Blockchain Real Estate, Sooner Than You Think

Blockchain real estate transactions, records, and marketplaces could radically change the way we think about property. Current systems for tracking and trading real estate are disjointed and inefficient. There’s an enormous opportunity for blockchain to standardize and secure real estate data. Land records, property listings, leases and mortgages, and government property tax offices could all benefit from a blockchain real estate revolution.

The challenge, of course, is that real estate is an enormous industry with many players including lenders, brokers, local governments, and private citizens. Changing to a blockchain-based real estate system isn’t as simple as flipping a switch. That said, various parties are experimenting with blockchain all along the real estate value chain to find ways to integrate the new technology.

Land records are the foundation of real estate. Titles and deeds make it clear who owns what property. They power everything else that happens in real estate. However, they’re highly fragmented. Each individual local jurisdiction has its own rules regarding property records. Sometimes, these records aren’t even available online.

All that is changing. Chicago’s Cook County ran a pilot project for land records starting in 2016 that digitized all information and tested blockchain solutions. South Burlington, Vermont launched a similar pilot project in January 2018. Sweden recently implemented the second phase of its transition to blockchain land registry, using smart contracts on a private blockchain to facilitate transactions. That project will save Swedish taxpayers an estimated $100 million per year when it comes to full fruition.

Once we have property records listed and secured on the blockchain, it opens a lot of doors. Now, those records can easily change hands. We can use smart contracts to manage and trade those records as well.

Right now, if you want to sell a piece of property, your best bet is to list it with a local real estate agent. Sure, you could list the property for sale by owner, but you don’t have access to the multiple listing service (MLS) that real estate agents use to search for property when they have a new buyer.

The MLS is notoriously fragmented, walled off, and difficult to understand. Transferring property listings to the blockchain would mean opening up access to all available property for anyone to review. Along with the listing, you could include any terms or conditions that would need to be met for a successful sale. In the future, shopping for a home or an office space could be as simple as visiting an e-commerce website and adding the property to your shopping cart. Smart contracts behind the scenes could handle the rest of the transaction–transferring funds in exchange for the blockchain title to the property.