The use of digital currencies such as bitcoin (BTC) as payment options is growing worldwide. Bitcoin payment services like BitPay and BTCPay Server have made it much easier for any person to buy various products that include real estate property and other items using digital currency.

Learn how you can purchase an apartment using bitcoin.

The real property market has been (slowly) taking bitcoin as a currency

The real estate industry has gotten a glimpse of the possibility of using bitcoin as well as other digital currencies as payment options.

In August 2021, United Wholesale Mortgage announced a plan to begin accepting bitcoin-based payments. Although the plan was eventually put on hold due to the high cost and regulatory pressure, it indicated interest in cryptocurrency as a method of payment for the housing market.

It wasn’t the first time that crypto and real estate were in a similar situation. In June 2017, the first ever known bitcoin transaction of a property belonging to a family member took place in Texas. Based on information provided to broker Kuper Sotheby’s International the transaction was handled by BitPay and the transaction was converted by BitPay from bitcoin to US dollars. BitPay also handled several other property transactions, including those involving the BTC 2,739 (USD 82 million today, and USD 1.6m in the past) sale of the Lake Tahoe property in 2014.

Presently, many websites for listing properties allow buyers to make transactions directly or indirectly with digital currency. Websites such as Open Listings permit buyers to find homes that accept cryptoassets such as bitcoin, and Ethereum (ETH).

How do I buy a home using bitcoin (crypto-to-crypto)

If you locate a vendor who will accept BTC directly in exchange for their home, you can send the equivalent bitcoin of the property’s cost and then send the address of the seller after the sale has been approved and all paperwork are signed.

In crypto-to-crypto real property transactions, you’ll be faced with the volatility of bitcoin and also the trust that exists between parties involved in transactions.

To ensure that the transaction goes smoothly, you should utilize an escrow service to ensure you have all the ownership documents at your disposal prior to you release the funds towards the buyer.

How do I buy a house using bitcoin (crypto-to-fiat)

Alternately, you can buy an apartment using bitcoin, changing your bitcoins into fiat currency prior to the date of sale through the services of a crypto-payment provider.

Through services such as BitPay Sellers and buyers can safeguard themselves from price fluctuations in bitcoin because the cryptocurrency is transformed into US dollars as when the payment is completed.

The majority of real estate companies that list properties for sale employ an online payment service that can accept crypto , however they will receive cash as fiat currencies.

Pros and cons to buying an apartment using bitcoin

Let’s look at the advantages and disadvantages of buying a home with bitcoin.

Pros

In addition, it is a way to acquire a stable asset

Bitcoin’s value is prone to fluctuation. So, if you’re purchasing a home using bitcoin, you trade the risky asset in exchange for a more stable asset and this could be the right choice for certain kinds of investors. But, it could turn against you should BTC returns to the moon.

Potential discount

If the seller is happy to accept bitcoin, they might offer you discounts. Giving discounts to those who pay with bitcoin has become a common practice in companies that accept bitcoin, especially those that hold bitcoin in their balance books.

Cons

Locating an online seller

Finding a seller of a home who accepts cryptocurrency isn’t an easy feat. While some real estate listings sites let you search for sellers by adding keywords like “bitcoin” to search criteria, you usually must contact the seller for confirmation.

Bitcoin volatility

The volatility of bitcoin’s price is a risky payment choice for sellers who might not get the amount they were hoping for when the price falls dramatically within a short time after the transaction. In the end, some sellers who accept digital currency prefer payment in the form of stablecoins.

If you’ve been lucky enough to make some decent dollars in the cryptocurrency markets and would like to diversify to other investments, using bitcoin to purchase property could be a viable option that doesn’t require selling the BTC first.