How Blockchain Technology Is Being Used In The Real Estate

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Mar 22, 2024

Cryptocurrencies and blockchain have been used in a variety of industries. They provide safe, fast, and traceable transaction methods, which, when combined, make life easier for countless businesses and actors that make a complex modern industry.

This is true for businesses working in rather traditional fields such as real estate. As soon as cryptocurrencies became widely used, the real estate industry found ways to implement them in their day-to-day operations. It’s proven to be to the benefit of all the parties involved.

Property Transactions

 Properties are being bought and sold using cryptocurrencies as a payment method. This was the simplest way to start using crypto in the real estate industry, as it simply replaced the use of traditional fiat money. The use of crypto came with benefits of its own, such as speed of transactions, security, and the ability to keep immutable records of transactions.

At first, those working in the industry were skeptical of crypto since a central bank does not issue it, and it seemed it was just another high-tech trend that would come and go. However, experts in the crypto industry have noticed that many long-standing and traditional businesses have gotten used to and started embracing crypto payments. Take the time to visit their website and read about how traditional finance is changing its attitude as well.

Global Reach

Since cryptocurrencies and blockchain aren’t connected to any central bank, the users can make payments with crypto regardless of where they are based. It works well with the real estate industry since that market is also truly global.

With the rise of the upper class in China and the Middle East, there are many contenders for prime real estate in the US and European markets that enjoy being able to make such deals with less bureaucracy and with instant transactions.

Fewer Transaction Costs 

Traditional real estate purchases are very costly when it comes to the fees involved. The payment usually needs to include brokerage fees, escrow fees, and notary fees. These add up, especially if they are based on the value of the property itself.

By using cryptocurrencies, many of these intermediary costs can be significantly reduced or even eliminated. This cost-effectiveness makes property transactions more affordable for both buyers and sellers. As there are no intermediaries when using cryptocurrencies, there’s no one to pay the fees to.

Security Measures 

Payments made with cryptocurrency are often safer than the ones made with fiat money. That’s especially important for those who make large payments, which are common when making purchases in the real estate industry. There are no intermediaries involved in making transactions with cryptocurrencies, and the transactions can be automated since they are written into the blockchain code.

The transactions made with crypto are immutable, but they can be tracked in case they were made by accident or as a result of fraudulent activity. Such features are especially useful when it comes to renting property and making recurring payments.

Focusing on Peer-to-Peer Transactions

 There are a lot of parties involved in every purchase made in the real estate industry. There are contractors, insurance companies, banks, a variety of professionals, and government agencies involved in keeping the property up to code. If transactions between all of these parties are made through an intermediary, the payments tend to add up.

By using cryptocurrencies, you can reduce dependency on third parties, minimize the risk of errors or delays, and increase the efficiency of property transactions. These benefits take effect regardless of the amount you’re sending.

Fractional Ownership

Fractional ownership isn’t a new idea, especially in real estate, but blockchain-based cryptocurrencies allow investors to set it up in an innovative way. Properties can be divided into digital tokens representing ownership stakes, enabling investors to purchase fractions of high-value properties.

There are numerous uses for such an approach that’s well suited to the real estate business. The ownership can be shared with family members or start once the family member reaches a certain age. It can also be divided among business partners or the employees within a company based on their tenure at it.

Distancing from the Banking Sector 

The banking sector has long been at the center of the real estate industry as it’s an industry that requires a lot of initial investment for both the development and purchasing of property. Therefore, there are a lot of loans involved and a lot of long-term expenses.

Cryptocurrency wasn’t always suited to covering this need as it wasn’t used for traditional financial services such as lending but only to facilitate transactions. Soon, crypto lending emerged since blockchain could easily be used to automate installment payments and calculate and adjust interest in the same fashion.

Using Smart Contracts for Dispute Resolution

 There are many different kinds of disputes that may come up in the real estate industry, as there are many parties involved. The most common ones are between landlords and renters, but conflicts can emerge between contractors and developers, as well as between government agencies and all of the other parties mentioned.

The blockchain can be used to write the clear terms of each contract into the code. That way, the code will be executed automatically, and so will the contract. It doesn’t work for every potential conflict that might come up, but it does cover most of them, thus making the workload easier for everyone involved.

Innovative Ways to Invest in Real Estate

 Cryptocurrencies are already used to invest in a variety of industries by tying the value of the investment to that of the cryptocurrency coin. The same can be done in real estate, and there are companies that are already experimenting with it. Initial Coin Offerings (ICOs) or Security Token Offerings (STOs) can be used as fundraising mechanisms for real estate development.

These allow developers to raise capital from a global pool of investors, providing liquidity for their projects and bypassing traditional lending institutions.

Regulatory Measures

The real estate industry is one of the most regulated fields out there. That’s understandable because there are a lot of safety measures that need to be implemented, and numerous parties are involved. Blockchain can be used to mandate regulations by automating the process of getting licenses and approvals.

The payments made in the industry are also heavily scrutinized, such as through the implementation of Know Your Customer laws. This process can also be automated with the use of blockchain codes, which saves a lot of time for both developers and government agencies.

Conclusion

 Blockchain and cryptocurrencies are already widely used in the real estate industry. It’s a traditional and conservative field with huge transactions, but it quickly embraced crypto and blockchain because they provided a lot of value right away. The value comes from the fact that the use of cryptocurrency can speed up and automate a lot of the work the industry requires.

The use of crypto also allows for safe and anonymous transactions and innovative ways to fundraise. Many companies working in the industry are also implementing the use of cryptocurrencies, as it shows that their business is oriented toward innovation, and that helps them stand out from their competitors.

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