Creating communities

Two things are on my mind right now...

1. The Real Estate market (leisure related)
2. Social networking (work related)

The concept behind residential real estate is essentially "joining a community" and the concept behind social networking (as Mitch Joel likes to tell us) is "building a community" and he says it can't be bought...... but when you are selling a community, aren't you essentially buying one too?

I have been looking at some of the new residential developments throughout my area lately and it struck me, why not have a virtual neighbourhood while your development is being built? People are buying condos in these massive buildings 2 years or more before completion date. Why not reduce the buyer's remorse through a little community building? Get people excited about where they have just sunk a major wad of cash. Let people get to know their neighbours and interact with them. Won't this be a great way to create a good feeling about those that have purchased in the building, and maybe, just maybe they will tell their friends about it.......and the community will grow.

Maybe its been done before, but I haven't seen it anywhere i've been. Seems pretty simple to me.