Thanks to forward-thinking real estate partners, buying homes and land with cryptocurrency is as easy as its ever been. Buyers have the choice to buy real estate outright or make their monthly mortgage payments directly from their crypto wallets.
Whether you’re buying a new family home, a second vacation home, or a real estate investment, learn how to buy property with cryptocurrency.
The rise of crypto real estate
As consumers rally around blockchain-based payments for everyday purchases, real estate companies are taking notice and answering. Blockchain technology is challenging the status quo of the real estate industry. Early crypto adopters and traders are creating tremendous amounts of wealth and using it on real estate purchases, fueling an already hot market. Additionally, smart contracts have the power to enable faster, more nimble transactions and property transfers.
Why Buy Real Estate Using Crypto?
There are several reasons why someone may choose to buy a house with Bitcoin, Ethereum, or another cryptocurrency instead of paying with cash or a loan-backed offer.
- Diversify Investments - If you’re looking to diversify your investment portfolio, buying real estate with cryptocurrency can offer stability.
- Cash Out for Retirement - After a career investing in crypto, you may be ready to retire. Buying a house with crypto may be more straightforward than selling off your assets to support your retirement.
- Discounted Sale Price for Crypto Payments - If a seller is particularly bullish on crypto, they may offer a discount on real estate purchases made with crypto.
- Faster Transactions - Blockchain technology and smart contracts may cut traditional wait times and middlemen from the real estate industry.
While there are many advantages to buying property and real estate with cryptocurrency, it may not always be the best approach. Potential drawbacks include unwillingness from sellers to accept crypto payments and daily fluctuations in crypto prices impacting buying power.
How to Buy a House or Real Estate with Cryptocurrency
If you are intent on buying property with Ethereum, Bitcoin or another cryptocurrency then you have several options.
Paying your mortgage with crypto
BitPay Bill Pay allows you to make your mortgage payments with Bitcoin and other top cryptocurrency, regardless if your loan provider accepts crypto payments. Pay from practically any wallet in the BitPay app or at the BitPay.com website.
Buying real estate with cryptocurrency directly from the seller
The process of buying real estate with crypto through a private seller will vary from seller to seller. Some may be comfortable with 100% crypto transactions, while others could opt for a split between cryptocurrency and cash. For any transaction of this manner, this means you will need to send Bitcoin from one wallet to another.
For sellers unwilling to receive cryptocurrency directly, your crypto will have to be converted to dollars to complete the purchase. BitPay can facilitate cryptocurrency real estate transactions on behalf of buyers and sellers. An email invoice will be generated by the selling party. The buyer receives the invoice and pays from their preferred crypto wallet, either manually or by scanning a QR code. BitPay then transfers the funds to the seller via direct deposit.
Even if you complete a real estate purchase using cryptocurrency, some cash payments may need to be made to government agencies and intermediary parties.
Leverage BitPay’s real estate partners that accept cryptocurrency
Outside of private sellers, several real estate groups give buyers the ability to buy property with cryptocurrency.
Pacaso
Ever dream of owning a seaside villa on the Mediterranean? How about your own ski lodge in the Rocky Mountains? Pacaso allows you to enjoy the benefits of second home ownership without all the hassle. Even better, you can buy your new home using cryptocurrency.
Condos.com
Buy condos in top cities using cryptocurrency. Condos.com let’s you buy directly from builders with no middleman, giving you great options on new and pre-construction buildings. Popular cities where you can buy condos with Bitcoin include Miami, New York City, San Francisco, and many more.
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Notable Crypto Real Estate Purchases
While we don’t know every single crypto real estate transaction made in history, we've compiled some of the most newsworthy over the years. What do most of these home sales have in common? The sellers have all benefited financially from accepting cryptocurrency. Bitcoin has increased 5x to 10x since these homes were sold.
- In 2014, a buyer purchased land in the Lake Tahoe area for an estimated $1.6 million.
- In 2017, a London mansion in the Notting Hill district listed for £18 million was on the market under strict stipulation that only Bitcoin would be accepted.
- In 2018, BitPay facilitated the purchase of two condos in NYC’s 389 East 89th Street building worth $875K and $1.485 million.
- To date, the most expensive home sold through a cryptocurrency transaction is a magnificent Miami penthouse listed at $22.5 million.
- Magnum Real Estate, a BitPay partner, is currently accepting Bitcoin for the CODA building in NYC. Located at 385 First Avenue, it is listed for $29 million and will be the first income-producing real estate investment opportunity offered exchanged for Bitcoin within the US.
FAQs About Buying Real Estate with Cryptocurrency
Can you use cryptocurrency to buy real estate?
Yes, you can use cryptocurrency to buy real estate property by conducting a wallet to wallet transaction or leverage BitPay's crypto to fiat services.
What cryptocurrency can I use to buy real estate?
The most popular cryptocurrency used in real estate transactions is Bitcoin and Ethereum. Our real estate partners have the freedom to choose which coins they accept for real estate purchases. However, overall BitPay can facilitate payments made with Bitcoin (BTC), Bitcoin over the Lightning Network, Ethereum (ETH), Bitcoin Cash (BCH), Dogecoin (DOGE), Shiba Inu (SHIB), Litecoin (LTC), Polygon (MATIC), XRP (XRP), Dai (DAI), Wrapped Bitcoin (WBTC), Gemini USD (GUSD), USD Coin (USDC), PayPal USD (PYUSD), Binance USD (BUSD), ApeCoin (APE) and Euro Coin (EUROC). We’re also continually evaluating other coins and tokens for inclusion in this list, so check back often if you don’t see your favorite crypto as an option currently.
What kinds of real estate properties can I buy with cryptocurrency?
Purchase your primary residence, a second vacation home, investment properties, and commercial real estate with cryptocurrency.
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