What are the order of actions in Monopoly?

Question

Another question arose from my previous question: What is the order of actions in Monopoly?

There are a number of actions that may take place:

• Roll dice
• Move token
• Purchase property
• Pay rent
• Improve properties
• Trade with players
• Go to jail

I'm sure there are others too.

I checked the rules and didn't notice any specified order for your turn.

Also, what actions can I take when it's not my turn? For example, can I trade with another player, or improve my properties?

Answer 1

Given the way the rules are themselves ordered...

1. Throw the dice
2. move the indicated distance or to jail (if 3rd double in a turn)
   1. collect $200 if land on or pass Go
3. resolve space
   • ownable properties
     1. pay rent if owned and not mortgaged
     2. buy it if unowned (optional)
     3. aution property if still unowned (not optional)
   • non-ownable properties
     1. resolve as indicated.
     2. collect $200 if resolving puts you passing Go.
4. Pass the dice or roll again, as appropriate.

The only action which is doable outside one's turn (according to the instructions I've got off-line, in my deluxe box) are buying auctioned properties, buying or trading properties with other players, and using cards that say "use at any time."

All other actions (buying houses/hotels, selling houses/hotels, mortgaging properties, unmortgaging properties) can be done at any point in your own turn.

Answer 2

The three main actions are:

1) Roll dice 2) Move token 3) Pay the "piper" (rent, purchase price, fine, or go to jail) as the case may be. In the case of some chance or community chest cards, you may receive money.

The two "stickier" issues are trades and property improvements.

Most interpretations of the rules say that you can trade properties or other consideration (get out of jail free cards) at any time. That's because it takes two players to make a trade. The one caveat is that if you have landed on something and owe rent or a fine, you cannot trade property until it is clear that you can pay the rent/fine from other sources.

The main question mark is regard to improvements. Here, the official rules are not clear. In many games, there are "house rules" that say a player may buy and sell improvements (including mortgage and unmortgage) only during his/her own turn. Another set of "house rules" say that a player may buy/sell/mortgage property only at the BEGINNING of a turn (before the dice have been rolled). Basically, these rules are meant to prevent players from buying houses and jacking up the rent AFTER someone has landed on a property. In "real life" you couldn't just move a house onto property where people are "staying;" the house would have to have been built beforehand.