell your properties. For example, for someone interested in spending time in the metaverse, owning real estate means they have somewhere to connect and socialize with others. Additionally, if you are selling to a business, this can be a great opportunity for them to showcase their products or trade NFTs.
Metaverse real estate is still a relatively new concept, so in theory, supporting your clients' buying early can mean watching their investment rise as demand pushes up prices. This can be a great selling point.
However, it’s important to remember that this is an unknown market, and debates are active over whether metaverse real estate is a revolution or a bubble waiting to pop.
Buying real estate in the metaverse is similar to buying land in the real world. As a real estate agent, you’ll research where the potential land is located to check out previous sale prices and how much other properties are selling for. You'll also look at what developments are happening in the area.
Metaverse digital land is pixels and is purchased using blockchain technology. Buying real estate becomes a piece of code on a blockchain, signaling ownership and essentially creating a digital deed for the land.
Buying real estate is done directly through the platform users choose to buy in, or they can opt to use a real estate agent like you who has local knowledge and an understanding of the metaverse. As a real estate agent, you'll help others buy and sell property through platforms where sellers can list their properties for sale, much like you see in the real world. Currently, you’ll find at least three main platforms where metaverse real estate is for sale:
Sandbox
Decentraland
Somnium
Along with these are lesser-known worlds where people sell and purchase property.
The Sandbox is considered one of the most popular places to buy metaverse digital land. Prices fluctuate daily, following the crypto trend.
As a community platform, The Sandbox is very social. You can rent space to hold events, visit art galleries, build homes, visit popular hang-out spots, and monetize games. The Sandbox has aligned with some big tech brands and well-known celebrities, making it an appealing place to hang out, and has upped the stakes in terms of investment and development.
Decentraland is another virtual world that is divided into districts with their own focus and specific content. This means creators can buy property in a district that suits their aim and get access to traffic in their niche.
Decentraland is built on the Ethereum blockchain, and when buying property or land, purchases are made using MANA tokens, the cryptocurrency within the game.
Somnium is a popular virtual reality world built by the players that use it. People can buy land in various locations, and it is divided into parcels according to size. Smaller parcels are accessible for investors with lower budgets.
We are already seeing metaverse land and property selling for staggering prices. Real estate transactions across virtual worlds are predicted to reach $5.37 billion by 2026, according to projections by Technavio [1]. It further predicts:
41 percent of the metaverse growth will be from North America.
2022 will see a 90.74 percent year-over-year growth rate.
A few key players will occupy most of the metaverse real estate market.
The highest purchase price to date is $4.2 million, which took place in The Sandbox by Everyrealm, a metaverse and NFT investment platform [2].
At this stage, with so many unknowns about the metaverse, cryptocurrency, and NFTs, seeking a career in the metaverse space comes with risks. However, with the metaverse estimated to be worth between $8 trillion and $13 trillion by 2030, for now, its future is looking exciting for anyone who wants to work as a real estate agent in the metaverse [4].
Take some online courses to develop the skills you need to work as a metaverse real estate agent or learn more about the metaverse. Check out these courses on Coursera that can help you gain the negotiation skills you need to work in real estate, along with courses on decentralized finance.
Technavio. "Metaverse Real Estate Market by End-user and Geography - Forecast and Analysis 2022-2026, https://www.technavio.com/report/metaverse-real-estate-market-industry-analysis.” Accessed February 7, 2025.
The Crypto Basic. “Land in the Metaverse Sold for 4.2M Breaking All Previous Records, https://thecryptobasic.com/2021/12/02/land-in-metaverse-sold-for-4-2m-breaking-all-previous-records/.” Accessed February 7, 2025.
Fortune. “Citi says metaverse economy could be worth $13 trillion by 2030, https://fortune.com/2022/04/01/citi-metaverse-economy-13-trillion-2030/.” Accessed February 7, 2025.
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